For those who know me well, know I am a great advocate for "Earthing". Earthing therapy rests on the intuitive assumption that connecting to the energy of the planet is healthy for our souls and bodies. So I bet you are asking, how does "Earthing" work and why is it so powerful? Our immune systems use white blood cells to release reactive oxygen molecules (commonly known as free radicals) to oxidize and destroy pathogens and damaged cells. Free radicals have an electron imbalance that makes them electrically charged - in their quest to find a free electron and neutralize, they can attach to or steal an electron from a healthy cell, damaging it in the process. The damaged cell then needs to be removed, and the immune system sends another neutrophil to process it, starting the entire cycle over again. This is how chronic inflammation (which causes chronic pain and promotes many health disorders) is set in motion. This entire response is compounded by the fact that free radical-generating substances are present all around us: in fried food, alcohol, tobacco smoke, pesticides, air pollutants, and even the sun’s rays. The earth has an infinite supply of free electrons, so when a person is grounded, those electrons naturally flow between the earth and the body, reducing free radicals and eliminating any static electrical charge. The reason Earthing is so powerful is it reduces and prevents inflammation from occurring in the body, which in turn prevents inflammation-related health disorders. What are the different methods of Earthing? The simplest and most natural method of grounding is to go outdoors and place your bare feet and hands directly on the earth - many people choose to go for a barefoot walk in the park or on the beach. (A note: Walking barefoot in your home, where minimally conductive or nonconductive materials like concrete foundations and hardwood floors insulate us from the earth’s electric potential, will not have the same effect.) It takes at least a half an hour of exposure to access significant health benefits, so I recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of barefoot time outdoors daily, if possible. When I started consciously Earthing myself, the first noticeable effect was that I slept much better. It makes you breathe easier - you just feel better. Other effects, like calmness, and increased blood flow, happen over time, you won’t feel them so immediately. Earthing greatly reduces blood viscosity, particularly after exercise, in part helping to counteract exercise-induced inflammation. Are there emotional benefits, too? The emotional benefits from Earthing is actually the most important piece of this. Today, since we’re no longer naturally grounded, we hold all these natural fight-or-flight responses in the body, and there’s no way to discharge them; which contributes greatly to stress and anxiety. Earthing also affects emotional health through pain reduction - if you have pain, you’re going to be emotionally stressed. If you reduce inflammation, the pain stops, you feel better, and the energy comes back. I have personally found that Earthing improves mood, reduces stress, and has a lovely calming effect. Go! Get out there! Enjoy that green grass or salty sea sand and leave the shoes behind! Yours in health, Maria Lucey, Nutritionist and Health coach 0438 112 050
