The Benefits of Grounding

There’s no easier way to benefit your health on earth: almost no self-control required.

Grounding allows us to use the earth’s negative electric charge to stabilize and rebalance our body’s accumulated positive charges. Contact with the vast supply of electrons on the earth’s surface—think walking barefoot in the grass or at the beach, or gardening with your hands in 
the soil—allows you to absorb the earth’s negative ions, which can help neutralize 
free radicals and create a wide range of health benefits. 

“Without grounding, our body’s electrical processes can actually get out of whack and adversely impact our well-being,” explains Megan Wroe, MS, registered dietitian and wellness manager of the Providence St. Jude Wellness Center, who spends 20 minutes every day playing barefoot in the backyard with her children. “Growing research shows that daily grounding can reduce inflammation, lower stress and anxiety, improve sleep, reduce chronic fatigue, improve blood pressure and lower pain and cortisol levels.” Until recently, most people spent time 
almost every day gardening, farming, working or playing in soil and water. Today, it’s far more common for our feet to have contact with the sofa cushion than grass. 

Megan says there’s an important caveat: “Lying on the grass for an hour will not eliminate the effects of eating a diet high in processed foods and hydrogenated oils. And no amount of gardening will completely eliminate chronic pain conditions.” But, she says, it just might be a great place to start. Feeling calmer and more relaxed from something as simple as walking barefoot in your yard might be the needed motivation to add a few nutrient-rich foods or a few minutes of exercise to your daily routine. “There are no magic bullets in solving health issues,” says the wellness and nutrition expert. “But something easy that brings an immediate sense of relief and joy is definitely worth doing.”

Whether you’re coping with a chronic condition, trying to lose weight or looking for ways to live with more energy and vibrancy, the Providence St. Jude Wellness Center can help you accomplish your goals. From nutritional strategies to restore your gut microbiome to Watsu a water therapy that combines stretching, massage and acupuncture to relieve pain and anxiety—you’ll find today’s best evidence-based approaches.

Go to stjudewellnesscenter.org or call 714-578-8770 to learn about our affordable fitness classes and wellness programs. Not sure where to start? Sign up for a free health assessment and one of our wellness experts will help you develop a plan to meet your specific goals.