HEALTHY AT HOME
Let’s get
grounded By Deelle Hines
It’s summer! Finally a time to kick of your shoes, put your feet in the grass and feel the tickle on your toes. Go for a barefoot walk and connect with the earth you just might feel better because you did!
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t’s a known fact that we do not spend the same amount of time outdoors as we used to. Thanks to evolution, we have traded in walking barefoot for shoes and sleeping on the ground for a nice comfy bed. But the truth is, our bodies are designed to come into contact with the Earth on a regular basis. The air we breathe, the water we drink and the ultraviolet light from the sun are all important ways we connect with the Earth and our survival depends on it. Grounding is an important Earth connection we are missing out on these days due to synthetically soled shoes, living in homes and working in offices. Luckily, summer is just around the corner, so we have plenty of opportunity to put this amazing health benefit to the test.
What is grounding? Grounding or Earthing has been advocated by Europeans for many generations. The theory is the Earth is a grounding force that our bodies are meant to come into contact with on a regular basis. Our bodies and cells have electrical energy and with so much contact with cell phones and Wi-Fi, many of us have a high amount of positive electrons built up in our bodies. The Earth provides a negative grounding charge, which then balances everything out. Jeanette Gormley, a local reflexologist says “our feet contain approximately 25% of all the nerve endings in the body, as well as reflex points that represent all glands, organs and tissue of the body, thus making the feet the most effective access point for grounding.” The best grounding surfaces are sand, grass, soil, ceramic tile and unpainted or unsealed concrete or brick. Asphalt, wood, rubber, plastic and vinyl are surfaces that will not ground you.
What are the benefits of grounding? It is important to note that grounding is not a “treatment” or a “cure” for a disease or disorder, but the scientific evidence to back up the health benefits are plenty. Many doctors in the medical field consider grounding takes us from disease mode into health mode. Grounding has the ability to calm the sympathetic nervous system, which supports your heart rate variability (or time between heart beats)
The North Shore
ah! Summer 2016 - 20
