The soil under your feet affects you more than you think. Here’s why

We count our steps, scrutinize food labels, monitor our heart rate, and track our calories. But there’s one key factor vital for our well-being that most of us overlook entirely: the health of the soil beneath our feet.

From the food on our plates and the water in our rivers to the air we breathe, soil quality influences everything.

The Hidden Health Factor

“You can imagine soil health’s role in human health in two ways—what it does to us and what it does for us,” says Mackenzie Sehlke, nutrition and food policy expert and executive director of the Farmers Markets in Boulder County, Colorado.

For starters, the nutritional value of the food we eat, be it fruits, veggies, or grains, is directly linked to the soil in which they are grown.

Healthy soil, rich in organic matter and beneficial microbes, produces food with higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants through better nutrient cycling, water retention, and resilience to pests and climate change.

Soil with more available nutrients—such as nitrogen that promotes plant health and selenium that benefits human health—yields more nutritious food, says Sehlke. In addition, basic micronutrients in soil, like iron, zinc, and iodine, also directly impact our health, she adds.

Moreover, minerals and microorganisms present in soil help filter out pollutants, such as heavy metals, organic waste, and harmful bacteria and viruses, from air and water as they move through soil layers.

In contrast, depleted soil poses a risk to both the environment and our health.

When soil experiences ‘dysbiosis’ or an imbalance of the organisms in it, the plant growing in it senses stress. This stress, in turn, affects the plant’s overall health. As a result, the food made from it is different, meaning it’s less nutritious, explains Dr. Jeffrey Bland, nutritional biochemist, functional medicine doctor, and author of The Disease Delusion: Conquering the Causes of Chronic Illness for a Healthier, Longer, and Happier Life. When we eat this food, it might not provide the necessary amounts of nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy.

A study published in the Journal of American College of Nutrition that analyzed nutritional data of 43 fruits and vegetables from 1950 and 1999 found significant declines in protein, vitamins B2 and C, iron, calcium, and phosphorus over the years. More recently, a 2024 review published in Food journal notes that many fruits and veggies like apples, oranges, bananas, tomatoes, and potatoes have lost their nutritional density by 25-50% or more over the last 50 to 70 years. This is primarily due to soil degradation, aggressive farming practices, and genetic factors.

Besides producing less nutritious food, low-quality soil exposes us to toxic chemicals and disease-causing microbes and contributes to poor air and water quality, adds Sehlke.

The Soil-Gut Connection

Soil isn’t just dirt. It’s a living ecosystem teeming with billions of microbes like bacteria, fungi, and protozoa.

In fact, the soil microbiome is quite similar to our gut flora. For example, both ecosystems fend off pathogens and strengthen the immune system. They also have approximately the same number of active microorganisms, although the human gut has only 10% of the biodiversity found in soil.

Not only that, the soil’s microbial ecosystem significantly influences our gut microbiome. For instance, one study found that less direct contact with soil, decreased soil biodiversity, and other lifestyle factors have led to a loss of beneficial gut microbes in humans. This loss of biodiversity in both soil and our guts is linked to an increase in lifestyle diseases caused by an imbalance of gut bacteria (e.g., diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, etc).

Moreover, when the body doesn’t get the nutrients it needs, it triggers an increased appetite to try and get more nutrients. “The problem is that people often try to satisfy this ‘hidden hunger’ with more highly processed foods,” says Dr. Bland.

Given that gut microbes play a key role in controlling appetite, diminished biodiversity in our gut microbiome disrupts this natural regulation, potentially trapping us in a cycle of nutrient insufficiency and disrupted gut health.

Steps To Reconnect With Soil

So what can you do? The good news is, it’s not too late to start making changes. Here are seven ways to support soil health and, by extension, our own well-being:

1) Support regenerative agriculture

Conventional agricultural practices involve deep tilling, harsh chemicals to remove weeds and repel bugs, and fertilizers with high nitrogen levels. “All of these change the soil’s microbiome and affect its health,” says Dr. Bland.

Regenerative agriculture, on the other hand, focuses on rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring soil biodiversity through techniques like low- or no-till farming, crop rotation, composting, and companion planting.

Whether you are shopping for food, clothes, flowers, haircare, or skincare, choose products that are regenerative organic-certified to

support farms and businesses that are committed to promoting sustainability and healthy ecosystems.

2) Get your hands dirty

Dr. Bland recommends growing your own herbs, fruits, and veggies to enjoy fresh, nutrient-dense produce at home and reconnect with beneficial soil microbes. “Grow a small garden, even if it’s contained in planters,” he says. Research indicates those who do gardening have higher levels of good bacteria in their gut compared to non-gardeners due to exposure to soil microbiome.

3) Try composting

Composting not only reduces waste in landfills but also helps restore soil nutrients and support soil biodiversity, which means better nutrition availability and greater resilience for us.

4) Avoid overtreating soil

Overuse of chemical pesticides and herbicides disrupts the soil ecosystem. These toxic chemicals may also leach through the soil and contaminate groundwater.

To minimize the harmful effects, choose plant-derived pesticides like pyrethrum or EPA-registered chemical products for your yard or garden. Also, use them only when necessary and apply only to specific areas that need treatment.

5) Eat more organic whole foods

Dr. Bland suggests consuming more organic whole foods and minimally processed foods. “Unfortunately, food processing removes most of the phytonutrients in vegetables and fruits,” he says. Phytonutrients are naturally occurring chemical compounds in plant-based foods (e.g., flavonoids, carotenoids, and glucosinolates) that are critical for chronic disease prevention.

To reap the benefits of phytonutrients while supporting soil health, Sehlke suggests buying a variety of vibrant, seasonal produce from local growers who prioritize sustainable farming practices and soil conservation.

6) Choose soil-friendly restaurants

You can support soil health when dining out by selecting a Michelin Green Star restaurant or a Zero Foodprint-member restaurant. “These restaurants contribute 1% of customer bills toward soil health projects on nearby farms and ranches,” says Sehlke.

7) Educate and advocate

Stay informed about and support local and federal initiatives and policies prioritizing soil health and sustainable farming practices. For example, USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Healthy Soils Program in California, and Boulder County Soil Health Initiative, to name a few.

The next time you feel the earth beneath your feet, remember you’re standing on the foundation of your well-being. It’s about time we give it the TLC it deserves, don’t you think?