You are Grounded

Take your shoes off folks....

Now human functionality and physiological operations rely in part with it's interaction with nature influence that can in part be used and manipulated to increase our health, longevity and enjoyment in life. One particular aspect of this is called grounding and no this is not martial art myth or legend, this is actual scientific reality.

The earth’s surface is electrically conductive and is maintained at a negative potential by a global electrical circuit. This circuit has three main generators: the solar wind entering our magnetosphere; the ionospheric wind; and thunderstorms (thousands of thunderstorms are continuously occuring and emitting thousands of lightening strikes per minute). This creates a constant current of thousands of amperes transferring positive charge to the upper atmosphere and negative charge to the surface of the earth. The earth’s surface is therefore an infinitely abundant source of free electrons.

When humans are in direct contact with the earth (barefoot as in Martial and other Holistic Practices), free electrons are conducted onto the skin surface and then into the body via mucus membranes of the digestive and respiratory systems. The body thereby maintains the same electrical potential as the earth.

Throughout time, we humans have strolled, sat, stood, and slept on the ground with the skin of our bodies touching the skin of the Earth, however oblivious to the fact that this physical contact naturally transfers this electrical energy to the body. But our modern lifestyle has disconnected us from the Earth’s energy, making us more vulnerable to stress and illness. Regaining some of that natural energetic balance back to reduce stress, sleep better and even eliminate free radicals (associated with disease such as cancer and diabetes) from our bodies is possible and very simple. But before I explain, remember we are bioelectrical beings living on an electrical planet.

Now as our bodies are mostly water and minerals, this also makes it a good conductor of electricity (electrons). These free electrons emanating and contained in the earth's surface are easily transferred to the human body with direct contact. But in modern times we work to insulate ourselves from these beneficial electrons by wearing synthetically-soled shoes that insulate us from Earth’s electric field. When we are in homes and office buildings, we are also insulated and unable to receive the Earth’s balancing energies... in fact we supercharge ourselves with other positively-charged molecules called free radicals, that are not beneficial to our health. This leads to pain, diseases and other disturbances in our bodies caused by chronic inflammation.

However when you make direct contact with the Earth, either by being barefoot outside, laying on the beach sand or grass (as a few examples), the negatively-charged electrons from the Earth are absorbed into your body and reduce these free radicals and in turn the inflammation. This is Vital as medical research has found that many of the chronic and debilitating diseases of our time have the same cause: chronic inflammation. Scientists have now realize that pain and disease arise in our bodies where an inflammatory response has taken place, but the inflammation has not completely stopped after the healing process. A low level of chronic inflammation can continue on for years, damaging normal tissues and wasting energy. If we go barefoot outside for even a half-hour, we can feel what a difference it makes on pain or stress levels.

Grounding or earthing (as was the popular term), generates a powerful shift in the electrical state of the body via the electrodynamics even in our blood, as the absorbed electrons are the source of a neutralizing power of the gained antioxidants. This in turn restores natural self-healing and self-regulating mechanisms. Studies have found that grounding appears to provide several health benefits, such as better sleep, less pain, reduced stress and tension, and better immune function compared to study participants who weren't grounded. Some other studies also suggest that grounding eliminates the potentially harmful effects of the electromagnetic fields (EMF) given off by all the electronic devices that surround us in modern life. Also when compared to the ungrounded participants in similar studies, those grounded showed significant changes in key biomarkers including serum sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, total protein and others. There are so many benefits to grounding for health (and Martial applications of Kyusho), that it should not be overlooked.

So how do we efficiently ground to reap the benefits? Well exercising barefoot (although all parts of the body can achieve the same results as the feet and why Yoga is so beneficial), a simple walk barefoot outdoors (especially on wet beach sand or damp grassy areas), is one of the most inexpensive and powerful ways of incorporating earthing into your daily life and will also help speed up tissue repair and ease muscle pain due to strenuous exercise. The most beneficial grounding exercises are:

Stretching (Yoga)... in fact Yoga is primarily a grounding method more so than just stretching exercise... as it incorporates and circulates this energy very effectively and throughout the body.

Chi Gong (Ba Duan Jin), for those with less time or physical restrictions that can not comfortably perform full Yoga sets.

Martial Arts, soft style such as Tai Chi, Ba Gua, Sanchin (non constrictive), White Crane (Soft) all can accomplish this efficiently and offer self protection possibilities as well.

Kyusho is the Vital Point, for us it is helping you bring more vitality and protection into your life!

Good Health - Evan Pantazi