Is anyone familiar with the concept of "Earthing"?

irisheyes13 · Post by **irisheyes13** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:48 pm

I've just recently became aware of this concept and wanted to run it by all of you wonderful people and see if anyone has any thoughts on it or has heard of it before.

There does not appear to be many published studies backing up the theory but after having read all the personal reviews on Amazon based on the book "Earthing - the most important health discovery yet?", I'm intrigued. There are also some research studies listed on their website.

Earthing

The surface of the Earth resonates with natural, subtle energies. Ongoing scientific research is discovering the details as to why people feel significantly better when they connect with these omnipresent energy fields. Earthing refers to the process of connecting by walking barefoot outside, as humans have done throughout history, or sitting, working, or sleeping grounded indoors. For more than a decade, thousands of people around the world—men, women, children, and athletes—have incorporated Earthing into their daily routines and report that they sleep better, have less pain and stress, and faster recovery from trauma. Earthing immediately equalizes your body to the same energy level, or potential, as the Earth. This results in synchronizing your internal biological clocks, hormonal cycles, and physiological rhythms, and suffusing your body with healing, negatively charged free electrons abundantly present on the surface of the Earth.

The link to the website is http://earthinginstitute.net/index.php

I found out about this through my mother who has an acquaintance who recommended the book to her because he had been suffering with several ailments, including pain and inflammation and is substantially better after following the advice of the authors.

In theory it makes sense but I'm skeptical because although you can take the free advice and begin "earthing" without any cost or purchase involved by walking around in your bare feet in your back yard every day, they do sell products on their site which can allow you to get "grounded" via a bed pad, bands or patches... thus bringing out the skeptic in me.

It fits in with the same premise as the Paleo diet in that we have gotten so far removed from how our forefathers lived- no processed foods and walked the earth without sneakers. We rarely walk in our bare feet and are hooked into electronics constantly so I'm curious as to your thoughts. I do know one thing: for years I have said that I feel so much better in the spring, summer and fall than I do in the winter. I spend as little time as I have to outside once the cold weather shows up.

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 5:01 pm

Kelley I am not familiar with this concept, but I have read a few related studies. Over the past 20+ years there have been a few studies that looked at the earths natural electro-magnetic resonance which happens to a easily measurable 7.83 Hz ( or 7.83 times a second).

This is a natural EM radio background frequency that the earth generated due to its iron core and magnetic field. Whats interesting here is that this is the same frequency as the brains alpha waves. In one study participants lived in a structure that totally shielded them form this 7.83Hz signal and all of the participants had significant changes in their alpha wave brain patterns and subsequently became ill. As part of the test a artificially generated 7.83 Hz signal was introduced and with 3 hours the participants recovered. During the test the participants were not aware of these measurements or changes.

This is important work for long term space travel as anyone on a journey like that would need tis stimulation that is provided by the earths core naturally

Of some recent concerns there is a host of low frequency radio waves that come close to this frequency and this is becoming a concern for health in general near these artificial sources.

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 8:45 pm

No, I'm not familiar with that concept

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 8:47 pm

No, I'm not familiar with that concept.

I am familiar with going barefoot since I was a child and still enjoy it. I always feel better about myself and life in general when I've been in close contact with nature in its pure, natural form.

Love, Shirley

harma · Post by **harma** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 3:21 am

Hello Kelly, thanks for posting. It sounds interesting. One thing I do know, I love to walk barefeet (does walking on socks count to?) but than on a nice warm floor. It's that feeling of feeling connected to the ground under your whole feet. Three years ago, in one of my trips to the middle east, I also went to Syria. In Damascus is a great mosque (one of the oldest, biggest and most beautiful in the islamic world). In Syria it's also open for women and non muslims too. It's known in mosques you have to take your shoes of. I still remember the feeling of walking around there barefoot.

I am going to take a look at the website you mentioned.

irisheyes13 · Post by **irisheyes13** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:20 am

Joe- your explanation is interesting and its funny because as I was reading through all the info on earthing I did wonder about the effects on astronauts when they are in space for long periods of time with none of the stimulation of the earth's core.

Shirley and Harma- I too, feel so much better when I'm connected to nature. In particular during the summer and our family trips to the shore. I feel so much better after a holiday at the beach and always assumed it was more psychological than physiological. From the reading I have done the experts have said your body gets the best effects of the earth's electromagnetic field from wet grass or even better, wet sand and the ocean.

I'll be curious to see how may parents feel about their earthing bed pad and if they notice a difference. In the meantime, bring on Spring and wet grass.

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:52 am

Earthing sounds interesting, although I wonder how grounded you can become when we are all surrounded by artificial electromagnetic radiation from cell phones, wi-fi, power lines, etc. I think cell phone radiation will be the public health calamity of the future. But there is so much $$ going to supress research about hte health effects of various forms of man-made radiation that surround us. And cell phones haven't been around long enough to blame cancers and immune dysfunction on them. I for one think immune system dysregulation that results in autoimmune diseases like MC is partly caused by cell phone and (worse) wi-fi radiation and environmental contaminants. Go ahead, call me a conspiracy theorist. Eventually we will all learn the truth, but not before an entire generation suffers needlessly from cancer, chronic disease and infertility.

Bifcus16 · Post by **Bifcus16** » Wed Mar 02, 2011 3:31 am

It falls into that 'can't hurt but probably won't help much' category.

If walking around barefoot cured all our ills, there would be a lot of really healthy communities around away from the western world. But last I read, most of those had lower life expectancies than westerners.

However, the positive feelings assocated with doing that may well have an impact. The placebo affect is real and can cause real changes in the body. Meditation also has the same impacts. So walking around barefoot may have some geniune health value for some folk.

As to the theory, there are a lot of theories around that use energetic healing, based on adjusting the human body back to homeostatis by applying healing frequencies etc. One day they may work out how to do this in a reliable and provable way, but right now it is very hit and miss, and way too open to shysters. That said, if you can afford it then the only danger is to your wallet.

Lyn

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Thu Mar 03, 2011 11:57 pm

Zizzle, as I sleep surrounded by cell towers, in the same room with my wireless internet modem, wireless router, cordless phone, and usually at least one cell phone, not to mention on box springs, I wonder just what effect they are having on my body. And sometimes I think about the citizens who would go out and watch the nuclear bomb tests in the 1950's like they were some kind of spectator sport.

And I think about all the countries which have never had telephone access for the average person but do now, though it is only cell service because throwing up a cell tower is vastly easier and more economical and efficient than putting up poles and stringing wire.

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:17 am

Marliss,
You are positively radiating!

But seriously, you should consider uplugging your router at bedtime and shutting off the cell phone when you sleep. Can't hurt to lessen your exposure!

harma · Post by **harma** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 9:31 am

nice to see your face Kelly, beautiful picture.

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 2:21 pm

Combo of Feng Shui and wanting my sleep environment natural, i have hardly any electrical items in my bedroom, the only thing i have is a lamp for reading.

i have the clock radio for the alarm based in the bathroom (not ensuite) across the hall type bathroom

I have the ipod nano with relaxing sleep music and speakers plugged in out of the room but the speakers sit in the doorway.