Grounded for life: Reconnecting with the power of Earth

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- It's hard to think about it in the dead of a Wisconsin winter. But imagine yourself walking along the shore of Lake Michigan in the summer or strolling barefoot in your own backyard on a warm August day. If either image brings good thoughts and good energy, there's a reason for that. The Earth is a power source for the human body and one we're not tapping into as much as we should.

"Mother Earth provided everything we needed to create life," Jean Reddemann, a Native American spiritual therapist and healer said.

"There's so much we don't know about the power of the Earth and electromagnetic energy and how it influences us but it does," Dr. Rose Kumar, M.D. said.

Dr. Kumar, who started the Ommani Center for Integrative Medicine in Pewaukee says the "earthing" or "grounding" movement is both ages-old and legitimate.

"We receive from Mother Earth that strength, that vibration, that ability to pull up from her what we need to cleanse or to clear. That affects us body, mind and spirit," Reddemann said.

"There's so much we don't know about the power of the Earth and electromagnetic energy and how in influences us but it does. We are electric beings. Our heart is electrical, our nervous system is electrical, our neuromuscular system is electrical. We have an electrical energy that emanates from our body," Dr. Kumar said.

The Earth also has an electrical force to it and when we connect to the Earth -- by walking barefoot or stretching out on the grass or sand, we are "connected." Energy is transferred both in and out of our bodies, giving us much needed antioxidants, which in turn battle inflammation which is linked to so much of what ails us. We can't feel the charge, but it's there.

Here's an explanation from the book, "Earthing" by Clinton Ober:

Electrons move from the Earth to the body and vice versa when the body is grounded. This effect is sufficient to maintain the body at the same electrical potential as the Earth. Grounding powerfully reduces alternating current (AC) voltages induced on the body by ambient electromagnetic fields (EMFs).

The best way to "connect" to the Earth is to be barefoot and connected to the Earth. But that's not always practical -- even in summer.

This is where the Mequon-based company, Juil (pronounced Jewel), comes in. The young company makes high-quality shoes, boots and sandals with copper connectors built into each shoe sole. Those connectors keep that energy flow going.

"We created the shoe based on the concept of earthing. By connecting to the Earth, you're cleansing yourself of some of that harmful build up. There's an exchange of energy basically -- good stuff coming in and bad stuff coming out. There's the Earth beneath it. Think of it as a power source. Think of it as a battery. The Earth does not discriminate," Juil's Chief Operating Officer, Bobby Kanter said.

Kanter says many of their clients report better health after wearing their shoes for awhile.

"Get in your garden. Touch the Earth for a walk in nature -- and really connect with the beauty of nature. We live in a beautiful state," Dr. Kumar said.

Dr. Kumar says you can scoff at the concept of grounding, but you do so at risk of your own health.

"We're living among many ungrounded people who are eating processed food, taking meds and are out of touch with their body. They're not connected. If we disconnect from nature, we're gonna get sick. It's as simple as that," Dr. Kumar said.

Dr. Kumar says another way to "ground" is to eat organic food -- the greener the better.

There are also "earthing pads" that plug into the wall.

To learn more about juil, visit juil.com.

To learn more about Dr. Kumar visit ommanicenter.com.

Learn more about Jean Reddemann by CLICKING HERE.