How Going Barefoot May Prevent Diabetes, Promote Well Being
Research indicates our health is enhanced by frequent connection to the earth’s electrical energy. Connecting with this energy is called earthing, or grounding.
We can connect our body’s electrical frequencies to those of the earth either directly, or indirectly. Direct contact includes being barefoot on grass or sand, or skin contact with soil, as when gardening. Using earthing technology (e.g. grounding mats, grounding sheets) connects us indirectly with earth’s energy.
Reduces Inflammation
Physical contact with the earth is associated with a reduction of inflammation in the body, and inflammation is linked to chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and depression.
Earthing diminishes inflammation because our planet’s surface is teaming with negatively charged ions. Ions are particles with extra electrons. When the cell-damaging free radicals roaming about our body absorb the earth’s available electrons, the free radicals are neutralized, and cannot instigate inflammation.
“Mounting evidence suggests that the Earth’s negative potential can create a stable internal bioelectrical environment for the normal functioning of all body systems,” wrote researchers in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health.
Heart Health and Blood Sugar
Another benefit of grounding is the thinning of our blood. Earthing improves the electrical energy between red blood cells. This counteracts the blood-thickening effects of sugary, fatty diets, smoking, radio frequency bombardment, environmental toxins, and emotional stress. The risk of heart attack and stroke decreases.
Soaking up the earth’s ions may also help with glucose levels. In one animal study, two groups of rats were fed the same diet. Those that lived ungrounded had higher blood sugar than the rats that were grounded. The implications of this research are huge.
“...I think the reason why we have a generation of diabetic kids is because we took away the ground, gave them a lot of sugar, and no exercise. That’s the perfect storm,” says Dr. Stephen Sinatra, cardiologist and researcher.
A regular practice of earthing helps dissipate this perfect storm.
Earthing 101
Good earthing surfaces - those that allow us to connect with earth’s electrical frequencies - are grass (moist is best), sand (beach), bare soil, unpainted/unsealed concrete, or brick, leather, and ceramic tile.
Materials that block the passage of electrons are asphalt, wood, vinyl, rubber, plastic, and tar, or tarmac.
An effective daily grounding practice is walking barefoot in slightly wet grass, dirt, sand, or saltwater for 20 to 30 minutes, or gardening with bare hands. You can also purchase earthing car seat covers, sandals, sheets, and mats if daily direct earth contact is not feasible (just Google "earthing or grounding products").
Sources: Natural News; Mercola
Photo credit: markus spiske