Getting your hands dirty is good for you
Getting regular contact with soil and the outdoors may benefit the immune system and skin microbiome, but people are divided on how far to take that idea and how solid the evidence is. Commenters contrast simple habits like gardening, walking barefoot or “touching grass” with techified or commercialized variants such as probiotic creams, grounding mats, or extreme biohacking routines, often criticizing the latter as placebo-driven or opportunistic. Others point out real risks—from parasites, allergies, rashes and pesticides to skin cancer from sun exposure—and argue that claims about dirt, grounding or reduced hygiene should be weighed against established public health practices and the quality of the underlying science.
Productizing “dirt is good”
- Many comments parody the idea of turning “getting your hands dirty” into a hyper-optimized biohack: mud buckets with controlled microbial ratios, smart dirt buckets with apps, subscriptions like “DirtPlus™,” and influencer-branded mud.
- Others note we already have adjacent products (mud/clay baths, probiotic creams, sun lamps) and see a real 2026 market for such things, half-jokingly.
Immune system & microbiome
- The study result that microbially diverse soil increased skin bacterial diversity and anti-inflammatory cytokines is seen as striking and encouraging.
- Some frame it as immune “training” or “appropriate response,” not simple suppression, emphasizing the immune system’s complexity.
- Explanations offered: soil as a living ecosystem; microbial diversity promoting competition and balance; constant low-level exposure modulating immunity.
- Others are skeptical of mechanisms and note the paper’s ecological, not medical, framing as a reason for caution.
Hygiene, risk, and edge cases
- One commenter reports far fewer colds after switching to strong antibacterial soap; others suggest this frequency of illness warrants medical evaluation, and remind that handwashing also protects others.
- Several note downsides of dirt/nature exposure: rashes from gardening, severe grass/tree allergies, bites/stings, and historical hookworm from barefoot walking.
- There’s mention of helminthic therapy and even rapamycin as extreme ways to modulate immunity, with concern about people microdosing immunosuppressants.
Grounding / earthing debate
- A long subthread discusses “grounding” (direct contact with earth or grounding mats).
- Proponents cite subjective benefits (better sleep, feeling good, animal behavior) and small studies.
- Multiple replies call it snake oil: point out author conflicts of interest, lack of proper controls, and basic electrical arguments against the proposed mechanism; placebo is repeatedly emphasized.
- Some say even if it is placebo, and harmless, personal benefit may still be fine, but real testing would need blinded experiments.
Sun, saunas, and over-optimization
- Sun exposure discussion: tension between skin cancer risk vs pleasure, tanning, and vitamin D (with others noting supplements).
- Sauna routines are used as an example of extreme “lifehacking” (precise minute-by-minute protocols) vs a more relaxed, intuitive style. Some defend timers as simple tools; others find them stressful.
- A dangerous sauna competition and a death are cited as an extreme of pushing such practices too far.
Barefoot / environmental exposure
- Some advocate barefoot walking for sensory enjoyment and a feeling of connection; others strongly object due to glass, feces, and parasite risks.
- There’s mention that barefoot shoes can give some of the sensory benefits while reducing risk, though some argue they miss the direct contact that’s the whole point.
Meta-commentary on pop science & culture
- Several comments see “dirt is good for you” as something previous generations intuitively knew, now repackaged as novel science.
- Others criticize “pop science” articles for cycling contradictory health claims (e.g., soil and Parkinson’s) and being click-driven.
- There’s broad joking about GTD, quantified self, “studies show” living, and intense n=1 experimentation; some find it sad and wish such effort went into collaborative research.
- A few frame all this as antifragility: small, varied stresses (dirt, nature, unstructured life) preventing systemic “blow-ups” from over-sterility and over-optimization.