Earthing?

[Harrison]

OK, this is a little out there for some people -- but I am intrigued with the results, science and related studies. Check out this book, and the comments:

Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?

http://www.amazon.com/Earthing-Most-Important-Health-Discovery/dp/1591202833/ref=pd_sim_b5

Is it whacky? Dunno. Does it work? That's what I care about!

[MeggieLynn]

This has been on my list of things to try - especially now since it will be a long time before I could be considered a surgical candidate, if ever. I don't think it's wacky. I haven't taken all the time yet to read all the literature but to me it makes sense, getting your body in alignment with the magnetic pull of the earth. I don't think just getting the wrist bands would do much. I would think the matts and sheets would have more of an effect - along with spending some time outside barefoot & rotating your bed around so your head is oriented to the north when you sleep. Sounds bizarre but I once read some older, more ancient cultures believed this was the best way one should sleep for your health. Can't remember where I read that.

[annapurna]

I hate to be the person who talks about quack cures and attacks the new thing on the block, but earthing doesn't sound very solid simply from a basic electrical standpoint. The main reason why ground rods are so long is that the ground isn't a really good conductor. It isn't an insulator either but it isn't anywhere near as conductive as a metal. If the basic science that is being used on the earthing websites to explain this phenomena was correct, everyone should be getting sufficient earthing every time they touch a grounded metal appliance or ride in a car (tires are slightly conductive, that's why you get shocks when you touch a car).

I don't deny that they are showing benefits but I've got to wonder if there's a second order cause that's being invoked by their treatments but not directly caused by them.

[Harrison]

This is why I enjoy studying new “unproven” ideas that may be beneficial to people, especially if they appear to be “unscientific.” So I set out to experiment for myself – it wasn’t too hard.

Many years ago, preparing for surgery, I took some tai chi while studying qigong. I focused mainly on a few simple moves and breathing. I recall finding a special spot in the back yard in 2003, at the base of a hill, which had two almost perfect indentations for my feet. Last Thursday, I slipped my bare feet into those two spots that have been waiting for me for eight years – it felt like putting on an old, comfortable pair of moccasins. For thirty minutes, I focused on deep breathing, simple movements and stretching. I’ve been practicing daily since.

So far, I’ve noticed that my upper legs (quads) are sore but feel much stronger. Strangely, my dreams are vivid and creative, like movies. I was already sleeping well, but perhaps more deeply now as evidenced by my “feature length films!”

Through the years, I’ve learned a bit about energy sciences and I continue to be intrigued with how much has been learned and published on the study of humans as energetic beings. I am not talking ethereal, hocus-pocus stuff – I mean the rigorous studying of how we have electricity running through all parts of our body, especially our organs and nervous system. Perhaps ironically for us patients, the spine and spinal cord are the main conduit for this energy.

I look forward to learning more about this field. In the meantime, who knows where my dreams will take me?

:sleeping:

[annapurna]

I am also intrigued by the recent, relatively, additions to the medical arsenal of techniques that deal with the flow of electrical energy in the body. We've been using PEMF for a year now and do see some improvements from it. I also don't wish to attack the idea of earthing, just the science they quote on the earthing website to explain it. The science is weak or misleading, the effects they quote and others see is interesting. That's why I wondered if the effects are being caused by some other, related cause.

[MeggieLynn]

I would not be considering any of this, had I not had the experience that I had prior to being diagnosed to fibro. Fifteen years ago I had a knee MRI, was fine during it, but within 1.5 hours of having it, experienced very severe pain in my thigh, hip, lower abd, buttox muscles with loads and loads of muscle fasiculations. It went on for 3 weeks - after which all my muscles were just weak, sore, and easily fatigued - hence the fibro Dx. Took me a year to recouperate. I never told any MD's that I thought the MRI caused my fibro. I'm pretty sure they would have thought me crazy. Sure it could have coincidence & sure I could have been more prone to developing fibro w/my insomnia issues, but my sleep was fairly stable at this time (for a couple of years) while on meds. Maybe some people are more sensitive to these EMF fields.

Consider these things I found:

Earth's field NMR - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth's_field_NMR) General info on the earth's geomagnetic field

http://www.greenfacts.org/en.static-fields/index.htm Click on more of the higher levels for more info

http://trusted.md/blog/anji/2008/02/06/mri_side_effects#axzz1bchyAzss 300 posts over 3 years --Some definitely can be attributed to claustrophobia, effects of contrast dye, overactive imaginations, whatever, but some read true, one written by an electrical engineer & 1 or 2 by doctors

Really don't know if the grounding will help or not, cause as you say the science behind it is not all that solid. Probably can't hurt to try - would only cost a couple of hundred bucks. BTW, I do seem to have less pain when out on the road.

[annapurna]

The whole basis for PEMF relies upon the idea that the Earth's magnetic field has an effect on us. That's pretty well accepted by much of the medical community we deal with. I would draw a distinction between the Earth's magnetic field and grounding. Simply because one is attached to an earth ground doesn't make one more or less susceptible to the magnetic field. Furthermore, finding an acceptable ground is much easier than you'd think. That's why I dispute the science quoted for earthing and really think they're picking up on some other effect. I should also add that the only reason I'm arguing for this is that I'd hate to see someone spend a bunch of money on conductive bedding if the effect they're picking up on could be produced by something far easier and more available.

[MeggieLynn]

Jim and Laura,

So I checked out the PEMF therapy a little bit - What's intriguing to me is that it might help bone to grow (at least that was what this one site claimed). The model's started at $3,000.00 dollars. Probably couldn't swing that this year. I'm getting an xtra city assessment bill this year - they dug up all the streets this summer in my neighborhood and put in all new sewer and water mains. At least all the lead pipe water connections are now finally gone. I'll have to see if there's anything cheaper out there.

Are the matts just placed under your sheets? Are they comfortable? I'm from the original Princess and the Pea story so I don't know if I'd be able to tolerate anything very hard. Wonder if intermittent use would have any positive effect.

ML

[annapurna]

We got a deal and bought a used BEMER from our doc. They are pricey new. The mat isn't very hard but it isn't something you need to be on for multiple hours. I'm fighting osteopenia and use it, at most, twice a day for 20 minutes per day. We also got a point "applicator" and Laura uses that sitting at the computer. If you had a spare bed or an unused section of floor, you could put the mat on that and use it when you need it. I actually built a IR sauna for us and the BEMER mat lives in that under a blanket to cut down on the heat it sees.

[annapurna]

One thought I had a while after the first post: You might wish to try a treatment on a PEMF first. There's a world of difference between the intense magnetic field of a MRI and the field of a PEMF mat but I'd hate to lead you to spend a bucket of money on something that didn't help or even made you feel worse.

[Harrison]

After speaking with one of the authors from the aforementioned book (Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?), I received his book from Amazon. I started reading it and could not put it down -- everything made perfect sense. It's well written and it provides ample explanations as well as study data.

Please see attached, provided by the authors. Very interesting research indeed.

[MeggieLynn]

Thanks Harrison for posting the articles, and thanks Jim for sharing your info. I'm still debating between the two technologies. Both sound good and could have some benefit. My main reason for looking for alternative treatments is to try to find something that might help me sleep better. The only sleep I get is of the medicated kind - nonrestorative w/little if any REM - 3 separate nights in a sleep lab have proven it. I want to get off some of this medication and in fact one of the drugs I've been on for 20 years has been found to be one of the Coenzyme Q10 depleters & it affects your vagal tone. I've weaned that down to half my usual dose.

It doesn't look like the PEMF can be found for less than 3 grand. My Russian-trained PM&R pain management MD may have something like this in her office I could try next time I see her. I also read somewhere on the net that it may not be good for someone with an infection as it may cause bug colonies to expand. What's good for the host is also good for the critters - don't know how reliable that information was. I'm still waiting to see if I can get another bone sample taken - this time for PCR testing. I do highly suspect that some organism got introduced during all those triggerpoint injections I had. The P. acnes bacterium was found in 42% of tissue samples taken from Sapho patients.

Just don't know if the bedding materials offered by this earthing site will actually do what they say its supposed to do. If I was well, I could probably rig something up myself to test it - used to do my own minor electrical and plumbing repairs. And you're right Jim, that rod they offer is not very long and I'd have to drill a hole through my walls and stucco to get it outside - not happy about that. Trying to figure out something with using an old Neptune lightening rod system attached to my house. I'd better call an electrician first - lest I direct the lightening bolts directly into my bedroom! :wtf:

[Harrison]

ML,

If the ground on your AC outlet is good ($8.00 tester), just use that for a conductive ground. I started and finished a "grounding kit" last nite in 25 minutes. It's a screw that plugs into ground, insulated wire and an old piece of steel I found in my basement. My foot is resting in it now.

At some point, I'll buy a 1/2 bed sheet for sleeping, but I need the time to research it more carefully. I've read half the Earthing book, and most of my questions have been addressed so far on the various grounding methods.

Then again, I was convinced of this stuff before I bought the book! I started walking bare foot, doing Tai Chi bare-footed in the back yard in August; all of which motivated me to do the search that led me to the book. Oddly, it took my cat's death to set me out on this journey. Thank you, Harrison. :angel:

Perhaps the lesson with this new healing revelation is that we are meant to be "grounded" and walking on the planet -- to be connected to our home that God gave us. All I know is what I experience(d) and what I read about these natural methods. Some people will be skeptical and roll their eyes and not try this. For those of you that know that "minds are like parachutes," please let us know what you learn.

In the meantime, check out the Amazon reviews of the book. And of course, the documents that I attached in the previous post.

[MeggieLynn]

Jim or Laura or anyone else "out there" that has more than the half of a brain that I am currently having to work with:

Please review this article - http://buildingbiology.ca/pdf/ACHTUNG_ABSCHIRMDECKE.pdf

Conclusion - . . . "high likelihood of not improving the situation but making it worse and increasing the field exposure in the sleeping area." There were no references given for further reading.

How the heck would I be able to test the field area or is this article only a warning to people whose homes aren't grounded.

Could an electrician test for this? These 3-D E-field probe cube sensors aren't exactly available for your average Joe or Josepha?

[Harrison]

Good find, ML! I'll read this more carefully later. In the meantime, you absolutely should test the ground quality in all your AC outlets -- even if you have no interest in "earthing!" You are wise to be cautious!

Any way, I bought this ground fault tester from Lowes for $8.00:

Amazon.com: Gardner Bender GFI-501A Ground Fault Receptacle Tester and Circuit Analyzer: Home Improvement (http://www.amazon.com/Gardner-GFI-501A-Receptacle-Circuit-Analyzer/dp/B00004WLJM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320086035&sr=8-1)

I found 3 bad plugs in my house. I am still trying the grounding thing, it's working for me.

[MeggieLynn]

Thanks. Here's lots of other stuff for the do-it-yourself'er - Though if you add it all up with purchasing the special fabric, it may not be all that much cheaper. And you don't know if the fabric would be comfortable to lie on before buying it. I get kind of itchy if fabric contents aren't at least 50% cotton and even at that level I can feel some discomfort.

Grounding Cords, Clamps, Tapes & More (http://www.lessemf.com/ground.html)

I'm still looking for other articles/references similiar to the German article above.

[Harrison]

See attached.

[MeggieLynn]

Well, I'm fully "grounded" now. Will have to see if there's any positive effect - Will take anything at this point - Whether it's pseudoscience, science, or some other weird effect that not really measureable - I'll take it.

Just got a new full set of spine xrays. Cervical looks good, inspite of the herniations-discs are maintaining height. Lumbar still good. Thoracic - Absolute Crapola!! Bony changes and what looks to me at least 50% loss of disc height in 4 vertebrae/discs from 3 years ago. No wonder I have so much pain b/t the shoulder blades. Will be getting a thoracic spine CT in the next couple of weeks.

ML

[annapurna]

Sorry, I hadn't seen the latest on this thread for a couple of weeks. The comments I gleaned from a real quick scan of the German article are the ones I had about grounding. Just because you're grounded does not mean that electrical fields aren't affecting you. I'll read it in more detail and try to add more but this is the concern I had with the scientific argument for grounding. Again, that doesn't mean that grounding isn't helping some other way but it isn't helping you by protecting you from the electrical fields in your life. For that matter, even a house with a great ground is going to have those fields. The only real way to avoid electrical fields is to build a Faraday cage, sort of a metal fence covering around you in all directions with nothing larger than small holes for openings.

[MeggieLynn]

The ground testing in that German article was done with the "ground pad" underneath the mattress so not sure if it was the right experiment for testing its effect/affect? on humans/mammals. The earthing site claims you'd never be able to eliminate all the EMF that's around us today without spending a ton of money or spending the rest of you're life down in a deep cave. I got the book with the 1/2 sheet and I'm just starting to read it - It doesn't look like there's a lot of hard science behind it and there probably never will be, due to the lack of funding w/most money going into cancer & heart research. We need the osteoporosis researchers to start checking for any alternatives to the biophosphonate drugs that I think just make your bones more brittle with long-term use, and because of the fact that they will not help build new bone. I recently read an article on medscape warning MD's to give their patients drug-holidays if they've been on them for a while. I'm not expecting a whole lot to happen right away, but even if it has a good placebo effect, I'll take it, if it can help tilt the scale to a more healing and anabolic state.

[Harrison]

ML...

While I was traveling abroad, "earthing" helped me in many ways -- including sleep -- in terms of REM, dreaming and feeling full of life the next day. In terms of how I was connected to the ground, it just means that I walked barefoot and did morning exercises outside.

[Harrison]

BTW, the first 50 pages of the earthing book can be downloaded here:

Earthing - Connect to the Earth and feel better...fast! (http://www.earthing.com/)

The entire book in audio version is available too. :clap:

[Harrison]

From the earthing web site (http://www.earthing.com/faq.php), a few abstracts are listed on pubmed, one below. The results are impressive.
___________________________

J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Apr;17(4):301-8. Epub 2011 Apr 6.
Earthing the human body influences physiologic processes.
Sokal K, Sokal P.

Department of Ambulatory Cardiology, Military Clinical Hospital, Powstancow Warszawy 5, Bydgoszcz, Poland. psokal ( at ) wp.pl

OBJECTIVES:

This study was designed to answer the question: Does the contact of the human organism with the Earth via a copper conductor affect physiologic processes?

Subjects and experiments:

Five (5) experiments are presented: experiment 1-effect of earthing on calcium-phosphate homeostasis and serum concentrations of iron (N = 84 participants); experiment 2-effect of earthing on serum concentrations of electrolytes (N = 28); experiment 3-effect of earthing on thyroid function (N = 12); experiment 4-effect of earthing on glucose concentration (N = 12); experiment 5-effect of earthing on immune response to vaccine (N = 32).

Subjects were divided into two groups. One (1) group of people was earthed, while the second group remained without contact with the Earth. Blood and urine samples were examined.

RESULTS:

Earthing of an electrically insulated human organism during night rest causes lowering of serum concentrations of iron, ionized calcium, inorganic phosphorus, and reduction of renal excretion of calcium and phosphorus. Earthing during night rest decreases free tri-iodothyronine and increases free thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone. The continuous earthing of the human body decreases blood glucose in patients with diabetes. Earthing decreases sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, total protein, and albumin concentrations while the levels of transferrin, ferritin, and globulins α1, α2, β, and γ increase. These results are statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS:

Earthing the human body influences human physiologic processes. This influence is observed during night relaxation and during physical activity. Effect of the earthing on calcium-phosphate homeostasis is the opposite of that which occurs in states of weightlessness. It also increases the activity of catabolic processes. It may be the primary factor regulating endocrine and nervous systems.

J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Apr;17(4):283-5.

[Harrison]

Maybe when you are recuperating, you can figure out a way to get grounded. If you live in a warmer climate, just walk outside -- it's that easy! Besides, walking is the BEST thing you can do to help your body recover.

This study concerns DOMS, but other studies (both formal and anecdotal) show the same effect for helping people recover from trauma. Note the embedded graphs (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/?term=20192911%5BPMID%5D&report=imagesdocsum) on pubmed - demonstrating dramatic changes in blood chemistry and pain levels.
_________________________

J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Mar;16(3):265-73.
Pilot study on the effect of grounding on delayed-onset muscle soreness.
Brown D, Chevalier G, Hill M.
Human Physiology Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, Eugene, OR, USA.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether there are markers that can be used to study the effects of grounding on delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Eight (8) healthy subjects were exposed to an eccentric exercise that caused DOMS in gastrocnemius muscles of both legs. Four (4) subjects were grounded with electrode patches and patented conductive sheets connected to the earth. Four (4) control subjects were treated identically, except that the grounding systems were not connected to the earth.

OUTCOME MEASURES: Complete blood counts, blood chemistry, enzyme chemistry, serum and saliva cortisols, magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy and pain levels were taken at the same time of day before the eccentric exercise and 24, 48, and 72 hours afterwards. Parameters consistently differing by 10% or more, normalized to baseline, were considered worthy of further study.

RESULTS: Parameters that differed by these criteria included white blood cell counts, bilirubin, creatine kinase, phosphocreatine/inorganic phosphate ratios, glycerolphosphorylcholine, phosphorylcholine, the visual analogue pain scale, and pressure measurements on the right gastrocnemius.

CONCLUSIONS: In a pilot study, grounding the body to the earth alters measures of immune system activity and pain. Since this is the first intervention that appears to speed recovery from DOMS, the pilot provides a basis for a larger study.

See the link and charts here: Pilot study on the effect of groundi... [J Altern Complement Med. 2010] - PubMed - NCBI (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20192911)

[Harrison]

Another update on Earthing, including an interview with Clint Ober and Dr. Mercola.
______________________________________________

Might Electron Deficiency Be an Underlying Factor in Most Chronic Disease?

Electron deficiency syndrome is a groundbreaking discovery that could be an underlying factor in all chronic disease.

Industrialization and the introduction of plastics and other synthetic materials have disconnected us from the earth, which has interrupted the natural flow of electrons between the earth and you.

Electron deficiency has been shown to increase inflammation in your body which is a major risk factor for disease.

Bringing yourself back into contact with the earth via a process called “Earthing” can help reverse this deficiency, decreasing inflammation and reducing your risk for all of the diseases that are inflammation-based, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, and many others.


Source: Chronic Disease: The Biggest Killer in the U.S. (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/05/05/chronic-disease-are-we-missing-something.aspx?e_cid=20130505_SNL_Art_1&utm_source=snl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130505)