Boost Heart Health Through the Practice of Earthing

Learn how getting reconnected to the Earth’s energy can cut your risk of heart disease and dramatically improve heart health

One of my cardinal principles of health is called Earthing (also known as grounding). It’s an amazingly simple concept that involves nothing more than reconnecting the human body with the energy naturally present in the ground we walk on. I’ve been involved in a lot of the early research on this, and I believe it could be the most important heart-health breakthrough I’ve come across in my 30-plus years as a doctor.

Earthing Explained

In a nutshell, here’s how Earthing (or grounding) works. The Earth’s surface contains a limitless number of free electrons that are continually replenished through solar radiation and lightening strikes; your body naturally absorbs these particles when you make physical contact with the ground. In the body, these electrons have an anti-inflammatory effect because they reduce the free-radical activity that causes inflammation and chronic pain. (If you remember your high school science, electrons are negatively charged. Inflammation-causing free radicals, however, are positively charged. The additional free electrons therefore neutralize the free radicals.) The energy of the free electrons also helps keep your body’s innate electrical circuitry properly balanced. All of these effects are extremely beneficial to heart health.

Without a regular connection to the Earth, people can develop what I call an electron deficiency. This in turn can lead to imbalances in the body and potentially to significant health problems. For example, chronic inflammation—which is increasingly being identified as the cause of many chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders—may be a result of a lack of connectedness.

Our modern way of living exacerbates the problem because it places all sorts of barriers between our skin and the ground’s healing energy. Fortunately, the connection can be easily restored by regularly practicing Earthing—either by going barefoot outside or sitting or lying on special conductive devices (such as pads for the floor or bed) that are plugged into grounded standard three-pronged electrical outlets. Many such Earthing products are available at www.amazon.com.

The Research Is In

The dozen or so completed studies on Earthing have proven beyond any doubt that becoming grounded has significant positive effects on our physiology and heart health. Grounding’s many physical benefits—particularly those that lead to a healthy heart—include:

• A decrease in inflammation and an improvement or elimination of the symptoms associated with many inflammation-related disorders, including heart disease

• Lowered stress and increased calmness in the body by moderating nervous system activity and stress hormone secretion

• Thinner blood and improved blood pressure and circulation

• Improved efficiency of the cardiovascular, respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems

• A reduction in chronic pain

How to Get Grounded

Getting started with Earthing is easy. If conditions allow, literally go barefoot outside. Just 40 minutes a day can make a difference. Grass, sand, dirt, and concrete are all conductive surfaces from which your body can draw the Earth’s electrons. Wood and vinyl are not conductive.

If going barefoot outside isn’t realistic, a warm basement with a concrete floor will also work. Sit there and read or just relax with your bare feet resting on the ground. Before you begin grounding, however, take note of the effects Earthing can have on the actions of certain medications.

To find out more about grounding and Earthing products that ground you while you sleep, sit, or work, read Earthing (Basic Health, 2010, and available at www.amazon.com), the book I coauthored with Clint Ober—who discovered the health benefits of connecting with the Earth—and my writing colleague Marty Zucker.

More Dr. Sinatra Advice on Earthing for Heart Health

How does Earthing decrease your stress levels, consequently promoting optimal heart health? Read about the research that shows that Earthing can cut your risk of heart disease by positively affecting your nervous system.

What beneficial effects does Earthing have on circulation to boost heart health? Learn how Earthing can keep your heart healthy by thinning your blood and lowering your blood pressure.

Which medications might be affected by the heart-healthy practice of Earthing? Find out how the heart-health benefits of Earthing may lead to a reduction in some of your medications.

Read questions and answers about the Principles of a heart-healthy lifestyle.

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