Inflammation, Antioxidant-Grounding 101.
Inflammatory process are created by oxidative stress or free radicals. They reduce our bodies own antioxidant healing capacity. Overproduced free radicals react with our cells impairing their normal function, possibly permanently.
What is a Free Radical anyway?
They are atoms, molecules or ions that have an unpaired valence electron.
Electrons like to “travel” in pairs or “need a buddy”. However if there is only one electron by itself on a chemical molecule this will make the molecule very reactive and it will readily “steal” an electron from its surrounding environment and that includes nearby healthy cells; which often occurs within the body. (1) Think of all the damage from inflammatory conditions in our bodies.
Antioxidants are now widely considered a preventive medicine, especially for cancer and many other disease processes.
What if I told you one of the best Antioxidants didn’t come from some medication or even a mystical Superfood!
Healing with Grounding
Grounding is the act of reconnecting with the Earth’s natural electrical current. Emerging science is showing us that this simple act of connecting with the Earth’s surface, may just provide us with one of nature’s most abundant sources of antioxidants.
Grounding is “Anti-inflammatory” and may just be the best “anti-oxidant” that exists in our world. It has ZERO downsides or side effects and is 100% free and easily accessible right outside your door! The Earth’s surface is a POOL of free electrons just waiting for us to tap into. Our skin is naturally conductive so we can easily absorb these free electrons and they can be quickly utilized in the body.
Here are 3 main benefits these free electrons can provide us in healing.
1. Managing Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS/free radicals)
An excess of reactive oxygen species in the body can cause cell damage and thus inflammation. Approximately 95% of oxygen is consumed as energy and ultimately becomes water; however, the remaining 5% produces metabolites called activated oxygen or reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are extremely reactive.(1a)
Absorbing free electrons via grounding can help manage that, inherently as an “Anti-Oxidant”.
Free radicals (ROS) are “oxidants” meaning they have just lost an electron and are now looking for anyway to get that electron back. An excess can overwhelm internal antioxidants and tip the battle in the negative direction. (2)
These free electrons absorbed easily from the earth and able to pair with radicals/ROS’s to bring them back to cellular stability and prevent them from causing more havoc. (3)
2. Maintaining proper blood flow and blood pressure
Many people don’t know that one of the largest ways our body regulates blood flow is via electric charge and electromagnetic signaling.
Both the lining of the blood vessel and surface of red blood cells have a negative charge. This negative charge is IMPERATIVE for proper blood flow because it prevents coagulation. See (figure 1.) for a visual of a red blood cell and its size relative to a capillary.
Coagulation can be thought of when red blood cells clump together. Our red blood cells need to be able to flow freely to squeeze through tiny capillaries.
This negative surface charge enables negative charges to REPEL each other so it keeps each red blood cells away from the next when the charge is optimal.
When grounding you absorb free electrons that are readily available to help maintain that optimal negative surface charge. A deficiency in free electrons in the body can cause coagulation. (4)
3. Regulating Cortisol Rhythm
Grounding synchronizes important hormones to circadian rhythms. Cortisol gets a bad impression as being the “stress hormone” but that’s only surface level understanding. In humans, cortisol production usually increases during the night and shows a peak of secretion in the morning, around 7:00–8:00am, in this way setting the endocrine balance for the stress associated with waking it needs to have the right rhythm.
Cortisol should be HIGH in the AM as it is the hormone that provides wakefulness and low in the evening so that you can easily fall asleep.
Grounding helps regulate cortisol rhythms, tho the mechanism is not fully known. You can be sure it has to do with signaling your body’s internal clock (SCN) to the right electromagnetic information so it can synchronize to the day and night cycle. (5)
How to ground?
You can ground on the earths surface by walking barefoot, lying on the ground or enjoying the sand at the beach! Electrons can pass through a thin garment of clothing however bare skin is the always the best. Our sweat glands are the best absorber of these free electrons.
There are also grounding patches and grounded sleep systems you can use in addition to nature at a cost. A great published article to reference is here. (6).
Additional Resources
This article speaks to 20 Medical Thermography Case Studies around grounding.
Medical thermography (also called “clinical thermography”, “infrared imaging” or “thermal imaging”) is used to photograph inflammation and poor circulation in the body. Check it out for more images like (figure 2). (7)
The image on the bottom left was taken three weeks after the first treatment. The image shows a significant reduction in inflammation in the knees and a return of normal thermal symmetry.
Conclusion
When was the last time you stepped on the earths surface barefoot? How about lay out on the grass? It seems primitive but maybe that’s what our current indoor generation needs. Give it a try for yourself! Couple this with sunbathing and you have a power healing match.
keep the faith,
Article References
(1a) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8509443/
(5) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5372003/
(7) https://www.ultimatelongevity.com/earthing-grounding/thermography/thermography.shtml
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