Amidst the rapid changes in the world, there is a flip side: we are losing touch with ancient knowledge, wisdom, and natural methods, and becoming increasingly influenced by (electromagnetic) radiation. One of these natural methods is grounding or earthing your body.
Earthing, grounding, or grounding yourself may have different names, but it essentially involves making direct physical contact between your bare skin and a natural conductive surface. This could be achieved by standing or walking barefoot on natural surfaces like the beach, grass, or soil. When you do this, you're effectively "earthing" or "grounding" yourself, establishing a direct connection between your body and the Earth. Why is this necessary, and how does it benefit our health?
The Background: What Is Grounding?
Before we delve into why grounding yourself is essential for your health, let's discuss the background of earthing. The whole concept revolves around positive charged free radicals and negative charged electrons. Just as our bodies need antioxidants to combat free radicals, which are harmful but essential elements, we also need to discharge the daily buildup of positive charges through electromagnetic fields. When your body comes into contact with a natural surface, it absorbs negative electrons from the Earth, helping neutralize the positively charged free radicals within your body.
The primary benefit of earthing is that the negative electrons you receive from the Earth help combat inflammation in your body. Inflammation is at the root of many diseases, disorders, ailments, and imbalances. The negative electrons absorbed by your body support the functioning of your organs, tissues, and individual cell functions.
Nature's Connection
As humans, we originated walking barefoot, much like all other animals. Just as many ancient wisdoms are rooted in logic and mechanisms, grounding also appears to have a logical basis. Does it make sense that, as living beings, we should periodically be connected to the ground on which we originated, almost like batteries that stay continuously connected to their source, enabling them to function at maximum capacity? Or does it seem more logical to sever our connection with the ground where we originated for a long time? The former option is more convincing to me.
Balance
Just as balance is essential in life, the "charge" in your body needs to be balanced. By grounding yourself, you bring your body's charge back into equilibrium, establishing a connection between the Earth's surface and your body that tackles the positively charged free radicals using the negatively charged electrons from the Earth. This keeps the inner workings of your body, which are influenced by the choices you make and the way you live, in balance.
Reality
Not too long ago, there were no concerns about grounding or earthing. We mostly walked barefoot or wore footwear made of natural materials. Nature was abundant, and there weren't many sources of radiation that could quickly overload our bodies with positively charged free radicals. Things changed around 1960 when synthetic materials like synthetic rubber were invented. The first thing they did was to enhance shoes with rubber soles. Since then, shoes have become an indispensable part of our lives, with various variations like sneakers becoming incredibly popular.
Today, 95% of people walk around insulated from the Earth, meaning there's no physical connection between their bodies and the Earth's surface, and grounding yourself has become less common.
The Science
Clint Ober, the founder of grounding, was a cable TV installer in the United States in the early 1960s. His work involved grounding cables before they entered homes. One reason for grounding cables was to manage and stabilize the entire electrical system, preventing lightning strikes on the cables and directing lightning to the ground to avoid damage to homes. When lightning strikes the ground, the charge is neutralized, eliminating the danger. Another reason to bury cables underground was that they caused interference with aviation due to radiation in the air and surroundings. Could this also affect our bodies?
Similar to how various devices, such as radios, experience interference from ungrounded cables in the vicinity, our bodies appear to react in a similar way, where we experience negative effects from electromagnetic radiation produced by modern technology, including smartphones, tablets, and all other contemporary devices. This radiation is generated by electromagnetic fields we are constantly exposed to, such as Wi-Fi connections in our homes and various cables scattered everywhere. This continuous exposure keeps charging our bodies (ever experienced an electric shock?). Some people might even be charged up to 20 volts!
How Is the Earth Negatively Charged?
Understanding the principle of grounding is supported by a scientific perspective that explains why the Earth carries a negative charge. The ionosphere, a layer around 80 to 1,000 kilometers above the Earth's surface, consists of ions and free electrons. This layer gets "ionized" by the sun. Solar radiation is powerful enough to split the molecules emitted by the sun into positively and negatively charged electrons. These electrons rush toward the ionosphere and charge this layer around the Earth with positive and negative electrons. Periodically, the ionosphere discharges negative electrons towards the Earth through lightning, charging the Earth's surface with negative electrons. The positive electrons remain in the ionosphere. The Earth's surface conducts electricity, allowing you to absorb the negative electrons from the Earth when you are in direct physical contact with it.
According to scientists, grounding is as vital to our well-being as air and sunlight.
Grounding and Our Health
In a documentary about Clint Ober's discovery of grounding, you can find a study where 60 individuals with various conditions and complaints were grounded. The results were astounding, primarily showing a disappearance of inflammation, and improved sleep. Different researchers and doctors have indicated that most common diseases are caused by chronic inflammation, a problem that grounding could potentially address.
Understanding How Our Body Works
To grasp how grounding affects our bodies, it's important to comprehend our body's workings better. It starts with proteins: collagen, the most prevalent protein in our bodies, forms the building blocks of our tissues. Countless collagen molecules within our bodies are all enveloped in a gel-like layer. This gel-like layer covers a vast surface area and has the property of absorbing electrons and releasing them when your body sustains damage. An inflammation occurs, which is created by neutrophils, one of the five types of white blood cells in our bodies. When you sustain an injury, you have damaged cells within your body. White blood cells (neutrophils) swarm to the site of injury and encase the damaged cells. These white blood cells emit a type of oxygen that extracts electrons from the damaged cell, destroying it. Problem solved! Or is it?
Not quite. White blood cells also release free radicals in the area where the damage is located. The free radicals eliminate pathogens, bacteria, and dead cells, cleaning up the vicinity. This area is also known as the "repair field." The free radicals released to clear the damaged area, however, "leak" into the healthy tissues surrounding the damaged region. Grounding is essential because your body requires electrons to clear away the remaining free radicals. If there aren't enough electrons in your body to perform this function, an electron is stolen from a healthy cell. This sends a signal to your immune system that a cell is damaged, starting the process anew. A chain reaction can occur, leading to chronic inflammation.
Clint Ober firmly believes that if we are grounded, our bodies cannot sustain inflammation. This could mean that grounding equals no inflammation equals no disease. Wouldn't that be wonderful? I'm convinced that connecting with the Earth, the way we originated, can do no harm.
Grounding for Energy
Electrons are not just tools within our bodies; they also function as energy generators. This process is known as oxidative phosphorylation or the electron transport chain, occurring within mitochondria, tiny components of our cells where energy is generated. Grounding or earthing directly contributes to energy acquisition, enabling you to perform better in your daily life.
Grounding for a Healthy Heart and Circulation
Grounding yourself involves standing on a conductive surface, allowing electrons from the ground to reach your body. This could be the natural ground, or you might use an earthing or grounding mat. The electrons enter your body and coat your red blood cells, causing them to repel each other. This reduces the viscosity of your blood, making it easier for your heart to pump blood throughout your body, promoting healthy circulation. As a direct consequence, your blood pressure drops, and the health of your heart and blood vessels improves.
The Wonders of Nature
The world is built on electronic rhythms, starting with the sun, where electrons originate, which governs the Earth's rotation and the changing of seasons. Our bodies are programmed in a way that follows these rhythms. This offers a compelling explanation for the many experiences of people who ground themselves and find they sleep better. Grounding allows you to synchronize with the Earth's natural rhythm.
That wonderful, natural feeling you get when you walk in the woods, on the beach, or spend a day outdoors—it's the power of nature. Earlier, I wondered: does it make sense that, as living beings, we should periodically be connected to the ground on which we originated, almost like batteries that stay continuously connected to their source, enabling them to function at maximum capacity? I'm genuinely convinced that it does.
Grounding in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands, the weather doesn't always permit walking barefoot outdoors. In autumn and winter, it's too cold, and walking outside, especially barefoot, isn't pleasant when it rains. Fortunately, there are excellent grounding products that allow you to ground yourself indoors.
The Grounding Mat
We offer various grounding mats: a large mat that you can place under your feet, beneath your keyboard while working, or even as a simple solution for sleeping if you're not ready to invest in an earthing sheet or blanket. We also have smaller grounding mats and grounding mousepads. These mats are made of durable foam with a top layer featuring conductive carbon coating. They come with a connector to which you attach the included cable and plug it into an electrical outlet.
Grounding Socks
Grounding socks ensure you remain grounded when you're on natural ground, using a grounding mat, or lying on an earthing sheet. During the winter, these socks are a welcome addition when using a grounding mat, as they prevent your feet from getting cold. The socks consist of 50% cotton, 25% nylon, 22% silver fiber for conductivity, and 3% spandex. Unlike imitation versions, our socks contain the highest amount of silver fiber available, providing excellent conductivity and strong antibacterial properties. Silver has the highest reflection value of all metallic elements, which means it reflects external electromagnetic frequencies and returns body heat to the skin, keeping your feet warm in cold conditions. They remain lightweight and incredibly comfortable to wear.
Shoe Strips for Grounding
One of the best grounding solutions is the shoe strips, which you can choose in white or black. These sleek strips connect your skin to the ground while you're wearing shoes, allowing you to maintain a continuous connection with the Earth when standing on grass, soil, sand, or concrete. Originally developed for athletes seeking better performance during sports, these strips are also suitable for everyday life. When you purchase shoe strips, you receive two pairs so that you can use them on both shoes or for two separate pairs and extend the use of the strips. For optimal results, we recommend combining the strips with grounding socks to maximize conductivity to your skin. Once you've applied the strips to your shoes, it's best not to remove them, as they might not be reusable if taken off. If you decide to remove them, do so gently to avoid leaving behind adhesive residue.
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