Go Out and Play in the Yard
We often refer to a person as being “well-grounded” when they seem stabile, reliable, practical and calm. That metaphor may turn out to be far more scientifically descriptive than literary. Recent research into the electrical field influences on our body functions has determined that we need to actually ground ourselves to the surface of the earth, much as you do with the electrical system of your house. The simplest way to do this is to spend twenty minutes to walk barefoot on the beach, enjoy a picnic sitting on a blanket in the grass, or lean against a shade tree to read a book. Being sent out to play in the yard has been a great prescription to improve health for many millenniums. And it is free.
Of course, for all those who cannot find time or place for communing with the outdoors, there is technology to the rescue. You can purchase a special mat or sheet to place on your chair or bed and run a conducting line out the window to a stake in the ground, or connect to a grounded electrical plug in your house. The electrical energy will transmit to you, though not as effectively as when you actually make direct contact with the electromagnetic field of the earth.
Since there are products available, and money to be made on those products, you will find many websites with information and marketing. If you’d like to skip the hype, you can do some interesting reading at www.EarthingInstitute.net to learn the specific research, findings and benefits.
Some of the demonstrated effects of regular “earthing” are detoxification, reduction of inflammation in joints and muscles, better quality sleep, return to circadian rhythm after jet lag, pain relief and more. And these effects are not subjective. Using heat-sensitive thermography camera, researchers documented the intense levels of joint inflammation and muscle distress in a research subject with arthritis, then photographed again after a 20 minute dose of “earthing.” The photos showed dramatic reductions of the heat signature of inflammation, as well as the subject’s personal report of less pain and better range of motion.
Cardio function has been shown to respond positively to the practice of “earthing.” A couple of decades ago researchers found that a factor called Heart Rate Variability (HRV) was highly predictive of heart health. They could use an oscilloscope to track the sine wave generated by heart function (See the book called “Heart Math Solution” by Dr. Childres) and correlate the well-formed variations to good mood, proper breathing, effective response to stress, and much more. Perform those same sine wave readings before-and-after “earthing” and you can see that the practice induces the same desirable sine waves, even without doing the pesky, tedious mental exercises suggested in the ”Heart Math Solution” book.
The practice of earthing is, in fact, so effective that it has earned its own set of cautions in the presence of certain medications, including blood thinners, thyroid medications, blood pressure drugs and diabetes control. It is not that you cannot do the earthing, only that you need to start slowly and monitor your response, since the negative electrical field of the earth can enhance the effects of your medications. It is recommended that you work with your health care provider to measure the changes and reduce the pharmaceutical dosages as is made possible by your “earthing” regimen.
Now you have another reason to go outside and relax. If you cannot sit on the ground, you can sit in a lawn chair and wiggle your bare toes in the lawn. If you need to wear shoes, choose ones that don’t insulate you from your connection to the earth. Wear leather soles, rope espadrilles, or other non-plastic/rubber materials. Go dig in the garden on your hands and knees. Take the toy Tonka trucks out for a spin on a dirt track that you build with your kids. Get grounded regularly. Your body will show its appreciation measurably.
Category: Health & Fitness, Life Style
