Saturday, May 1, 2010

Get Grounded!

Have you ever wondered why you feel so relaxed, and why you sleep so well when you go to the beach? One reason is because of the contact you have with the earth when you put your bare feet in the sand.

In our modern world, we are surrounded by electrical fields from the wiring in our homes, cell phones, and wireless devices. Because the human body is mostly water and minerals, we are excellent conduc­tors of this voltage in our bodies. Since people walk around in syn­thetically-soled shoes, and spend their time on carpeting and furni­ture, these act as insulators. When we walk outside, we never come into direct contact with the surface of the earth and therefore con­tinue to carry around this electrical charge. Research by Clint Ober and other scientists are finding that this extra voltage we are holding in our bodies contributes to stress, poor sleep patterns, elevated corti­sol, inflammation, oxidative stress, pain, etc… Being in contact with the earth is a part of the natural state of living things throughout his­tory, and this separation from the earth is not natural. When we con­nect with the ground without shoes on, we ground ourselves and allow this excess electrical charge to drain off us. We are all ex­posed to excessive electromagnetic fields (EMF) and grounding is one of the few things that will reduce the effects of EMF fields on the body. As little as 20-30 minutes of direct contact with the earth can have a profound effect on aches and pains, sore muscles, anxiety, tension and stress, jet lag, and insomnia.

Cortisol is an adrenal hormone associated with stress, inflammation, and sleep dysfunction. Chronic elevation of cortisol levels can dis­rupt circadian rhythms, which in turn contributes to a multitude of health conditions, such as sleep disorders, hypertension, heart dis­ease, decreased immune response, mood disturbances, autoimmune disease, and abnormal glucose levels. A study by Maurice Ghaly, M.D. found that grounding patients to the earth while sleeping on a specific grounded mattress pad resulted in significant improvements in cortisol levels (an average of 38% lower!), while sleep dysfunc­tion, pain, and stress were reduced or eliminated. Patients reported that they fell asleep more quickly, woke up less during the night, and felt less fatigue and more refreshed upon waking in the morning. Most reported significant reductions in pain, and most had less emo­tional stress, such as anxiety, depression, or irritability.

Jeffery Spencer, a chiropractor and specialist in athletic recovery and performance, is the chiropractor for Lance Armstrong and the U.S. team participating in the Tour de France. He utilizes a variety of modalities to keep the team healthy during the race. Due to the physical stress of the race, many cyclists have trouble sleeping, have elevated cortisol, tendonitis, slow wound healing, etc...In Jeff’s view, the missing link for these athletes is sleep. Sleep is the time when growth hormone stimulates the body to repair itself, metabolic wastes are taken care of, and oxidative stress is neutralized. Sleep involves many processes that bring the body back to baseline, so it is ready to meet the demands of the new day at full capacity. But most athletes don’t sleep well and there is increased risk of injury, illness, and diminished performance.

When Jeff started implementing a special grounded mattress pad for the cyclists, he found their sleep was universally improved, tendoni­tis was virtually eliminated, wounds healed faster, performance was significantly improved, and recovery from exertions and injuries of the previous day was much quicker.

Virtually every process in the body involves electrical activity. The brain, the heart, the muscles, lymphatic and glandular systems all produce and respond to electrical signals. All of these biological systems are affected by grounding ourselves to the earth, resulting in lower stress levels, relaxation, and better sleep.

When you feel stressed, one of the best things you can do is go out­side, take off your shoes, and touch the ground. Or grab a thin blan­ket and lie down on the earth for 30 minutes. You will feel the stress drain from your body. It’s simple, it’s easy, and it’s effective. The more you can be connected to the earth, the better you will feel and the healthier you will be.

For more details on this research, see:

www.getearthednow.com/science.htm

and the book, Earthing by Clinton Ober

Natural Remedies That Work!




Depressed? Stressed? Anxious? Irritable? Out-of-sorts?

Try this easy remedy:

· Eat 1 large handful of cashews

· Go outside, take off your shoes, and make contact with the earth for 20-30 minutes. (You can also sit on a thin blanket)

Cashews are naturally high in the amino acid, tryptophan, which breaks down in y our body into serotonin, one of your body’s most important neurotransmitters. Serotonin is responsible for feelings of well-being and mellowness. Anti-depressant drugs work by artifi­cially raising the body’s own serotonin levels. But you can do the same thing naturally through your diet. Cool, huh?

Making contact with the earth is beneficial in many ways, as the article above details. Try it and you will see how effective it is.

Becky Mauldin, N.D.





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