Grounding: The Benefits of Walking the Earth

Grounding, also called Earthing, is the natural practice of connecting your skin to Earth.

A growing body of evidence seems to suggest that this timeless practice holds a very powerful effect on human health. Direct contact between your skin and the surface of Earth facilitates the exchange of charged electrons, which appears to yield powerful health benefits.

Follow me, while I provide some context. You may have heard of the term oxidative stress: this is the damage to your cells generated by excessive free radicals. Free radicals are naturally produced in our bodies as a byproduct of cellular metabolism (our energy production system), the group of processes that transform carbohydrates, proteins and fats into molecules that our bodies can use as fuel. High amounts of free radicals are also generated by chronic inflammation, consumption of fried foods, excessive sugar intake, air pollutants, pesticides, smoking, exposure to radiation, certain medications or high use of antibiotics, emotional/physical stress and alcohol.

Free radicals are unstable atoms that contain an unpaired electron. Due to their instability, these molecules are constantly scavenging for electrons they can bind to. When a free radical “steals” an electron from any cell in your body, that cell is then missing an electron and it is permanently damaged. Free radicals can damage DNA, proteins, lipids, cell membranes and many more structures, promoting degenerative disease and genetic mutations that may be lead to cancer.

But your amazing body has a plan! Antioxidants are the antidote to free radicals and your body can manufacture a wide array of antioxidants if given the right building blocks. Other incredibly powerful antioxidants are provided by plant chemicals, found in fruits and vegetables. This is one of the reasons why a healthy, whole, nutritious plant-rich diet is so important for your health.

When too many free radicals are produced and the body cannot keep up with enough antioxidants (whether produced or ingested), oxidative stress happens and healthy cells are permanently damaged.

Recent evidence suggests a direct skin connection with the Earth surface provides a limitless source of mobile electrons. These electrons can function as antioxidants, binding to free radicals to stabilize them, thus stopping the havoc they wreck in your body. The surface of the Earth may be the best electron donor available, with its virtually unlimited storehouse of accessible electrons and zero negative secondary effects.

Our modern lifestyle has deprived us of this primordial source of electrons: shoes with insulating soles instead of natural materials, in fact, block the electron exchange between skin and Earth. Researchers hypothesize this disconnection from the Earth may be an important, insidious and overlooked contribution to physiological dysfunction and the alarming global rate of non-communicable, inflammatory-related chronic diseases. The research on grounding is relatively new and additional evidence is needed to support this hypothesis, but the studies done so far produced intriguing results.

Weather and schedule permitting, we recommend spending 30-60 minutes barefoot everyday, ideally in the morning, on soft wet grass. But you can stand, sit or walk on soil, grass, sand or concrete daily, depending on what is available to you. In addition to fighting free radicals, research suggests grounding can decrease levels of pain and inflammation, increase circulation and reduce stress levels.

For many people, there is no time in their current schedule to go out barefoot. If this is the case, some indoor options are now available: grounding chairs, bed pads, floor and chair mats, body bands and more tools are available to get you grounded.

You can find additional information on this website: https://www.ultimatelongevity.com/earthing-grounding/products/.