Ground on Down

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." Albert Einstein

It is so marvellous to work with natural therapies for the treatment and support of mental illness. Not simply because of the wonderful effects, but also because sometimes the simplicity of nature's methods in healing the body bring such awe it is breathtaking.

The latest findings that make me smile from ear to ear are those related to grounding or earthing. Earthing in its simplest form is making contact with the bare earth (soil, grass, etc) with your bare feet for extended periods of time (a minimum of half an hour a day). In the bad old days of running for our lives from lions and tigers and bears (oh my!), we used to sleep for eight solid hours in contact with the ground. We also didn't have shoes. This constant contact with the earth appears to have had a physiological purpose.

While it may sound like a very hippie trippie sort of healing, ongoing research has shown a vast array of responses that are particularly relevant for mental health. In one study, grounding throughout the night with a sleep set up was shown to have a potentially positive effect on glucose metabolism, immune response, thyroid function, kidney function and skeletal calcium-phosphate storage. Another study showed that grounding may affect stress systems in a healthful manner - modulating the hormone cortisol and improving sleep. As diverse as these factors sound, each and every one may be implicated in the psychopathology of mental illness. Research is still in the early stages. For me though, the simplicity of the idea that as humans we were in contact with the earth for a reason is enticing. Was nature smarter than us?

In a discussion of grounding and its potential role in chronic disease, James Oschman elegantly summised my beliefs about modern science and why this simple idea is one we should possible pay attention to.

"How can the average person or the physician or even the experienced researcher evaluate this continual barrage of ‘‘science’’ that is supposed to improve our health? We should not drink coffee—we should drink coffee; we should not eat chocolate—we should eat chocolate; vitamin E will save your life, but do not take too much of it! These back and forth recommendations can make us cuckoo, nervous, worried, and depressed, conditions that can, of course, be treated with antidepressant drugs, whose benefits are also validated by some studies but not by others.
Are life and health really this complicated?"
(Oschman,J, "Chronic Disease: Are we missing something?" J Altern Complement Med, 2011; 17(4): 283-285)

I really don't think health is that complicated - I think modern life is that complicated for reasons that aren't necesarily all beneficial. Man made complication equals modern illness.

So what if you want to get in on this fabulous new technology? There are grounding products available for your bed while you sleep. If, however, you want to take a low tech approach - take your shoes off for at least 30 minutes a day and get some good earth under your toes. The longer the period, the better the effect it appears. So why not give it a go?

The ultimate tune for your low tech lay on the ground, you can't go past Ben Harper
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f-D7Xx89r4


For high tech products available in Oz, you can go here:
http://www.earthingoz.com.au/