Earthing
The practice of “Earthing” or “Grounding” is becoming more popular by the week in the holistic health field. It has mind-boggling health benefits and can have a tremendous effect on your energy, sleep, and overall health status.
I’ve recently read several scientific articles on this phenomenon and I am going to share the highlights with you in this blog post. I guarantee that before you finish reading this post, you will be prancing around outside in your bare feet!
What the heck is Earthing?!
Put simply, it is the act of putting the soles of your feet in direct contact with the surface of the earth.
How does it work?
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According to the Journal of Environmental and Public Health,
It is an established, though not widely appreciated fact, that the Earth’s surface possesses a limitless and continuously renewed supply of free or mobile electrons. The Earth’s negative charges can create a stable internal bioelectrical environment for the normal functioning of all body systems which may be important for setting the biological clock, regulating circadian rhythms, and balancing cortisol levels.
2. Your body is able to absorb these negative electrical charges, with your skin acting as the “conductor.”
Just like essential oils are most readily absorbed through the soles of your feet, these electrical charges are best absorbed through your feet.
3. Earthing expert, Clint Ober explains, “the human body is electrical first and chemical second.”
Our heart, brain, and neurotransmitters are all regulated by electrical impulses, so when our electricity is off-balance, so is our health.
How does this apply to me?!
Consider your typical daily routine – do you wear shoes or work all day in a multi-story office building or a house? These routines keep us separated from the earth’s electrical field. It’s no wonder our bodies seem to be “out of whack” so often – and by “out of whack,” I’m referring to inflammation, low energy, stress, sleep problems, and chronic pain.
Here’s how each of these imbalances is affected by Earthing:
- Lower Inflammation & Increased Energy: The negative charges from the earth’s surface act to neutralize free radicals, which is the same mechanism at play when you eat a diet that is high in antioxidants. Earthing also improves circulation, which means that not only are nutrients able to reach all areas of your body, but wastes are more efficiently eliminated. Collectively, these mechanisms decrease stubborn inflammation and increase energy levels.
- Less Pain: Inflammation in the joints and body tissues is a major cause of chronic pain. By decreasing the inflammation, conditions such as arthritis, back pain, chronic autoimmune disorders, injuries, and headaches can be significantly improved.
- Lower Stress: Multiple experiments have demonstrated decreased cortisol levels and lowered stress reactions in participants who spent 30 minutes Earthing, as opposed to participants who did not.
- Better Sleep: This is where is gets really interesting…. a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine found that connecting the body to the earth during sleep regulated daily cortisol levels and improved sleep patterns. Another study in the Journal of European Biology and Bioelectromagnetics found that after earthing, participants’ cortisol levels were in line with the natural rhythms of the earth and sun. This means higher cortisol in the morning, when it’s important to be alert and energetic, and lower cortisol in the evening, when it’s time to relax and drift off into a restful sleep.
Dr Axe puts this all into perspective:
Electrically and chemically speaking, poor sleep is often a symptom of high stress hormones like cortisol. By lowering our reaction to stressful events in our lives, we can fall and stay asleep more easily. And sleep is crucial for healing our body on the most basic level – raising our immunity, giving us enough energy for proper digestion, fighting food cravings or weight gain, and supporting a healthy mindset.
Time to get started!
Earthing is free, easy, all-natural, and the benefits multiply the more you do it!
Ever wonder why so many people list “long walks on the beach” as one of their favorite pastimes? Those negative ions make you so healthy and feel so balanced, rejuvenated, and vibrant!!!!!!
Kick your shoes off, find a patch of pesticide-free grass, and take a stroll. I have even read stories of mothers who hold colicky babies while earthing and the babies instantly calm down. If that’s not proof of the power of the earth’s electrical field, I don’t know what is!
If you want to do some further reading, here are some great resources:
What is Earthing? Should You Be Doing It? – The Farmer’s Lamp
Earthing: 5 Ways it Can Help You Fight Disease – by Dr. Axe
