| I’m Jacob Katz, and this is The Renewal: an independent, subscriber-supported health newsletter that summarizes free tools for everyday life. If you’re reading this, keep it to yourself. |
If there’s one topic that doesn’t get enough attention in medicine, it’s causality. Keep reading to learn what causes cancer.
Over 50% of all deaths worldwide are attributed to chronic inflammatory diseases – cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, diabetes, etc.
Found that one on my Snapple cap.
We have so much inflammation in the body, and it comes out in illnesses.
You go to a doctor with different complaints, but a lot of it is silent chronic inflammation.
I’m not talking about a sore throat or a sprained ankle. That’s acute inflammation.
I’m talking about chronic inflammation. Inflammation that’s not specifically from an infection or injury.
Inflammation that lingers quietly in the background until one day, bam, cancer.
Usually, you don’t see it as a problem until it manifests into an illness.
But chronic inflammation can damage healthy cells, tissues, organs, and even your DNA.
Potentially leading to the development of life-threatening illnesses like cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.
These cause chronic inflammation:
- Added sugars, refined carbohydrates, processed or fried foods, unhealthy fats
- Alcohol
- Cigarettes
- Obesity (fat tissues release inflammatory substances)
- Chronic stress – including social stressors like isolation, rejection, loss
- Irregular sleep patterns
So how do you reduce inflammation?
Grounding is basically putting your bare skin (feet, hands, even face if you want) in direct contact with the Earth’s surface.
Also called earthing.
I research how to live longer and healthier.
And I too thought it was a for hippies with too many crystals in their crevices, but there’s actual data backing this up.
Unlike this Shark Tank company, Esso, which was as scientific as a fortune cookie prediction.
Here’s the science: The Earth has a slight negative charge, and your body picks up extra positive charges by hanging out with your daily BFFs – aka, your phone and laptop.
Grounding allows you to absorb electrons from the Earth, neutralizing harmful free radicals that can cause oxidative stress and inflammation.
It’s like taking handfuls of antioxidants.
It’s nature’s version of rebooting your body’s electrical balance – and I’m the IT guy telling you to turn it off and back on again.
Dr. Jeff Spencer (former Olympic cyclist and renowned sports chiropractor) uses grounding techniques to accelerate recovery with athletes like Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador, Maria Sharapova – even Richard Branson, and the band U2.
Take anybody who has chronic pain and ground them.
It doesn’t matter who they are, or what is swollen.
Grounding will provide a significant reduction in pain, providing relief to the inflamed areas almost immediately.
Here are 26 published, peer-reviewed studies on grounding.
Grounding can:
- improve sleep
- lower inflammation
- reduce stress and anxiety
- improve blood flow
- boost physical healing
While writing this, I went outside to try it.
I’ve been having back pain for months.
Maybe it was placebo, but the pain is gone – I’m not complaining.
Go outdoors, take your shoes off, stand barefoot on the Earth, or sit on the Earth.
Put your feet and your hands on the Earth, and you will instantly notice the pain and inflammation drain from your body.
If you’re interested, here’s a short 15-minute film on the discovery of grounding: Down to Earth.
Or the full Earthing movie (but who has time for all that?)
By the way, if you are going to walk on the ground barefoot, watch where you step.
I’ve been stung by a bee twice in my life.
Both times it was because I stepped on the little guy.
But at least I didn’t step on a crack.
Oh, and watch out for poop.
And ants.
Here are a few other ways to decrease inflammation:
- Yoga, meditation, journaling
- Have a cuppa – green and black tea contain polyphenols which reduce inflammation
- Massage or acupuncture
- Avoid smoking and alcohol
- Move – This sport adds 10 years to your life. link tennis and sports to live longer
- Eat anti-inflammatory foods. The Mediterranean diet is great – oily fish (salmon, sardines), colorful produce, whole grains, healthy fats
P.S.
When rubber was invented in the 1960s, one of the first things we did was put it on the soles of our shoes.
We effectively cut off our natural connection to the Earth’s surface.
Many believe this led led to a loss of grounding and its associated health benefits.
Best,
Jacob & The Renewal team
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