YOUR BODY NEEDS SUNSHINE, AIR AND GROUNDING!

Growing up in South Africa it was perfectly normal to run around without shoes, especially outdoors, and I have fond memories of just how good it felt to be barefoot, free and enormously happy playing on the grass or running on a beach. Little did I know how amazing this seemingly normal act of my feet in the sand or grass was for my health!

Grounding has to be one of the most overlooked, yet easiest ways to protect and vastly improve your health and slow down ageing! 

Let’s take a look at how this simple, pleasurable concept which reduces inflammation and chronic disease works. When you put your bare feet on the ground you absorb large amounts of negative electrons through the soles of your feet. These free electrons act as antioxidants in your body and help to reduce chronic inflammation, the root cause of many diseases and ageing.

Our Earth is full of electrons which serve as a powerful and abundant supply of antioxidants, which in turn cancel out free radical damage/stress caused from exposure to pollution, cigarettes, pesticides, processed foods, radiation and other damage. This free radical damage continually depletes your body of electrons.

An inflamed body generally has a lot of positive charges and inflammation thrives when your blood is thick. Grounding has a powerful effect in alleviating inflammation by thinning your blood and driving negatively charged ions through the soles of your feet.

There is much research to back up the concept of grounding, which include more than a dozen studies on the physiological effects of grounding. Highly renowned cardiologist Dr Stephen Sinatra who features in the ‘award of excellence’ documentary “Down to Earth” has this to say;

“In simple terms, grounding is literally putting your bare feet on the ground. When you do that you’re in contact with the Earth and Mother Earth is endowed with electrons and these electrons are literally absorbed through your feet. It’s like taking handfuls of antioxidants, but you’re getting it through your feet.”

Perfect explanation of the wonderful power Mother Earth offers us!

Rampant stress, environmental toxins, pollution, the food we eat (and other things) all create inflammation in the body. Ageing occurs due to the accumulative damage caused by free radicals. Grounding can take care of this imbalance as evidenced by it’s effects on inflammation. And this medical evidence shows that within thirty minutes of being grounded inflammation begins to subside, with a decrease in blood oxygenation within forty minutes of grounding.

Grounding improves sleep and normalises the day-night cortisol rhythm which in turn reduces stress. It has also been shown to speed wound healing, reduce blood viscosity, and increase heart rate variability. 

Sadly we do depend on the Earth but we’ve become disconnected from it through the invention of synthetic materials, not least synthetic soles on our shoes and this does a great job of insulating us from the Earth!

HOW TO GET GROUNDED

Walking barefoot on the following surfaces will keep you grounded;

• Beach sand
• Grass (preferably moist)
• Bare soil
• Ceramic tile
• Concrete and brick (not sealed or painted

These surfaces will not ground you;

• Wood
• Rubber and plastic
• Vinyl
• Tarmac
• Asphalt

If you’re a frequent traveller Dr Sinatra believes that simply taking your shoes off and putting your feet (bare or with socks) on the steel struts in front of you will keep your grounded. 

Finally, if it’s not easy for you to practice grounding for whatever reason, there are grounding pads and sheets available to stay grounded whilst sleeping and working indoors.

Time to kick off those heels, connect with Mother Earth and get grounded!