Get Fit and Healthy At Home

If you have been following my journey, you may have noticed that this is not my first time experimenting with Earthing. I have done it in the past. I slept on an earthing sheet and bought some earthing shoes. I think my frustration stemmed from the fact that I had a seizure while wearing the shoes and sleeping on the earthing sheet. 

What? 

But if I analyze what could have gone wrong with the Earthing there are a few things. First and foremost, I wasn’t checking to see if my Earthing sheet was still conductive. I had used it for years when I had a nighttime seizure. Once the sheet ripped, I threw it out. It had weakened to the point that my toenails caught on it and ripped it. So…it probably had lost its conductivity. 

Wearing shoes that were Earthing shoes didn’t prevent a seizure from occurring a few years ago. Why not? Probably because I was in a building and the floor that the shoes were touching wasn’t the Earth. While I think the Earthing shoes are a great idea, if you are indoors on carpet, you aren’t going to connect with the Earth anyway. 

Night Earthing Mistakes

Last night, I placed the universal mat under my feet and went to bed. I didn’t bother with my large body band because I measured and tested for the mat continuity. It worked. It always seems to work better than the body band. But the universal mat doesn’t stay under you when you toss and turn at night. 

When I woke up in the middle of the night, I wasn’t grounded. I had tossed and turned a bit and the mat had slipped out from under my feet. I was ungrounded for at least half of the night. 

Daytime Earthing Mistakes

One of the mistakes that I made was assuming that because a product was labeled as an Earthing product that it would work. I used the Erthe shoe strips and hoped that they would provide me with a few more minutes here and there of Earthing when I had to wear shoes in public. 

Once I got a continuity tester, I discovered that was not the case. There was no continuity with the strips. They also started falling off almost immediately. I did test the shoes that I had purchased and they were conductive, but I just don’t like the style for everyday use. 

Wearing socks does make a difference between whether you are grounded or not. I noticed that most of the time when I wear socks, the continuity tester shows that I am not conductive. It is extremely frustrating. 

Tips for Earthing

1. Get a multimeter or continuity tester. You will be able to tell whether you are grounded or not. 
2. Use a body band during the day or at night to ensure that you are grounded.
3. The universal mat is very versatile and can be moved from your bed to your workspace to increase the time you are grounded. 
4. Be careful about the products that you purchase. Many of them are not good at conductivity. 

So, I don’t know if this is “working” or not. I think the auras that I have around my menstrual cycle have been shorter and less severe. It is very difficult to say because my seizure auras have never been very noticeable. I have a deja vu feeling and can’t seem to concentrate for a few seconds. They are very brief, to begin with. 

For years, I didn’t even think I had auras because I didn’t recognize them. I just would start thinking about something from years ago and it was odd to me. The next thing I knew, I was lying on the floor looking up at a paramedic who told me that I had a seizure. Or something like that. 

Today, I started my period. That explains yesterday’s gas and questioning whether I had an aura in the morning. This is great because it means that my hormones are changing and my progesterone is increasing. That will protect me from having another seizure until mid-cycle when the estrogen drops. However, I do think the barefoot walking and Buteyko breathing are helping to regulate my hormones. That should help as well. 

I watched a video on Earthing today by someone who had done it for 3 years. He commented that he didn’t notice any difference in his health. He also added that this could be because he was young. He said that he continued to do it because it sounded like it was a good thing to do and it was easy. 

Great. 

I have done Earthing before and can’t say that I had massive benefits. This is the first time that I have been really vigilant with staying grounded and monitoring my health for any improvement. I can’t say that the changes that I have seen have definitely been due to my Earthing practice or not. 

I’m thinking about getting a bit stricter with my diet and seeing if that makes any difference. I did the Paleo Ketogenic diet last fall and eliminated anything that would cause autoimmune issues, which is mainly what I have. But I think not exercising led to constipation issues which created hormonal imbalances that triggered my seizures. 

After incorporating exercises again, my seizures have spaced out despite not eating strictly Paleo Ketogenic. So, I don’t know how long I will be able to tolerate that strict diet. I really, really want my hair to grow back. I just have attempted that diet twice now for about two months each time without seeing hair regrowth. It is hard to try again. 

A full week has gone by since I started using my universal mat and large body band consistently for at least 16 hours per day. I have been very conscientious about ensuring that the body band and the universal mat are touching my skin when I go to sleep. I have also tested to ensure continuity with the continuity tester. 

My progress

I would love to report that I’m magically healing from all my ailments. Unfortunately, I just have some minor improvements to comment about. I am trying to heal from a pretty big autoimmune condition and prevent any potential seizures. 

So far, no seizures this week. I don’t have them on a daily basis, more like monthly, so I’m not sure if this is working yet. I did lose my train of thought this morning when I was shooting my arrows and started to worry that it could be an aura. I freaked out like Simone Biles at her competition and went in a few minutes early. 

Luckily, no seizure happened this morning. 

Varicose Veins

I’m going to post these pictures that are two days apart. It is very difficult to tell if there is any real improvement, but I think there could be. The lighting could just make one photo seem more purple. 

Before – the veins look slightly more purple.

 

After – two days later they seem a bit diminished and less purple. 

While these are NOT the best before/after pictures, they do document a very slight bit of improvement in my health. There is no pain with these veins and I almost didn’t even know that I had them. 

Allergies

I’m definitely still allergic to pollen and grasses. My feet will get a bit itchy after barefoot walking. I will sneeze about 5-7 times per day. This can vary when there is a storm reducing the amount of pollen in the air. Overall, it isn’t a health problem that bothers me, but I am hoping to see the sneezing clear up entirely after my 90-day experiment. 

Gum Problems

I did have an abscess near my old root canal for about the last month that cleared up! Yesterday, I put the large body band near my jawline and held it there for twenty minutes. The discomfort that I had seemed to get a bit better. It hadn’t been terribly uncomfortable and I was hoping that it would just go away. Overnight the area filled with pus flattened. 

I do still have bleeding gums when I floss my lower teeth, but I’m noticing that is clearing up. I have been brushing more consistently and using some baking soda. So, it may not just be the earthing. Although, I like to think it helped! 

Alopecia Universalis

No improvement. I’m still seeing some ridging in my nails and there is no hair regrowth that I can detect within this first week. The inflammation has to go down first and then the body has to start generating hair with the follicles that haven’t been producing anything for the last 15 years, so I don’t expect this process to be fast. I’m just hoping that it happens! 

Shoulder Pain

I frequently have uncomfortable shoulder pain when I sit for too long at a desk. This could have something to do with my scoliosis or poor posture. I’m trying to correct the poor posture. The pain that I experience only happens when I’m seated in a still position for a long time. I haven’t had many bouts of this shoulder pain this week, but I do tend to start moving to alleviate it as quickly as possible. 

Digestion

My bowel movements have been smooth this week. I noticed with Buteyko breathing and increased exercises that I have more regular and better bowel movements. I know that many people were touting the carnivore diet for great digestion, but I found that I got constipated on it because I wasn’t moving enough. Dr. Zsofia Clemens told me to not exercise and I became quite sedentary. Luckily, Buteyko breathing combined with Earthing and Pilates cleared it up. 

Overall Improvement

Overall, I think I am heading in a direction of healing. Even though I haven’t seen a massive improvement in any one particular area, I do feel positive about the Earthing experience and I’m hoping that it will make a difference. I’m going to continue with it for the next three months. 

I have almost completed a full week of “earthing” for 16 hours per day. The first few days, I was very keen on monitoring how many hours I was grounded with the universal mat and the large body band. Now, I just make sure that I am connected while I am sleeping, at my desk, or in my room. When I am outside doing my archery or gardening, I make sure that I do it barefoot. The only times that I’m not grounded are when I’m playing the piano, cooking, eating, or going out to the grocery store. 

Health Improvements

I’ve noticed that the purplish veins in the back of my thighs are smaller and less visible. I don’t know if they were true varicose veins, but after almost a week of earthing, they seem to have diminished. I’ll post a before/after photo if they continue to improve. 

Today, I am noticing that the abscess in my gum has gone away. I have been suffering from an abscess near a root canal that I got fifteen years ago for about a month. I was about to make an appointment to see a dentist, but every few days it would seem to improve. Yesterday, I put the large body band on my jawline for about twenty minutes. The slight discomfort that I was experiencing seemed to diminish and I don’t know if it was a coincidence. As I previously mentioned, sometimes it would spontaneously get better anyway. 

My energy levels are pretty good. I’ve noticed that my energy levels tend to correlate with how much activity I have in my daily life. The more I lie around, the less energy I have. I will admit to lying around a bit today to watch the Olympics. Hey, it only comes on every 4 years. 

Earthing Practices

The main two things that I have been doing have been connecting with the universal mat and barefoot walking during archery practice. After watching Laura Koniver’s video on eating outside to heal leaky gut, I did that! I didn’t get a blanket and sit on the ground, but I did go out on my patio and place my feet on the earth while I ate some of my meal. Then the gnats started to eat me!

I’m hoping to get more into barefoot walking outside at some point. Here in Virginia, it is hot! Staying outside in the heat and the humidity with the mosquitos and gnats is quite an adjustment. Thank heavens for the Earthing indoor products that I can use. 

Health Conditions 

The health conditions that I still struggle with are alopecia Universalis, epilepsy, bleeding gums, seasonal allergies, toenail fungus, hormonal imbalances, nearsightedness, scoliosis, and fingernail ridging. I don’t know if Earthing will improve any or all of these health problems, but I wrote them down to track whether it does help. Many of these conditions I don’t even think about because they don’t bother me much. The biggest ones I want to cure are the Alopecia Universalis and Epilepsy. 

I haven’t seen any improvement in the hair growth, but it has only been six days. Maybe there will be some difference at sixty days. We shall see! 

Erthe Strips Review

Name: Erthe Strip
Website: Amazon 
Price: $29.95
Owners: Erthe
Overall Rank: 50 out of 100

Erthe DIY Earthing Shoe Strips, Product Overview

These are basically strips of adhesive that could stick to your shoes along with a conductive material somewhere inside. Unfortunately, the adhesive is pretty bad and they don’t actually stick. 

The Good & the Bad

The Good:

PRO #1: I like the concept. 
PRO #2 It didn’t ruin my shoes. They are still usable. 
PRO #3 It was easy to buy them through Amazon and have them delivered to my house. 

The Bad:

CON #1: They were not connective. I tested them with the continuity tester and it did not show grounding. 
CON #2: They did not stay on my shoes. After the first mile of me wearing them, I noticed that the adhesive was starting to peel. The second day, I walked for a mile and the strip on my left foot was half-way off. If I hadn’t been stepping on the other half of the strip, it would have fallen off during the walk. 

Who is Erthe strips For?

This is one product that I do not recommend. It is for no one. 

Erthe Strip Tools & Training

There were online videos demonstrating how to place the strip on your shoes and ensure that it stayed on. The product included printed instructions for placement and wear.

Erthe Strips Price

If these had actually worked, I would have said they were slightly overpriced. Since they don’t work, I would say they are way overpriced. They do alter the appearance of your tennis shoe, but you can select the positioning. 

I couldn’t get them to “ground.” I know that sometimes you need to wait a bit while moisture collects on the surface of your skin, but after a 30 minute walk it still wasn’t showing conductivity. 

My Final Opinion of Erthe Earthing Strips 

This product is not worth your time or money. I love the concept of DIY earthing shoes, but the reality was that it simply didn’t work. 

It did give me the idea to try out conductive duct tape on some flip flops and see if it will be conductive. 

Erthe Strips at a Glance…

Name: Erthe Shoe Strips
Price: $29.95
Overall Scam Rank: 50 out of 100

VERDICT: NOT LEGIT – Don’t waste your money!!

My Earthing Day 5

Today I did notice that my varicose veins seemed a bit smaller and less purple. I didn’t even realize I had varicose veins for the longest time since they are on the back of my thighs. This could be an improvement from the Earthing practice. I don’t know. I haven’t really monitored them. I don’t know how long I have had them. I noticed last month when I was looking in a three-way mirror that my upper legs were somewhat purple. But what can you do? I didn’t worry about it because my shorts covered them. I just thought it was part of getting older. 

It could be a coincidence that my purple veins are going back to normal color. I don’t know. I’m going to keep watching it and see if the veins fade away. They were not bulging, just purple. They also didn’t hurt. Improving my circulation may have made them better which could be a result of more exercise or the earthing mat. It is hard to tell. 

I am continuing my 8 hours of earthing each night. I have been pretty grounded with my mat and my large body band all day, so I should easily make the 16 hours. It was hot outside, so I skipped my barefoot walk and just did some weeding around the house since it was easier to get a drink or go inside when I felt tired and hot. 

I’m still doing my hour of barefoot walking at the crack of dawn. That is working out well for me. I’m getting grounded and practicing archery at the same time!

I want to be honest as I document my earthing journey. I was thrilled about the positive potential of earthing two days ago. I was hopeful that I would be quickly healing my allergies and autoimmune diseases.

The Earthing Large Body Band

I noticed that the area where the metal was attached on my head was a bit sore this morning, so I’m testing out the body band on different areas of my body. I’m wondering if wearing it a little looser on my head will work. I wanted to try it on my head with the goal of reducing whatever inflammation is preventing my hair regrowth. 

The large body band is a bit large for my skinny frame. I have been testing it with the continuity tester. It doesn’t always show continuity through my body. The body has to have a slight bit of sweat on it which works well with the hands and touching the metal surface. When the band is attached to my leg, it doesn’t seem to conduct. I did try it on my arm last night and it took a while to start showing conductivity. 

Slight Improvement

There may be some slight improvement in the area of neurology. I do feel calm. I don’t think I’ve had as many seizure auras as I may have had, but this is very hard to tell. My seizure pattern has been following my menstrual cycle and I’m kind of at the age where that is slowing down and changing anyways. 

My digestion may be improving. I had a bowel movement today and that was great. It was smooth and easy. While that seems a bit weird, when I get backed up, I think I am more at risk of having seizures as the estrogen is cycled back into the bloodstream and higher estrogen levels tend to trigger the seizures. 

The Earthing has eliminated my athlete’s foot and reduced the inflammation and a growth that was on the bottom of my foot. This all happened without the use of products and with only an hour a day of walking barefoot. 

No Improvement

I haven’t seen any improvement in hair growth in 3 days. No surprise in that area. I have not had an improvement in my seasonal allergies. I did sneeze a few times each day since starting the earthing. 

There hasn’t been any improvement in my nails. I still have the ridging in my nails, which is part of the alopecia Universalis. Some days my nails seem to look better than others, today is one of those days where I just don’t think they look great. 

Earthing Side Effects

Some of the earthing side effects that are taking place have nothing really to do with the act of connecting with the earth. I have noticed that I am becoming more determined and organized as I complete this journey. I am becoming structured and planning out my days better to make sure I hit that 16 hours of grounding each day so I complete this task. 

While I have been earthing outside, I have been listening to the ThinkRightNow audios on improving confidence. It is planting the thought patterns in my head of becoming a more confident person as I work towards my 90 day Earthing goal. I am stretching myself and improving as a person. 

Will Earthing Work?

I don’t know. My optimism is waning a bit and I’m starting to be worried about whether or not I am going down the same path that didn’t work in the past. I’m hoping that with the continuity tester and ensuring that the grounding tools are working, I will have better results this time. 

I will honestly report the good and the bad of Earthing, so you can make a decision on whether you should incorporate it into your life. The grounding tools are very easy to use, but that doesn’t mean that they are effective. 

Earthing by connecting to the ground barefoot is free and easy to do. Try it for yourself and let me know if you have results!

 

I received my earthing large body band yesterday. I was able to test it out with the continuity tester and discovered that it grounds me. Or at least, according to the continuity tester it does. I tried the body band out on my arms and legs and discovered it was a little too large for my skinny arms. It works alright on my legs, but I think I was hoping that it would be large enough to strap around my chest. No dice. 

My 8 Hour Earthing Benefits

I strapped the body band around my head and tested it. I also placed the universal mat under my feet and began grounding right before falling asleep. I stayed in bed for about 8 hours and with two products touching me, I should have been grounded the whole night. I know that sometimes the universal mat gets pushed aside when I roll over at night. 

Now, as I mentioned in yesterday’s blog post, I had been earthing outside in the wild for a few weeks. I had also been using my universal mat whenever I could. However, I hadn’t tested for continuity to ensure that the product was working until now. 

Here are some things that I noticed when I woke up:

• Clear nasal passages 
• No allergy symptoms (I did have allergies yesterday that made me sneezy, but not yet today. This may or may not be a coincidence. My allergies aren’t constant.)
• Energized and ready for the day. (Although, I usually have more morning energy.)

That’s about it. I wish I could report more, but it is early in this Earthing experiment. 

Current Conditions

I am hoping to heal the following conditions with earthing. I have tried diet and exercise, but always seem to fall short. I’m hoping that this 90-day Earthing experiment improves some of these conditions. 

• Reduces seizure frequency
• Autoimmune alopecia
• Dental gum sensitivity and occasional bleeding
• Allergies

How Earthing Improves Health

Earthing stabilizes the internal bioelectrical system which can impact the immune system and the electrical activity in the brain. While there are few studies on Earthing, it has been shown to reduce pain and inflammation. A pilot study showed that earthing improved the electrodynamics of red blood cells and reduced blood viscosity, which is a key parameter in diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The thinner blood due to earthing allows for more oxygen delivery to the tissues and reduces inflammation. 

I’m hoping that the reduction in inflammation will enable my hair regrowth to begin. This has been a ten-year search for me to find something that will help with the autoimmune condition, alopecia Universalis. Although, I don’t expect to see any new hair regrowth for at least a month. If I have new hair regrowth before then, it may have been due to the dietary changes that I made five months ago. 

My Before Photo

As much as I hate to post a photo of me without my wig, I’m going to prove that I don’t actually have any hair. This is the before photo. I will post follow-up photos and progress photos during this trial. Hopefully, I will start to see some hair regrowth and be able to report that this Earthing device really works! 

 

Alopecia Universalis is one frustrating autoimmune condition. It hasn’t responded well to dietary therapies. I haven’t seen regrowth from rubbing onion or essential oils on the hair follicles. I tried to up my vitamin D levels in case the cause was low vitamin D and B vitamins, but no dice. 

I recently shifted my focus from being solely on dietary interventions to combining Buteyko Breathing exercises with Earthing. I have felt better since starting up the Buteyko breathing exercises and regular earthing every day for about an hour. I haven’t had a seizure in over 30 days and even made it through a menstrual cycle without an aura. (My seizures have a catamenial hormonal pattern to them.) 

Earthing Healed a Foot Sore

While I did have an earthing half-sheet that I slept on before, I never tested it out to see if the continuity was still there. After a few years, it ripped and I gave up on Earthing. I wasn’t sure if it was doing anything although it could have been. 

About a month ago, I started my Earthing practice of walking barefoot outside after the paleo ketogenic diet didn’t prevent the last seizure. I also started exercising more. I feel so much better. My digestion immediately improved. I had a sore on the bottom of my foot that felt like a tack pushing into the ball of my foot when I put pressure on it. I had started to walk on the side of my foot to avoid putting pressure on this. 

I’m not entirely sure what it was. It was a white growth that resembled a wart, but was a little different in texture. I had one of them before and had to dig it out of my foot once it got big enough for tweezers. It was painful. I had also used duct tape to soften and try to remove it. 

I started Earthing and within 2 days, the sore was greatly reduced. It has now been two weeks and my skin is almost back to normal. This could be a coincidence, but it could be mother earth healing me. Either way, I’m grateful and will keep going with my Earthing. 

My Earthing Regimen

Walking barefoot is somewhat awkward. It isn’t safe to do in my neighborhood because our street is extremely narrow with no sidewalk. The asphalt is very uneven and uncomfortable to walk on. So, I remove my shoes and walk in my backyard for an hour. 

The last time I tried Earthing, I’m sure that I wasn’t getting an hour in every day. I would go outside and run around the yard until I got bored and then came inside. I slept on an earthing half-sheet and figured that would have to be good enough. 

This time, I am much more aware of how long I am connecting with the earth outside. I turn on my iPhone and play empowering statements while I practice my newfound hobby of archery. I know that I am done when the recording is over. Not only am I getting my feet to connect with the earth, but I’m getting better at archery and improving my thought patterns all at once! 

Earthing Side Effects

The side effects have been great. I have noticed that afterward, I do feel better. I generally have a bit more energy. I did notice when I was congested, the congestion cleared up a bit after the earthing session. 

The outdoor side effects haven’t been all great. I have noticed that I am getting bitten by gnats, mosquitos, and chiggers. I have started wearing long pants and netting to protect myself. It is helping. 

My ankles and feet seem to be getting stronger as they adapt to walking on uneven terrain. That is a great side effect. My arms are getting stronger from the archery workout as well. 

The Earthing Products I Use

Since I have gotten bitten a lot by insects while I have been earthing, I have decided that it is wise to use some indoor products. Unfortunately, my old earthing sheet ripped and I threw it away years ago. (I’m not sure whether it worked after a few years. I have read that sometimes they lose their earthing continuity.) I dug out the Universal Earthing Mat and placed it under my desk. 

I have been trying to sleep on the Universal Earthing Mat, but I don’t know if it always stays under my feet. I decided that I would buy a body band and a continuity tester. They just arrived today. I tested out the earthing mat and it works. I tested the body band and it is good to go! 

My Earthing Experiment

I plan on using the Body Band or Universal Mat for 16-18 hours per day. This allows for time to cook and eat and do the inevitable chores where it isn’t possible to be earthed. I will sleep with both of them on a part of my body for 90 days. I’m going to report on any progress that I see during this time. 

I do think that I will return the body band if I don’t see any progress within 90 days. There is a 90-day money-back guarantee. 

Stay tuned and find out if it works for me!