When considering the subject of grounding, it’s easy to dismiss as images of dirty hobbit hippie feet, crystals, and pouchouli incense crowd the senses while simultaneously dispelling any vestige of validity. The simple idea of touching bare body to earth, and the lengthy lists of health claims seems too good to be true. Yet, similar to many time honored and often forgotten truths of health and thriving, they are all at root rudimentary and unprofitable to the bourgeoning health industrial complex.
When was the last time you connected natively to earth without barrier of industrial fiber or rubber sole? Was this exposure insulated by carpet or concrete? Considering the many physical barriers modern living has normalized, it’s often difficult to recall the last time body was one with planet.
What potentially happens to your physiology when in prolonged naked contact between body and earth? Evidence from mounting studies suggest that earthing / grounding exposure has profound effects on our circulatory system. Most specifically, bare contact with the earth’s negative charge stimulates our body to equalize by absorbing electrons and subsequently increasing surface charge (-) on red blood cells. This polarization from earth reduces RBC clumping (increased cell repel when polarization is strong) while promoting blood flow (Chevalier 2013). This increased flow of blood has far reaching systemic benefits affecting waste removal, nutrient utilization, and overall human performance of muscle and mind.
Additional Benefits Of Grounding
- Inflammation Reduction: neutralization of free radicals (unpaired highly reactive electrons) which are linked to inflammatory processes.
- Improved Sleep & Mood: implications for reduced cortisol and positive circadian rhythms.
- Stress Reduction: relaxation related to balancing the body’s electrical charge and influencing autonomic nervous system.
- Cardiovascular Benefit: better blood flow and heart rate variability.
Although it may be difficult to decipher causation and correlation from such complicated systems, the signal is clear that for most of our species existence, our lineages spent substantial time earthing. We have only recently built complicated separations into our lives; and perhaps there are far reaching consequences from this norm. The cost and risk of grounding is infinitesimally low; and likely that in the act of earthing we find ourselves in a state of concentrated leisure, or healthful play outdoors.
We are all forged and nourished from the elements of earth; our bodies crave union with the source.
Chevalier, G., Sinatra, S., Oschman J., Delany R., (2013) Earthing (grounding) the human body reduces blood viscosity-a major factor in cardiovascular disease. doi 10.1089/acm.2011.0820.
