
About two weeks ago I had a couple of weeks off work for some much needed down time. As usual, throughout the first week, I could feel my body decompress continually for seven days. It is as though my body must move through the added kinks of stress in life to reconfigure back to basic course again. Working prompts great stress for anyone suffering from fibromyalgia. Most of us live for the weekends when we can build up our energy stores again.
Throughout this first week and into the second my body was filled with aches and pains. Movement of a flu or minuscule virus could be felt as my body became charged with extra flem and fluids. My head held extreme pressure and most of my time was centered near my favorite hangout anymore - my bedroom. What's the use of weeks off anymore? They are just an added stress of pain and displeasure.
One particular day pain was cursing through my feet, to my thighs, stretching out to my hips as I was checking up on my Facebook to live life through others. It was there I found the short film on grounding I shared with you last week. Thoroughly intrigued, I watched it. And with each passing moment i could feel the electricity of change, I knew I was onto something.
Just as the sun gives us warmth and vitamin D, the Earth underfoot gives us food and water, a surface to walk, sit, stand, play, and build on, and something you never, ever thought about—an eternal, natural, and gentle energy. Think of it perhaps as vitamin G—G for ground. What does that mean to you? Maybe the difference between feeling good and not so good, of having little or a lot of energy, or sleeping well or not so well. You can’t see the Earth’s energy but some people can feel it as a warm, tingling, and pleasant sensation when they are out walking barefoot along the water’s edge at the beach or on a stretch of dew-moistened grass. (Earthing)
Years of extensive research has shown that connecting to the Earth’s natural energy, by walking barefoot on grass, sand, dirt or rock can diminish chronic pain, fatigue and other ailments that plague so many people today. This connection is referred to as Earthing or Grounding.
To put it briefly, when your bare feet or skin comes in contact with the earth, free electrons are taken up into the body. These electrons could be referred to as nature’s biggest antioxidants and help neutralise damaging excess free radicals that can lead to inflammation and disease in the body. The Earth is a conductor or free electrons and so are all living things on the planet, including us. The body is composed of mostly of water and minerals which in combination are excellent conductors of electrons from the Earth providing there is direct skin contact or some other conductive channel for them to flow through.
The Earth’s energy upgrades one’s physiology by allowing the body to cope and repair thereby promoting wellbeing, vitality and better sleep. It also harmonizes and stabilizes the body’s basic biological rhythms, knocks down (and even knocks out) chronic inflammation and reduces and eliminates associated pain, making it the most natural and powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-aging remedy around! No matter what your age, gender, race or health status you will benefit from a daily dose of Earthing! (Barefoot Healing)
BENEFITS EARTHING HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HELP WITH:
- Defuse the cause of inflammation, and improve or eliminate the symptoms of many inflammation related disorders
- Reduce or eliminate chronic pain
- Improve Sleep and promote a deeper sleep
- Increase energy and vitality
- Lower stress and promote calmness in the body by cooling down the nervous system and stress hormones
- Normalize the body's biological rhythms
- Thin the blood and improve blood pressure and flow
- Relieve muscle tension and headaches
- Lessen hormonal and menstrual symptoms
- Dramatically speeds healing time and can help prevent bedsores
- Reduce or eliminate jet lag
- Protect the body against potentially health disturbing environmental electromagnetic fields (EMFs)
- Accelerate recovery from intense athletic activity (Barefoot Healing)
Armed with the video and the above information after researching, I decided to give this a shot. What do I have to lose? I wasn't doing a damn thing on my break that I had planned; so why not throw caution to the wind? So, I drug myself up, and trudged outside during the latest Arctic blast. Granted I live in the southern states, but it was biting cold nonetheless. I bundled into sweat clothes and ventured outside. I slipped off my fleece Dawgs and planted by feet on the ground.
The effect was almost instantaneous. I never had anything work so quickly and effectively in my life. I began to feel tingling in the soles of my feet. Within five minutes my mind went internally after I noticed I could breathe easier and my nose no longer felt stopped up. My nose is always plagued with sinus issues during the colder months. I constantly feel as if I am coming down with some type of cold or flu.
Two more minutes in and I visually checked my feet, ankles, and knees because I began feeling a relaxing sensation all of a sudden. I focused my inner sensing to my hips. All gone! I was still lying on my chaise and turned over to place two hands on the ground - just me the bare earth and grass. Within minutes my nueropathy pain was extinguished. I stared up into a blue sky, deeper than I've ever remembered and wondered what did I find? The wind whipped around me, but I didn't seem to notice. I was connected to the earth and something enormous was happening to me.
How long do I ground?
- You must have two areas of your body connected to the earth. It can be feet, hands, or any other combination of your body. That area must be bare without clothing or shoes.
- Sit in place for 20 minutes.
- Practice this twice a day.
Throughout the week I had more energy, able to focus longer and better, and I was not as hungry. For some reason during the winter months my body over compensate for hunger when I was stressed or frustrated. This I believe is the weight gain factor in fibromyalgia. For some reason, in the summer months I would take off a few pounds, but quickly put it back on when winter/fall began. I know this is a common factor in weight gain, but if you have a chronic illness, you crave more carbohydrates when you extended your body's natural resources.
I will be sharing more information in the upcoming weeks. I offer you this simple exercise this week to give it a shot. What do you have to lose? Bundle up, step outside, and slip your shoes off.