StemCell Therapy

Tim HoganTimes correspondent

Health experts have been telling us to spend more time in nature for years. Maybe we haven't gone far enough.

According to a bevy of studies, baring at least your feet when running, hiking and walking can have profound benefits.

The practice studied is called "earthing," or "grounding, and it has been reported to assist with everything from reducing inflammation to improving mental health.

The basic idea is performing simple exercises such as walking or running barefoot to take advantage of the calming, or grounding, aspects of connecting with the Earth.

According to a 2020 meta-study of the practice in the journal Explore, Bodily contact with the Earth's natural electric charge stabilizes the physiology at the deepest levels; reduces inflammation, pain and stress; improves blood flow, energy and sleep; and generates greater well-being.

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I do it with my friends walk around barefoot, said Sara James, fitness coach at Anytime Fitness. It's so grounding; it's healing to do it.

To James and other practitioners, it's basically just walking barefoot outdoors. If you want to get fancy, you can use any inexpensive grounding system indoors or outdoors to restore a lost and needed electric connection with the Earth.

Such grounding mats can be found on websites including Earthing.com or Walmart, are generally available for $30-$70 and can be used for standing, sitting or stretching.

People ask me why I'm walking around barefoot, James says, And I tell them it feels grounding to me and healing.'

And it calms me," she adds.

James even suggests that her clients walk barefoot in the grass for a short time each day.

Dr. John R. Principe, a board certified internist and integrative medicine specialist who takes a holistic approach, likens earthing to an electric aspirin that you dont swallow.

Principe, who operates the WellBeingMD in Burr Ridge, Ill., and is affiliated with Advocate Christ Medical Center and Northwestern Medicine Palos and Central DuPage Hospitals, adds that studies have shown that earthing improves blood flow and reduces stress.

Michelle Kelleher, exercise specialist at Purdue Northwest Fitness, is another barefoot aficionado. It's a very beneficial, calming exercise, says Kelleher. Paired with common-sense precautions and deep breathing, she says it can calm the mind.

Most practitioners recommend that you start with 5-10 minutes of barefoot walking and gradually build to longer walks or higher intensity runs or hikes.

Staying safe is really about common sense.

Look to make sure the area is clear of potential hazards like broken glass or nails, says Kelleher. If you are more used to walking in shoes, walking without shoes can strain the Achilles tendon, so it's best to go gradual.

There is even minimalist footwear that can mimic the feeling of barefoot walking or running, says Kelleher, who also works at the shoe store Fleet Feet Sports in Schererville.

Principe adds that new earthers should be mindful of where they are walking barefoot. He suggests that besides watching for sharp objects, they should avoid lawns that have been treated with chemicals. And after every barefoot walk, they should check your skin for ticks.

He says many common used lawn herbicides can have "potential toxic effects," such as increased risk of cancer, kidney damage and birth defects.

Kelleher recommends pairing other exercises with earthing. Body weight exercises, as opposed to machine based, can also help you feel connected to the Earth, she says. They can complement the sense of feeling grounded and at peace.

When earthing, Principe gets a touch philosophical. As I live in the Midwest and cannot benefit from the warmth of a white sandy beach under my feet, I prefer to use a grounding mat at my desk on a daily basis for 20-30 minutes.

Like all the electrical appliances around me, I feel stable and balanced when I am energetically grounded.

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Original post:
WATCH NOW: It can be calming and grounding to go barefoot in the park or elsewhere - The Times of Northwest Indiana

This entry was posted on August 27, 2022 at 2:10 am and is filed under Integrative Medicine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |