38 replies to this topic

[dunbar]

I thought that this is just bogus but I came across a book about this and now I'm wondering what if it works?
Why do so many people like the book if it doesn't work?

http://www.amazon.co...ywords=Earthing

That's why I wanted to ask if anyone is into this stuff. My question would be: Do you need any expensive equipment in order to "earth"?

And are there any health risks involved?

[Mind]

Check this good discussion about grounding.

Also, a good practice to get into is typing a term (like "grounding") into the google search bar in the upper right hand corner. This will search the forums and find prior discussions. That way you can add to a thread instead of creating a new one.

[dunbar]

Ok thanks.

[timar]

Anyone who's into witchcraft?

I thought that this is just bogus but I came across a book about this and now I'm wondering what if it works?
Why do so many people like the book if it doesn't work?

http://www.amazon.co.../dp/156718782X/


No, I don't want to riducule earthing. I have no idea about it. I just wanted to show how ridiculous that argument is.

[dunbar]

Ok but the grounding book has 4,5 stars and the witchcraft book only has 4 stars.
So basically grounding seems more promising than witchcraft. Science baby!

[JohnD60]

Why do so many people like the book if it doesn't work?

I am not saying this is what is going on, but a possible answer to your question is: Astroturfing. http://en.wikipedia....i/Astroturfing. There are companies in India/China that have staffs of people that write favorable reviews on sites like Amazon for their clients.


I would be interested to hear what are anyone that posts frequently on this board has to say about Earthing. I am not so interested in reading the effectivelly anon reviews on Amazon.

[niner]

I probably qualify as someone that posts frequently , but I haven't tried it, though it's been on my mind for a while now. The theory behind it is plausible and the published evidence of it regularizing cortisol fluctuations is compelling on the face of it. There are a lot of different ways one could implement it. My vague plans are to get some conductive fabric and concoct something that I can put in my bed without it being too annoying. I'd prefer something that wouldn't fry me if my house were to be struck by lightning, but I guess that's the price we pay for science, or something. My biggest problem with it is that in most people's minds, it's "this far" (hold thumb and finger close together) from wearing a tinfoil hat to keep out the radio waves. It would need to be a closely held secret, unless you want to wage a major education campaign with everyone you know.

I'd very much like to hear from someone reliable who has tried it.

[johnross47]

I walk around in bare feet quite bit when I can, and I feel better, but that's because it's summer.

[dunbar]

Does grounding only work when you walk barefoot in soil? What if you have no own garden to walk around?
I guess walking around barefoot on concrete doesn't work right?

Are there no grounding matresses or grounding sheets or something like that for people who want to ground but don't want to
build own stuff?

[niner]

It would work to walk on concrete. You can buy various grounding devices. If you google around a bit, you'll probably find something.

[dunbar]

And what exactly do these devices do? And are they from reputable companies where you know that they work?

[blood]

And what exactly do these devices do? And are they from reputable companies where you know that they work?

The value proposition is that you will feel great, and be healthier, when using these grounding devices. I don't have a background in physics, so can't make any assessment of the likelihood of these things having a beneficial effect. I don't think there is much if any clinical research on any of the devices being sold. From memory, the study that found a reduction in cortisol values didn't have a placebo group - something to take into account. The devices such as bed mats are quite pricey. Hence people's interest in making DIY versions. I have been tempted to buy a grounding bed mat, however, my apartment is in an old building, with dodgy/ faulty electricals - so I'm not confident about the safety of hooking myself up to the electrical grounding of the building.

[niner]

J Environ Public Health. 2012; 2012: 291541.
Published online 2012 January 12. doi: 10.1155/2012/291541
PMCID: PMC3265077 Free Full Text
Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth's Surface Electrons
Gaetan Chevalier, Stephen T. Sinatra, James L. Oschman, Karol Sokal,and Pawel Sokal

Environmental medicine generally addresses environmental factors with a negative impact on human health. However, emerging scientific research has revealed a surprisingly positive and overlooked environmental factor on health: direct physical contact with the vast supply of electrons on the surface of the Earth. Modern lifestyle separates humans from such contact. The research suggests that this disconnect may be a major contributor to physiological dysfunction and unwellness. Reconnection with the Earth's electrons has been found to promote intriguing physiological changes and subjective reports of well-being. Earthing (or grounding) refers to the discovery of benefits- including better sleep and reduced pain- from walking barefoot outside or sitting, working, or sleeping indoors connected to conductive systems that transfer the Earth's electrons from the ground into the body. This paper reviews the earthing research and the potential of earthing as a simple and easily accessed global modality of significant clinical importance.

[JohnD60]

Does grounding only work when you walk barefoot in soil? What if you have no own garden to walk around?
I guess walking around barefoot on concrete doesn't work right?

There are meters that electricians can use to check the ground quality for their 6' grounding rods, but they are in the $400 range. I think your question is an important one, I suspect the answer varies based upon location and soil. In Colorado the soil can be dry, and thus less conductive. Moist climates have more conductive soils. I suspect the grounding demands of this device are not as high as that of a house electrical system, perhaps just enough contact mass to dispurse accumulated ionic charges.

[niner]

Does grounding only work when you walk barefoot in soil? What if you have no own garden to walk around?
I guess walking around barefoot on concrete doesn't work right?

There are meters that electricians can use to check the ground quality for their 6' grounding rods, but they are in the $400 range. I think your question is an important one, I suspect the answer varies based upon location and soil. In Colorado the soil can be dry, and thus less conductive. Moist climates have more conductive soils. I suspect the grounding demands of this device are not as high as that of a house electrical system, perhaps just enough contact mass to dispurse accumulated ionic charges.

Good point. In a house, the ground has to be capable of carrying whatever the panel is rated at, if memory serves. These days, a 100 amp panel would be about the minimum, and ground connections are #6 or #4 copper. To put it mildly, that is a shitload of electrons. For a biological organism, on the other hand, it's probably microamps or less. Thus you really don't need much conductivity. Shoes with real leather soles, for example, are said to be enough, but these days everyone wears synthetic-soled shoes that don't conduct at all. It would probably be enough to connect to a cold water pipe if you don't want to mess with the house ground Even if the pipe is plastic, as long as you can find a metal fitting that's in contact with the water, you should be good to go, since there is a continuous column of water in the system that will eventually lead to an electrical ground.

[johnross47]

Does grounding only work when you walk barefoot in soil? What if you have no own garden to walk around?
I guess walking around barefoot on concrete doesn't work right?

There are meters that electricians can use to check the ground quality for their 6' grounding rods, but they are in the $400 range. I think your question is an important one, I suspect the answer varies based upon location and soil. In Colorado the soil can be dry, and thus less conductive. Moist climates have more conductive soils. I suspect the grounding demands of this device are not as high as that of a house electrical system, perhaps just enough contact mass to dispurse accumulated ionic charges.

Good point. In a house, the ground has to be capable of carrying whatever the panel is rated at, if memory serves. These days, a 100 amp panel would be about the minimum, and ground connections are #6 or #4 copper. To put it mildly, that is a shitload of electrons. For a biological organism, on the other hand, it's probably microamps or less. Thus you really don't need much conductivity. Shoes with real leather soles, for example, are said to be enough, but these days everyone wears synthetic-soled shoes that don't conduct at all. It would probably be enough to connect to a cold water pipe if you don't want to mess with the house ground Even if the pipe is plastic, as long as you can find a metal fitting that's in contact with the water, you should be good to go, since there is a continuous column of water in the system that will eventually lead to an electrical ground.

Such as a tap presumably?

[dunbar]

I understand none of this stuff. This is way too technical for me.
I'd also be scared of side effects. I think I once read that old mattresses which
have metal springs could cause cancer because of electricity. Does this have anything
to do with the idea behind grounding?
Or is it dangerous when your bad stands next to a wall socket? Cause my bed stands next to a wall
socket.

[Logic]

I have some grounding in electricity (pun intended )

The oxidation of metals and other reduced, more reactive materials is due to oxygen, a very electropositive molecule stealing electrons from other atoms or molecules.

Ships have sacrificial anodes made of a more reactive meteal attached to their hulls: Their function is to donate electrons to highly corrosive environment in stead of the steel making up the hull...

Now if you assume that the atoms, molecules, cells of the body etc are similarly badly affected by a lack of electrons; grounding makes some sense.
As do air and water ionizers??

The earth seems to have an abundance of electrons as evidenced by the electron flow direction of lightning?
I hypothize that they come in around the poles where the earth's magnetic field is ineffective at stopping them???
But that is a subject for another thread.

If your house has metal water pipes; an electrically conductive (no paint etc) connection to the closest COLD one is probably safest. The fact that there is bound to be a small water leak somewhere insures a good rarth.

Edited by Logic, 02 February 2014 - 10:53 PM.

[johnross47]

The water supplies in uk houses are grounded, usually with big metal spikes.

[niner]

The water supplies in uk houses are grounded, usually with big metal spikes.

That's odd. In most cases the water supply IS the ground, since it's a long metal pipe in contact with earth. The electrical system is grounded by connecting to the water pipe. Perhaps you have Pex (a non conductive plastic) supply lines? That's the wave of the future in the states, now that it's been used in Europe for 40 years or so. I have a 1 inch copper supply line from the curb to the house, but the mains were replaced a few years back and they are plastic. I've also replumbed most of the house with pex.

[johnross47]

The water supplies in uk houses are grounded, usually with big metal spikes.

That's odd. In most cases the water supply IS the ground, since it's a long metal pipe in contact with earth. The electrical system is grounded by connecting to the water pipe. Perhaps you have Pex (a non conductive plastic) supply lines? That's the wave of the future in the states, now that it's been used in Europe for 40 years or so. I have a 1 inch copper supply line from the curb to the house, but the mains were replaced a few years back and they are plastic. I've also replumbed most of the house with pex.

The older houses had lead main inlet pipes; the more recent water mains are all plastic. In between there might have been copper but it would only have been over a fairly short period. Much of the internal pipework is still copper and is earthed through the three wire electricity system.

[Strelok]

I bought into the grounding thing, and ordered an expensive grounding sheet that I sleep on. I've been using it for about a couple years now, and have never experienced any perceivable difference. A couple of the claimed benefits that interested me are better sleep, improved recover from exercise/injury, etc., and I never noticed any of those.

[niner]

I bought into the grounding thing, and ordered an expensive grounding sheet that I sleep on. I've been using it for about a couple years now, and have never experienced any perceivable difference. A couple of the claimed benefits that interested me are better sleep, improved recover from exercise/injury, etc., and I never noticed any of those.

Was there anything at all that you noticed? How was your sleep before? Do you know if the device was connected to a good ground?

[Strelok]

Was there anything at all that you noticed? How was your sleep before? Do you know if the device was connected to a good ground?

No, I noticed absolutely nothing. My sleep was ok before, not bad, not great. I'm a bit of a night owl, and was hoping the sheet would help sync my circadian rhythm. I also read a book on earthing, and was excited to see some type difference in anything, in any aspect of sleep, exercise recovery, energy levels, etc. Nothin. The sheet is connected to the ground port of an outlet near my bed. I verified the ground port was functional with a multimeter. However, talking to an electrical engineer family member, there is a slight chance that the electrical system of the house could be improperly grounded. If that were the case, an individual outlet will test functional, but will not be truly grounded. Perhaps then my grounding sheet isn't properly grounded. This is unlikely, though. I only mention it to be entirely fair.

I have the option of grounding the sheet with an optional wire (that I have) that attaches to a stake that you stick in the ground outside. The way my room is set up, I don't have an effective way to achieve this. However, it is something I may try in the future to rule out the unlikely scenario I noted above.

I would have even been happy with some type of placebo effect. But to no avail, nothin.

[BarrelBoy]

 

Was there anything at all that you noticed? How was your sleep before? Do you know if the device was connected to a good ground?

No, I noticed absolutely nothing. My sleep was ok before, not bad, not great. I'm a bit of a night owl, and was hoping the sheet would help sync my circadian rhythm. I also read a book on earthing, and was excited to see some type difference in anything, in any aspect of sleep, exercise recovery, energy levels, etc. Nothin. The sheet is connected to the ground port of an outlet near my bed. I verified the ground port was functional with a multimeter. However, talking to an electrical engineer family member, there is a slight chance that the electrical system of the house could be improperly grounded. If that were the case, an individual outlet will test functional, but will not be truly grounded. Perhaps then my grounding sheet isn't properly grounded. This is unlikely, though. I only mention it to be entirely fair.

I have the option of grounding the sheet with an optional wire (that I have) that attaches to a stake that you stick in the ground outside. The way my room is set up, I don't have an effective way to achieve this. However, it is something I may try in the future to rule out the unlikely scenario I noted above.

I would have even been happy with some type of placebo effect. But to no avail, nothin.

 

 

According to some literature (I am not yet well versed in this topic) there is the possibility of stray and/or dirty EMF coming from your outlet which could negate any positive effects associated with grounding and possibly introuduce negative ones. As far as I'm aware, the most certain way of getting a good clean ground would be to use the copper rod in wet earth.

[niner]

According to some literature (I am not yet well versed in this topic) there is the possibility of stray and/or dirty EMF coming from your outlet which could negate any positive effects associated with grounding and possibly introuduce negative ones. As far as I'm aware, the most certain way of getting a good clean ground would be to use the copper rod in wet earth.

 

If your ground has stray voltages, then isn't that more or less the definition of a bad ground?  What is this "some literature" of which you speak?  Is it reliable? 

[JohnD60]

fwiw, I bought the kit a few months ago. I have been using the bed spread grounding device. I don't notice anything, but I already bought it, so I might as well use it. I am sure it does no harm.

[natasjlp]

an interesting article on pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC4378297/

 

grounding is pretty basic and simple. you do not need to purchase expensive equipment. many can diy very affordably. please research first to ensure proper wiring and connections, or just daily skin to earth contact.

[platypus]

an interesting article on pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC4378297/

 

grounding is pretty basic and simple. you do not need to purchase expensive equipment. many can diy very affordably. please research first to ensure proper wiring and connections, or just daily skin to earth contact.

The studies mentioned on the review-article are barely worth mentioning. The DOMS-study had N=8 with 4 of the being the control group. One can get any result they want by repeating such a tiny study a number of times. The sleep-study had no control group at all. 

 

The explanation that "free electrons" from the Earth act as "natural antioxidants" sounds like complete BS. There's never a shortage on electrons in the body. 

[natasjlp]

 

an interesting article on pubmed: http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC4378297/

 

grounding is pretty basic and simple. you do not need to purchase expensive equipment. many can diy very affordably. please research first to ensure proper wiring and connections, or just daily skin to earth contact.

The studies mentioned on the review-article are barely worth mentioning. The DOMS-study had N=8 with 4 of the being the control group. One can get any result they want by repeating such a tiny study a number of times. The sleep-study had no control group at all. 

 

The explanation that "free electrons" from the Earth act as "natural antioxidants" sounds like complete BS. There's never a shortage on electrons in the body. 

 

 

Just because something subjectively sounds like 'BS' to your or someone else, certainly doesn't qualify or disqualify anything to do with this, or any other discussion objectively. Who would think mold can be used for something as wonderful as penicillin for example (sounds like BS heh)? If you can absorb/transform things like vitamin D from the sun, why not something else like electrons from the Earth, or some other effect? What about free radicals in the body? "A free radical can be defined as any molecular species capable of independent existence that contains an unpaired electron in an atomic orbital." http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC3249911/

 

However, I do agree that this study has a small control group, which makes it difficult to quantify.

 

What do you make of another pubmed study with a larger control group? http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC3265077/

 

thanks for your and anyone else's feedback.