Mud, marvellous mud

There are more living things in one teaspoon of soil than there are people on the planet, according to the James Hutton Institute, a scientific research institute in Scotland. It’s no secret that mud is often used in baths and facials to soften the skin, but research also suggests that elements of mud may hold answers for the future of medicine, pain relief and antibiotic resistance.

And it’s not just physical health that mud can benefit; a bacterium commonly found in soil has been found to alter the behaviour of laboratory mice in the same way as antidepressants, and could pave the way for a future “stress vaccine” to help minimise the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health conditions.

Since the pandemic, many of us have become clean fanatics. But when dirt holds the key to many health benefits, we shouldn’t be afraid to get our hands dirty.

What is mud?

By definition, mud can be a mixture of soil, clay, silt, minerals and earth; when mixed with water it takes a liquid form. Clay is a soft rock-based compound and is often one of the elements that come together to make mud.

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