Get Grounded (even with shoes on)

A few years ago, I was really into reading about raw food and other natural healthy ways of living. I was having some annoying health issues, and I kept trying to “clean” my diet and life so that my body would heal itself. I was so determined not to use a bandaid approach—to address actual issues (even if I didn’t know what they were) rather than just treating symptoms. One of the most interesting things I came across was the concept of being “grounded.”

The crazy thing about our society is that we can actually go for days (weeks? months?) without ever being grounded electrically, especially for people living in colder climates. We wake up in the morning, get ready for work, put our shoes on, get into a car, go into work, and then return home…without ever being grounded! Now, truthfully, you do experience some grounding through water, so if you shower or ever wash your hands, you are being grounded at that time.

Our shoes block our direct contact with the earth, and so do the tires on our cars and other man made things.

When you come into contact with the earth, there is a free flow of electrons and subtle energy. This may not seem important, but the lack of electron flow was never a problem until technology and barriers were developed that insulated our skin from direct contact with the ground. We stopped doing work/play outside, and our shoes, homes, and cars got in the way of the regular connection of ourselves to the earth. There is quite a bit of literature about grounding and how it benefits a person in terms of health and stress level, reduction of inflammation, speedier injury healing, more energy and less fatigue.

Why wouldn’t we want all that?! Especially because so many things we do and are exposed to nowadays impact us negatively, if we can get a bit of an advantage in a relatively easy way…we should!

In general, I like to ground myself by going barefoot as much as possible (when I’m not walking in pesticide laden grass, that is), by touching trees and bushes as I walk past them, and ….well, by sitting with my feet in the sand or water whenever I can.

You can actually buy gadgets, floor mats (to put at your desk—just put your bare feet on the mat that is plugged into a grounded outlet), sheets, and more that help you to become grounded for more time throughout the day. One of my most recent exciting finds are the Juil grounding flip flops.

I bought these a couple weeks ago, and they were waiting for me when I got home from the beach on Friday night. I had been grounding myself for a couple days at the beach (but then totally ungrounded myself by riding in the car for 6 hours!). I promptly tried out the flops the next day, and I love them. They are a bit pricey, but I just love the idea of walking around and being grounded effortlessly.

Here’s an excerpt explanation from the Juil website:

“Ongoing research is also beginning to reveal that while we’ve worked hard to find the best ways to maintain health, we’ve forgotten a simpler, and possibly more powerful, way to do so. And it’s literally as easy as touching the ground.

What’s beneath your feet?

The surface of the earth is teeming with a continuous supply of electrons. Unfortunately, we do things that insulate or disconnect us from the earth’s surface, such as wearing standard shoes that stop this necessary flow of electrons into our bodies.

When we’re not insulated from these electrons, we literally quench the free radicals that accumulate in our bodies each day. Where do these free radicals come from? Everything from stress and man-made electromagnetic fields to toxins, infections and poor diets — all of which contribute to chronic inflammation.

Traditional footwear soles are made of materials that block conductivity. But Juil soles are designed to keep essential electrons flowing. So women have a practical and stylish way to maintain this vital connection and men don’t have to go barefoot.”

The shoes have copper conductors that are completely undetectable when you’re wearing them. I can’t say that I’ve felt any difference (yet) in how I feel—but I believe in the concept of grounding, and I also have faith that much of the process of becoming healthier (or less healthy) happens behind the scenes subtly in our bodies—in ways we can’t detect in the short-term.

Juil did not ask me to write about this, and I purchased the flops myself. I’ve looked for grounding footwear for the past few years, and until now I did not find any options that were actually attractive. I’ve stopped myself from ordering a second pair of Juils….so far.

News/Notes: I’m going to Pittsford tomorrow to take a TRX class at Sweat Gym—I’m slightly nervous based on being so sore right now that I can’t walk normally or straighten my arms all the way (from my last two days of HIIT workouts)…but I want to take a class before I go to the TRX training in LA on Sunday. It’s not rocket science–but you know, I’m an overachiever (or I just don’t want to know the least when I go to the training).

Oh, on the topic of working out, Shirley made up this workout for her trip to Mexico this week (in case her hotel gym was not good).

 

Have you ever tried to get grounded?