Going to ground for your health
It’s summer. Wandering without shoes is a rite of passage. Stephen Heard tries the elementary discipline of grounding.
The basics
Neither punishment for bad behaviour nor the terminology for a conductive surface, grounding (or earthing) is the extremely straightforward practice of walking barefoot to connect with the Earth. The Earthing Institute believes that since the dreaded introduction of non-conductive materials (shoes) on our feet we’ve lost our electrical roots to the planet and have become deficient in the made-up nutrient ‘‘vitamin G’’ (the ground vitamin). That disconnection is being held responsible for human suffering and rise of chronic illness, and there’s research from a former cable TV salesman to back it up. Not entirely restricted to land, the process can also be practised in a natural body of water.
Giving it a bash
Walking barefoot is a quintessential summer activity in New Zealand, whether your surface of choice is sand, grass, dirt or lava-hot asphalt. For this expedition I spent the entire day without shoes, taking my tender city feet through a gauntlet of textures at Lake Rotoiti. Along the way was anklelength grass that felt like being savaged from a tiny grass army with spears, a carpet of damp spongy grass that stopped my feet from even touching the ground and a minefield of prickles that can be held responsible for changes in direction. Landing on coarse sand was a dream. As the water lapped around my ankles, I sunk between pebbles and the remains of freshwater mussels. The ground vitamins were strong with this one. The gritty sand lingered for the rest of the day. An interesting sensation emerged in my big toe after bouncing off a jagged rock. It was a dull, allencompassing pain direct to the core. The experience wasn’t so much a dance with electricity but squaring off with harmless obstacles that kept me on my toes. It’s amplified walking. The physical appearance of the shoeless adventure was more noticeable in the form of patchy sunburn, leftover sand and red prickle damage. Whether it was the electrons of the Earth kicking into gear or simply being isolated on holiday, I certainly slept better that night.
Why you should try it
The beauty with grounding is that the intensity is entirely in the hands of the participant. After all, it’s the basic human action of walking without shoes. The Earthing Institute’s research suggests that people feel significantly better when they are grounded and getting their required dose of ground vitamins from the planet. Stated benefits include stress relief, improved quality of sleep, improved circulation and balanced blood pressure. The list of benefits is lengthy, and most could be attributed to simply being active outdoors.
Risk rating
There is no actual risk of exposure to electricity, unless you’re in the presence of live wires or meandering in a furious thunderstorm. Natural wear and tear on the feet should be expected – scrapes, scratches and bumps are all part of the business. Prickle minefields should be avoided.
Find out more
earthinginstitute.net.
An interesting sensation emerged in my big toe after bouncing off a jagged rock. It was a dull, all-encompassing pain direct to the core.