The best healing and wellness support system we have is Nature. Yes, Mother Nature!
Here is the latest edition of 1 thing I’m doing, 2 things I’ve learnt and 3 things to explore lovingly created so you can live a happier, healthier and longer life. Much love, Sandy xx
1 THING I’M DOING
Coming Home to Nature
“Hi Honey, I’m home,” is the familiar happy cheer I usually sing out to my awaiting family, as I step through the door and return from my latest adventure.
It’s a joyful confirmation that I have returned back home. Safe and sound. And back to the place where my loves live, and where my mind, body and soul rests.
There is however another time when I deeply feel that I have returned home. It has nothing to do with doors and houses and a lot to do with coming back to a place where my soul finds peace.
Returning Back To Our True Home
Stepping barefoot on the grass, called grounding, is a daily, much-loved practice of mine. I have to admit, once upon a time, I did think it was all a bit woo woo. I couldn’t quite believe that something special was going on by simply standing barefoot on grass. Nothing to see here, nothing to feel. The rational minds says this is all coo-coo.
And yet, here I stand (barefoot of course) joyously and happily corrected.
Grounding is one of the simplest things anyone can do which has tremendous health benefits.
So, when I put my bare feet on the grass every day and feel joy, I feel like I’ve come home.
When I lift my face towards the sun and feel its warmth, my soul feels like it’s home.
When I breathe in deeply, like really deeply, the ocean air and smells, I know I’m home.
And when I hear birds chirping in the early morning as we both greet the sunrise and a new day, my heart is full of so much gratitude. I am one of the lucky ones who gets to see another beautiful day and is at home in nature.
Yes, we are so fortunate to have our houses that keep us safe and warm at night. Especially on those days when we hear the wind blistering outside. But we are from nature and connected to nature so our spiritual home is outside our front door and is waiting for us.
So today I invite you to kick off your shoes and socks and to step outside with me. It’s time to come home. Time to discover the beautiful gift that Mother Nature has given us and time to ground ourselves.
Grounding: What Is It & What Are The Benefits
Grounding, also known as earthing is simply connecting our bodies to the surface of our planet with bare skin contact. Think walking barefoot on grass, running your hands through soil or even hugging a tree if you like.
Nearly 20 years of research has shown that connecting to the earth’s natural energy, by walking barefoot on grass, sand, stone or dirt, can diminish chronic pain, fatigue, inflammation and many other ailments that plague our society. Here’s a little snippet of one study:
“Emerging research has revealed that direct physical contact with the surface of the planet generates a kind of electric nutrition, with surprisingly potent and rapid anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.”
And this.
“This body of research has demonstrated the potential of grounding to be a simple, natural, and accessible clinical strategy against the global epidemic of noncommunicable, degenerative, inflammatory-related diseases.”
How Does Earthing Work
The Earth is like a gigantic battery continually being recharged by the sun. Heat from the sun spews ions and free electrons to the ionosphere and then transfers them via lightning to the surface of the earth contributing to our earth’s negative charge.
When we walk barefoot on the ground, there is an immediate inrush of electrons from the earth, into our body.
Trillions and trillions of electrons rush into our body, taking up all the spaces where the positive ions in our body are missing electrons. Instantly in this flash of a tiny second, just like a super hero getting the bad guys, all the free radicals in our body are neutralised and can no longer cause us damage. All this magic happens by merely standing barefoot on the grass, in a blink of an eye.
If we don’t neutralise these nasty free radicals, trouble can lie ahead. These free radicals cause oxidative stress, damaging our DNA and our cells, and if allowed to go unchecked, can lead to diseases and cancer.
Mother Nature is extraordinary. And whilst humans have been creating all sorts of fancy advancements in technology, engineering and travel, we are losing touch with our relationship to her. Nature is one of our greatest gifts and teachers. And whether you live by the ocean, in the country or in the bustling city like me, getting outside barefoot and touching the ground each day is a birth right and something we can all do. It’s time to step outside with naked feet my beautiful friend. Welcome home!
✔️ Action Item – Ground yourself every single day. 5 minutes, 1 minute, 1 second. I would prefer you did even one second than not at all.
PS – And if you’re wondering “how long should I ground for each day?”. The answer to this is pretty simple and is similar to all circadian health principals. How unwell are you? How crap do you feel? How much do you need to heal? The worse you feel, the more you need.
2 THINGS I’VE LEARNT
Planet Earth: A Natural Battery, Packed With Enormous Healing Power
Our planet is like a colossal battery, packed with natural frequencies and power. When you physically connect with the earth, you absorb this energy like a sponge. Interestingly, as a “big battery” yourself, these frequencies serve to recharge you. Remember, we are all electrical beings.
Every movement and thought is based on frequencies and electric transmissions in the body. From your heart beat, to your brain and nerves firing off, to your immune system. You operate electrically.
Getting Your Daily Dose of Vitamin G
When you go outside and expose yourself to our sun, 93 million miles away, your body takes the energy from the sun and makes Vitamin D, plus an abundance of other health benefits. benefits.
When you go outside and walk barefoot on the ground, you absorb the negative ions from the earth and get electric nutrition. We can call this Vitamin G. G for grounding and G for great.
Mother Nature has truly blessed us with the gifts we need for good health. Being outside in nature, we can download the healing benefits from the sun and upload goodness from the earth. This is the perfect human hardware and software upgrade in my opinion.
Action Item – We regularly update our phones and computers but when was the last time you downloaded and uploaded nature’s latest updates? A daily maintenance check will help keep those viruses and malfunctions away.
The Nike Generation: Modern Shoes & Runners Disconnecting Us From Home
Did you know that it was only around 1960 that synthetic materials were invented? A celebration of the American manufacturing industry, one of the first things this new invention heralded was putting rubber soles and synthetic soles on shoes. And so, the Nike Generation, the Adidas generation, the sneaker generation was born.
In 2021, the global sneaker market alone was valued at USD 78.59 billion. 95% of our population walks around insulated and disconnected from the earth. And when it comes to our kids and teenagers, I would guess this figure is likely closer to 99%.
It has become foreign to see someone walk outside barefoot. When they do, ut’s not unusual for eye brows are raised. For germaphobes to freak out. For the prim and proper to shake their heads at the hippies walking down the street.
Some believe that the synthetic soled shoe could be one of the most destructive inventions to our health ever made. Maybe so, as it certainly wasn’t always this way.
In ancient civilisations, we humans walked around barefoot or with footwear made from animal hides and leather. This kept us grounded and allowed the Earth’s natural energy to flow through our bodies. Today, we generally don’t go outside barefoot unless we’re perhaps relaxing by the beach on holidays or a child romping around in the backyard.
This disconnection and Vitamin G deficiency may be a seriously overlooked contributor to the global epidemic of chronic illness, inflammation, and pain.
“Now we know that when someone walks barefoot on grass, on earth, or on the beach, the free radicals that have built up in their body as a result of stress inflammation are neutralized. What is really happening at a fundamental level is that they are restoring their biological rhythms.” – Deepak Chopra
✔️ Action Item – It’s time to turn the Nike Generation into the Nature Generation. Lead by example. Spend time outside barefoot every day and get the kiddies to do the same.
3 THINGS TO EXPLORE
The Earthing Movie
Looking for something decent to watch instead of the next Hellywood blockbuster? Here’s a fantastic documentary that will inspire, educate and motivate you all at once.
Earthing the movie came to be when producer and director Rebecca Tickell, was exposed to a toxic chemical dispersant while filming the Gulf of Mexico oil spill for the petroleum industry exposé The Big Fix (2012). Sadly, Rebecca developed skin rashes, mysterious ailments and was told by doctors that she might have problems conceiving. Although Rebecca did give birth to her “miracle baby”, and whilst Athena was born healthy, she suffered from chronic illnesses and was frequently hospitalised.
As fierce Mama Bear’s do, Rebecca searched tirelessly for a cure for her and her daughter. This led Rebecca on a journey beautifully told and shared in this documentary which led her to discovering one of Nature’s best gifts.
✔️ Action Item – The Earthing Movie: The Remarkable Science of Grounding has won multiple international Film Awards and has had over 7.6 million views (should really be 76 million IMO). 😊 I highly recommend you check it out here.
Grounding: 15 Creative Ways to Weave Grounding Into Your Busy Life
Think grounding is just one more thing you have to make time for in your day? Ho hum. Think again. Here are 15 ways you can ground yourself by doing what you do now, but with a little earthing twist:
- Eat Breakfast Outside: Take your healthy breakfast and cup of coffee (if that’s your jam) outside and enjoy it all in your backyard, barefoot on the cool, dewy grass.
- Morning Stretch & Exercises: Do your morning stretches, yoga session or weights outside on the lawn, feeling the earth beneath you. Give skipping on grass a go or perhaps my intelligent exercises.
- Meditate in Nature: Take your meditation or breathwork out and onto a patch of grass.
- Work Breaks: Use your breaks to step outside, find a local park and kick off those shoes and socks.
- Gardening: Do some of your gardening nude. Before you freak out, I meant with your bare hands and feet on in the soil.
- Read Outside: Take your favourite book or the latest work report out to your garden.
- Writing Outdoors: Work on your shopping list, journal, or homework outside, connecting with the earth as you write.
- Chore Mindset Change: Wish the load of washing would just put itself on the line? Rather than dreading this routine, turn it into a gift. Kick off the Ugg’s and tend to the washing barefoot. And while you’re at it, you can always fold it up again outside, barefoot too.
- Playtime with Kids: Create happy memories playing backyard soccer, shooting hoops, playing hide and seek, tag or anything. There’s just one rule. No shoes!
- Playtime with Pets: And don’t forget Fido. Whether it’s playing fetch or giving doggo a well deserved brush, there are no rules that say you can’t do this barefoot on the ground.
- It’s Wee Time: Speaking of the fur baby, if you’re the one that has to do the morning or nightly wee trip, use this opportunity to neutralize those free radicals.
- Barefoot Walks: If you’re lucky enough to live by the beach, walking barefoot on the wet grass is the ultimate grounding experience.
- Al Fresco Dining: As the days get warmer and longer eating dinner outside and being barefoot on the grass, patio or deck sounds like heaven to me.
- Hobby Time: Like to paint, draw, knit or do crafts? Why not take these outside and combine nature time with hobby time.
- Outdoor Social Media: Get your daily social media fix while sitting barefoot in your backyard or a park.
I’m sure there are many other ways you can incorporate grounding practices into your daily routine. Just keep an open mind, be creative and whatever you’re doing, take the opportunity to step outside and feel the earth’s wonderful embrace each day.
✔️ Action Item – Simple. Make grounding yourself a daily a non-negotiable. Just as you wouldn’t think of not brushing your teeth, think of grounding as an essential hygiene practice for your mind, body and soul.
The Making Of A Great Person
“Now I see the secret of the making of the best persons, It is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.” – Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass
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