We are bio-electrical beings living on an electrical planet. Our body is made up of a complex system of nerves that use electrical signals to control all our actions. To move a muscle, for example, an electrical signal is being sent from the brain to the muscle, telling it to move.
Over time, because we are immersed in a sea of Electro Magnetic Fields, we live stressful lives and our bodies are no longer directly connected to the earth, we get electrically charged and the balance in our bodies is disturbed. In order to restore the electrical balance, our skin needs to be in direct contact with the Earth. (1)
JUST LIKE ELECTRICAL CABLES NEED TO BE GROUNDED, OUR BODIES NEED TO BE GROUNDED ALSO.
Our ancestors were constantly connected with the Earth by walking barefoot or with conductive leather footwear, through gardening and by sleeping on animal hides, on the ground. But with time, we broke this connection by sleeping on raised beds, wearing shoes made of synthetic materials and spending less and less time outdoors. In today’s world, especially in developed nations, we are almost never grounded.
GROUNDING, ALSO KNOWN AS EARTHING, REFERS TO DIRECT SKIN CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH, OR WITH VARIOUS GROUNDING SYSTEMS.
"Subjective reports that walking barefoot on the Earth enhances health and provides feelings of well-being can be found in the literature and practices of diverse cultures from around the world."(2)
ONE OF THE MAJOR BENEFITS OF WALKING BAREFOOT IS REDUCTION IN INFLAMMATION AND PAIN. (3) WITH INFLAMMATION BEING AT THE ROOT OF MOST OF OUR CHRONIC DISEASES, THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT CAN’T BE IGNORED.
As part of healing, our bodies produce inflammation which leads to the production of free radicals. Our bodies naturally produce antioxidants that can help keep these free radicals in check, but when healing doesn’t fully resolve and we live with chronic inflammation, our bodies produce too many free radicals which can lead to a host of health issues like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc.
Free radicals lack electrons, are unstable and they can damage healthy cells by robbing them of their free electrons. This is where antioxidants play a huge role in keeping us healthy. Antioxidants have many extra electrons that they can give to free radicals, to neutralize them.
While we can get some antioxidants from our diet, the Earth’s surface provides us with an endless supply of them. Since our bodies are conductive, all we need to do is allow our skin to come into direct contact with the Earth’s surface, to absorb the free electrons, in order for balance to be restored.
There are a few studies that looked at the multiple benefits of grounding and I wanted to highlight part of one, below. This study used infrared imaging to measure the inflammation before and after grounding and found results after as little as 30 minutes. "Panel A shows reduction in inflammation from sleeping grounded. Medical infrared imaging shows warm and painful areas (arrows in upper part of panel A)."
"SLEEPING GROUNDED FOR 4 NIGHTS RESOLVED THE PAIN, AND THE HOT AREAS COOLED. NOTE THE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN INFLAMMATION AND A RETURN TOWARD NORMAL THERMAL SYMMETRY."
"Panel B shows infrared images of a 33-year-old woman who had a gymnastics injury at age 15. The patient had a long history of chronic right knee pain, swelling, and instability, and was unable to stand for long periods. [...]Lower images in Panel B taken 30 minutes after being grounded with an electrode patch. The patient reported a mild reduction in pain. Note significant reduction of inflammation in knee area."
"AFTER 4 WEEKS OF TREATMENT, SHE FELT GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY SOCCER, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 15 YEARS FELT NO INSTABILITY AND LITTLE PAIN." (4)
Are you intrigued yet? The above are just two of the many examples and testimonials of how powerful grounding can be on reducing inflammation.
SOME OTHER BENEFITS THAT RESEARCHERS DISCOVERED ARE IMPROVED SLEEP, INCREASED ENERGY, THINNING BLOOD AND PREVENTING CLOTTING, DECREASE IN PMS SYMPTOMS, REDUCED STRESS AND MORE.
Several studies have been conducted on this topic and if you want to learn more about it, a great place to start is at www.EarthingMovie.com.
A FEW IMPORTANT NOTES ON GROUNDING:
1. Since cold weather or rain makes it more difficult to walk barefoot outside, we can get the same results by allowing our skin to come into contact with a grounding mat connected to the ground connection in an electrical outlet.
2. Concrete basement floor that is NOT sealed or painted acts as a good substitute for the outdoors. Concrete is highly conductive thanks to its water and mineral composition.
3. Do not try grounding on asphalt, carpet, vinyl and wood surfaces as they are not conductive
4. If you are dealing with any chronic illness or struggle detoxing, start grounding slowly and monitor how you feel. Some people may need to start with a few minutes a day and slowly increase to more. Always listen to your body!
Resources:
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