by Ripples Turquand

Longer days, hotter sunshine, and flip-flops are becoming the go-to shoe.

Be barefoot. By making direct electrical contact with the earth through the body’s skin, you’re engaging in a practice known as grounding or earthing.

Growing up at the beach, I’ve developed a habit of wanting to be as close to barefoot as possible. It makes me feel connected to the earth, and I like the feeling of the sun and wind on my feet, but I recently learned that being barefoot is scientifically “grounding” you.

In science classes, you’ve probably learned about negative and positive charges. These charges not only occur in natural compounds but also work between our bodies and our surroundings. Simply put, the surface of the earth is an energy field with a self-renewing source of free electrons. The earth’s surface carries a natural negative charge, acting like a giant battery that can supply these electrons to anything (including the human body) that makes direct contact with it.

So, the longer you’re running around in fields during the summer, or burying your feet in sand, the longer you’re connecting with the earth.

Besides being outside as much as possible during the summer, there’s a wealth of grounding products you can purchase if you are stuck at a desk during an internship or want to get your “grounding time” during the night.

For a splurge, treat yourself with HigherDose’s Infrared PEMF Go Mat or buy new sheets. Some studies have explored grounding devices, though research on their effectiveness remains limited. These products are designed to connect to grounded outlets, which companies say electrically connect users to the earth.

Ah, consumerism. However, this form of consumerism may not be all that bad, given its possible health benefits. A review article available through the National Library of Medicine suggests that deep within our connective tissue lies an interesting connection in our ground substance. Ground substance is a gel-like fluid that fills the spaces between cells and fibers, rests within our connective tissue, and contains polyelectrolyte molecules that act as built-in charge reservoirs. The research suggests that thanks to the densely packed negative charges on the glycosaminoglycans of connective tissue, your tissues can absorb free electrons from the earth and donate them wherever they’re needed, particularly to power immune responses and quiet inflammation.

By absorbing these free electrons from the Earth, researchers theorize grounding may help neutralize positively charged free radicals that drive oxidative stress – the root of many modern health complaints. Some studies suggest this natural electron transfer can reduce chronic inflammation, support better sleep, ease muscle and joint damage, and restore the nervous system to balance. In short, grounding may help support your body with the raw materials it needs to restore its own electrical equilibrium.

Instead of being in a constant world of “fight-or-flight” with strict deadlines, loud alarms to wake us up, and traffic that can drive us crazy, by implementing grounding into your routine, you’re allowing your body to be in a “rest-and-repeat” cycle.

That’s why summer is the perfect season to make it a habit. It’s the time of year when being barefoot is acceptable and even encouraged when outside. Through grounding, you’re giving your body something it evolved to receive daily.

So, kick off those shoes as often as you can. Your feet (and the rest of you) will thank you.

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