Grounding: Put your feet in the sand!

That view. The sun rising over the rolling hills. The beautiful lake water glistening as the world wakes up. The serene view puts you at ease almost instantly. That is the feeling I have anytime we get close to Lake George. Having spent time there every summer since I was a baby, being at Lake George is a part of me and my family. I am always relaxed by the clean mountain air, the cool lake waters and the feeling of sand in my toes. I knew that there was power in relaxing in your favorite spot, but there may be more to it than that.

Have you ever spent time on a beach, near the ocean or a lake and after a week you feel physically, mentally and spiritually better? Of course it is related to being away from the stress of everyday life, work, responsibilities, being able to relax and unwind…but, there is also a change that happens by your actual feet being in the sand and connected to the power and electricity of the Earth.

I came upon grounding, or “earthing” when I hurt my neck a number of years ago. Well, “hurt” in that sentence is a verb, and I didn’t actually do anything to “hurt” it, it just started hurting. BIG time. It started with tingling in my left hand, then nerve pain traveled from underneath my left scapula all the way down the front of my left arm. The pain in my back was excruciating. I recently found one of my colleagues not looking so good, when I asked him what was wrong he described the pain exactly as I remembered it. He too suffers from problematic discs in the cervical region- the same C4-C6 that I suffer from- his experience and symptoms were exactly the same! Slowly over the last few days I have been suggesting things that helped me. I haven’t yet told him about grounding, but plan to! Hence the blog primer… brushing up on the research will help me help him through the management of this chronic condition.

So, back to putting your feet in the sand. There really is something to being connected to the Earth. You may think that this sounds crazy, and at first I did too, but then I tried it. I realize I feel better when I spend time outdoors, and when I take my shoes off, and walk through the grass, I feel even better.

Some key thoughts on the benefits of grounding:

Improves sleep

Reduces pain and stress

Increases heart variability

Speeds wound healing (this one I have witnessed myself!- I’ll share a personal note here- so, I used to bite my nails as a child- BADLY- fortunately, I got out of that habit, but then switched to picking at the skin of my cuticles- to this day, when I feel bored or stressed, it creeps back in subconsciously and WHAM I have small cuts and nicks around my fingers. Well, when I spend time on Lake George, with my feet in the sand, swimming in the lake, my fingers heal- FAST- way faster than they do at home. The combination of less stress and faster healing helps me heal my hands again. That was hard for me to share, but on purpose for illustration here, I know this works!)

Decreases inflammation (this is where it was so helpful for the discs in my neck!)

These benefits may be occurring because of the incredible abundance of electrons on the Earths surface- the skin contact allows those electrons to spread over our skin and body. Earthing appears to correct an imbalance in electrons- a deficiency of electrons which we are experiencing related to our busy, technology driven lifestyles that don’t allow for time outside connected to the Earth.

There are many ways you can reap the benefits of grounding. You can spend time outdoors with your shoes off. Walk through the grass on a sunny spring day. Do your gardening barefoot. Get your feet used to being bare and on the ground. Some retreat and spa centers offer Tai Chi outside in the grass during the warmer months. But probably the easiest way is to just be outside, connected to the Earth without your shoes on. You want the direct contact.

There are also products you can purchase that plug in to appropriate outlets in your home that allow for grounding pads, mats and electrodes so that you can “plug in” to this power and harness it while you sleep or work. We use the pads and electrodes- I find it quite useful to place the electrode exactly where my ache/pain or inflammation is feeling at its worst. Quite frequently, I place the electrode right on the muscles of my left back and shoulder- I wake up feeling refreshed and pain free. My next step is to “plug in” at work with a pad near my desk, that way as I am using the mouse at my computer, my wrist can be connected to this healing energy of the Earth. (I know, it sounds crazy, I can’t even believe I am writing this, however, I really think this works and is a way for us to maintain and promote health!).

I urge you to do your own research and reading on this topic. I have listed some resources below. At first, I thought it was nonsense, but then I reflected on how wonderful I feel after a vacation where I have spent time with my feet in contact with the Earth, when I have spent time outside in the sun and air. These things are difficult to do in everyday life. If we can sneak in a little bit of this power everyday, imagine how much better we will feel.

Resources and Additional Reading for Grounding/Earthing:

Oschmann, J. Illnesses in technologically advanced societies due to lack of grounding. Biomedical Journal. Located at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2022.10.004

Hung Lin, Chien. (2022). Grounding the Body Improves Sleep Quality in Patient’s with mild alzheimer’s disease. A Pilot Study. Healthcare, 10, 581. Located at: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10030581

Oschmann, J. (2015). The effects of grounding on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Journal of Inf. Research, 8, 83-96.

Menigoz, W., et al. (2019). Integrative and lifestyle medical strategies should include earthing (grounding): review of research evidence and clinical observations. Journal of Exploration. Found at http://doi.org/10.1016/J.explore.2019.10.005

Earthing, Clinton Ober

The Nature Fix, Florence Williams

www.grounded.com

Healthy Habits: Nature Continued!

As the dead of winter approaches New England, we are all clamoring for those sunny days when we can allow our faces to get a bit of sun, albeit through cold, sometimes damp snowy clouds. Our bodies and minds thrive on getting that bit of sun on our skin and outdoor air in our systems. Nature may boost our moods by quieting certain brain activity that is responsible for that “negative nelly” that sometimes rears her ugly head/causes her voice to be heard- your “inner critic” that self wallows, ruminates and replays unpleasant feelings, emotions or situations over and over again. The Self Talk pattern activates a region in the prefrontal cortex that has been linked to developing sadness, withdrawal, depression and anxiety. Being able to visualize water, landscapes, forests and trees often quiets this brain loop and allows for a reduction in negative feelings. If that is not a reason to spend more time outdoors despite the cold, I am not sure what is!

I recently did a presentation to a group of up and coming leaders on Inclusive Leadership. It is a difficult topic and we were just starting to talk about caring for others from your “Compassionate Center”- that place inside you where the inner critic voice is quelled and you have no judgement either for yourself or for others. I bravely asked the group, “Who has that inner critic, negative voice inside their heads?”. I wasn’t sure what I was going to get- sometimes groups are a little bit shy to answer this question. The majority of the group shot their hands up immediately!

For the longest time, I thought that I was the only one walking around in life with that negative voice inside my head. She would say nasty things- mostly about me, not others. It was very difficult at times to turn her off. In learning, with help from my friend (Thank you April!) and my coach (Thank you Sharon!), I have started to soften her attitude by answering her questions in a positive way. When she asks “Who the hell do you think you are?”. I answer, “I am learning who I am everyday”! I am also so relieved that others experience this inner critic/chatter as much as I do and I am grateful for the help of friends along the way to help me!

There are many different tactics to quell your inner critic, reduce stress and combat the winter doldrums. Nature is one of those ways. Even in wintertime, it does our bodies so much good to get out in the snowy cold!

Forest Walks have been shown to decrease sympathetic nervous system activity (place us back into “relax and digest mode”, relieving us of the “fight or flight of acute and chronic stress), decrease heart rate and blood pressure, decrease cortisol levels and increase our level of natural killer cells in our blood circulation. Natural Killer Cells (NKC) are a type of cell in our immune system (lymphocyte) that control cancer cell growth and proliferation of infections, such as viral and bacterial infections. These effects were seen with research participants spending time outside each day, the study found that effects can be felt with 5 hours per month as a minimum, the more time in nature, the better you will feel. The goal would be a half an hour per day.

How to accomplish this with our busy, hectic lives that are mostly spent in doors? Finding a favorite outdoor place, a place that makes you feel good (not only in mood, but also in body), spend some time in that space and just let yourself be. Social walking with a friend in nature helps to boost mood. Walking alone helps with self reflection and solving problems. Walking outside combines exercise with the mood boosting effects of nature.

Sometimes we are not able to get outside, because of injury or weather. Perhaps bringing a little bit of nature inside would also help? Utilizing essential oils can bring the scents of the outdoors inside when we are unable to go outside and smell the roses! Specifically, the essential oil of trees has shown an increase in 20% of NKC and a reported feeling of less fatigue and stress. Using wood essential oils can help to mitigate stress by lowering levels of cortisol when the oil is exhaled, through a diffuser method, steam bath, or when applying oils.

I am working on creating some new essential oil blends for body oils, bubble baths and linen sprays for the Farm Store. More to come!

Nature Resources (same as last blog):

The Nature Fix, Why Nature Makes Us Feel Happier, Healthier and More Creative, Florence Williams

Return to Nature, The New Science of how Natural Landscapes Restore Us, Emma Loewe

Rewilding. Meditations, Practices and Skills for Awakening in Nature, Micha Mortali

Passmore, et al. An extended replication study of the well being intervention, the noticing nature interventions. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23, 2663-2638 (2022).

The Wild Trees, Richard Preston

Seaweed Chronicles, A World at the Water’s Edge. Susan Hand Shetterly

We Took to the Woods, Louise Dickinson Rich

Upwards, The Story of the First Woman to Solo Paddle the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Laurie Apgar Chandler

Entangled Life, How Fungi Make our Worlds, Change our Minds and Share our Futures, Merlin Sheldrake.

Healthy Habits: Nature

Habits. A New Year. A time to perform a good review of what has worked and what has not worked. I find myself at the beginning of this particular year wanting to break up with old habits that no longer suit me and start new ones that will help me on my wellness and happiness journey.

Creating healthy habits is not easy, even on my best days, I still find it difficult to make everything happen for myself. Certainly scheduling the habit helps- if it is not on the calendar it doesn’t get done, right? But, even when you schedule time for wellness, you need to have the grit to keep doing it. Consistently. Every day.

This year, I am starting with being gentle with myself. I know I am not going to get it right 100% of the time, and that is ok. Well, I can write that, and I know I mean that for you, my readers, but meaning it for myself is a completely different thing. So, I am definitely on a journey not listening to my inner critic, doing my best for myself every day and letting go and remaining gentle with myself.

For my best work to happen, I know how important it is to create mindfulness and wellness habits into routines so they continue to suit me consistently. What better way than to incorporate one change per week to two weeks! Trial a new wellness activity, see if it works for you and makes a difference to how you feel. Then, if not, change to something else and see if that works for you. If the change seems to work, makes you feel better, then create a habit by inserting the idea into your life, connecting it with another routine, setting aside the time in your calendar- anyway that works for you so that you will always, consistently do the new activity and reap the benefits of well being. Stacking behaviors and activities together will make the outcomes even stronger.

Over the course of this year, in this blog, I want to share with you some of my best wellness activities. I shared my morning rituals (habits) last week, this week I want to share my wellness habits around nature.

One of my most favorite, and most effective wellness activities is simply being in nature. A study called the “Noticing Nature Intervention” found that after two weeks, subjects in the study noticed significantly higher levels of well being, simply from paying attention to everyday nature! Imagine if you created a healthy habit (behavior) of intentionally incorporating nature into your everyday life! What if we went beyond just noticing and actually interacted with the natural environment?

Have you noticed after a holiday on the ocean, or a lake, when you have spent days with your feet in the sand and water, breathing in the healthy air of the mountains, that you feel rejuvenated and refreshed? Your body is actually spending time being connected with the earth (grounding- more on that later!), your mind is able to relax and unwind from being in the daily grind- the effects of nature are immense! Those effects seem to be driven not only by the physical nature of connecting our bodies to the earth, but also by the expansiveness of nature, we are filled with awe and wonder when we come upon a scene that is larger than ourselves. Our emotions of happiness, joy and contentment are stimulated as we look upon and experience the natural world. Many feel their best by the sea, others by rivers and lakes, still others experience nature best when surrounded by trees (forest bathing anyone?). What would happen if we spent time each day in a nature scene that stimulates feelings of well being? If we are fully involved, our senses are engaged and we are absorbed in the features of the landscape, we may feel more happiness, joy and a sense of wellbeing.

I came upon the scene in the picture of this blog while on a nature walk with Jason and Ella over winter break. It was January 1, 2023, a beautifully sunny, unseasonably warm day in Maine. We were walking through a nature preserve near the Sheepscott River- coming up over that rock and seeing the view of the water, sky and clouds was breathtaking to me. Those moments when we feel awe make our bodies resonate with natural connection. We spent the afternoon walking through the woods and checking out vistas that overlooked islands, rivers and beautiful scenery. We also did a bit of forest foraging, looking for pretty rocks, pine cones and moss for our natural landscapes and Ella’s famous terrariums.

While many of our busy lives seem not to be able to incorporate daily time in nature, knowing that it makes us feel so good, how could we immerse ourselves daily so that we reap the benefits of this incredible mood booster?

I will admit I haven’t figured this out quite yet, especially in the dead of winter. Dark when I wake up in the morning, dark when I get home from work- it is especially hard to find time to be out in the sun during the height of the day when I am working. Albeit, the spring, summer and fall are easier- sneaking out for a quick walk around the block at lunchtime is doable, scheduling time for a nature walk at the beginning or end of the day when it is still light outside is also doable. Winter seems to be the hardest time to get sun on your face and put your feet directly on the ground.

Because I know how much better I feel when I am in nature, a new habit I am forming is to spend time in nature, with nature, in any way I possibly can, everyday. Often, it is just my first cup of coffee being outside- even in winter- even when it is cold- just sipping and experiencing the awe of the early morning sky- stars, full moon and all. Stacking my nature time with exercise is also my goal- taking a walk by the river (I am so fortunate to live near the Farmington River)- listening to the sound of the river racing by, watching the waves, occasionally seeing a river otter all makes me smile and makes my body feel good. When spring and summer rolls around this will get even easier, as life moves to the great outdoors, there is gardening and chores to be done around the farm that require lots of outside time in the sun. Weekends are a good time to catch up on this outdoor time, but part of work this year is attempting to incorporate nature on a daily basis. The habitual, consistency of everyday nature elements is my goal.

Is this going to be hard? Probably. Work, life and trying to balance everything we have to do along with all our self care habits is hard. But nature is a non negotiable for me. And once you decide that the habit and healthy behavior is non negotiable, then you make sure it happens everyday.

Do you have a healthy nature habit to share? How do you make sure you have the time to do it consistently?

Be well,

Teresa

Some Resources:

The Nature Fix, Why Nature Makes Us Feel Happier, Healthier and More Creative, Florence Williams

Return to Nature, The New Science of how Natural Landscapes Restore Us, Emma Loewe

Rewilding. Meditations, Practices and Skills for Awakening in Nature, Micha Mortali

Passmore, et al. An extended replication study of the well being intervention, the noticing nature interventions. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23, 2663-2638 (2022).

The Wild Trees, Richard Preston

Seaweed Chronicles, A World at the Water’s Edge. Susan Hand Shetterly

We took to the Woods, Louise Dickinson Rich

Upwards, The Story of the First Woman to Solo Paddle the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Laurie Apgar Chandler

Entangled Life, How Fungi Make our Worlds, Change our Minds and Share our Futures, Merlin Sheldrake.

The Morning Ritual

The Morning Ritual

Whatever it is, the way you start your day makes a real difference in how your entire day plays out.

Perhaps 2023 is the year we all make a change to how we start our days!

However you choose to start your day can make or break the rest of it. For wellness and well being, I chose to start my day with a set of activities that help me stay in balance. I notice that if I stop doing these things, not only does my day not work out the way I intended, but over time causes my resiliency to decay and my ability to manage stress decrease.

So what is my morning routine? It starts with waking up at the same time every morning. And, some of you may not like this, but pretty EARLY. In order for me to feel my best all day, I usually wake up between 4:00 and 4:30 am every morning. I don’t need an alarm clock anymore, I just naturally wake up and start my day- makes me feel a little like I am on vacation- not needing the jarring alarm clock means that I wake up when I am feeling refreshed and rested. Getting out of bed when I wake up means I have time before the rest of my family awakens to take care of myself and spend some precious moments in relaxation and preparation for the day. On days that I am worried I may oversleep because I am particularly tired, or did not go to bed at my normal time, I use the Hatch Restore alarm clock that wakes me up using an increasing glowing light rather than any noise whatsoever.

First thing, I meditate. Ok, so I usually use the bathroom first, but then, I find a comfy position and nothing too fancy, just meditate. Sometimes I use a guided meditation, sometimes I just wing it. I have been learning, reading, researching about different kinds of meditation, what it comes down to is a consistent practice of 5-20 minutes, 1-2 times per day that makes the difference. I have tried the Silva Method, the Ziva Method, I have used Headspace and the guided meditations from Oura ring. There are also many free apps and guided meditations available on line. I feel my best when I consistently put myself in the chair and try to get into alpha (physical and mental relaxation) and theta (deep meditation) brain waves. What works best for me to achieve these relaxed states may not work for everyone. I find it helpful to use headphones and really block out any noise from the environment, especially when you are new to meditation. Taking away some of the distractions can really help improve your ability to relax. No one needs to hear a whining dog when they are trying to meditate!

After I meditate, my treat is my coffee. Sometimes its Bullet Proof, especially if I am trying to fast on any particular day, other times it is just a pour over. Either way, it is my special treat in the morning, and I try to drink my first cup outside. Reminds me of being on vacation, relaxing and taking those first few sips without a care in the world. Not checking email, not reading a book, just sipping coffee and enjoying nature. This morning, after I mediated, I made my coffee and came right to the blog to tell you, first thing on this brand new morning of a brand new year about my morning ritual so that perhaps you can start your wellbeing journey anew!

Depending on the morning, and how much time I have, I will research something I am curious about, journal and write and sometimes even crochet. It is immensely satisfying to me to spend time in the morning doing something that I love to do. Crocheting is one of my favorite craft hobbies and it brings me great joy to make something and sell it to someone special at our Farm Store. I love the stories that our community of customers share with me when they purchase something hand made and special from the farm. They usually tell me about the gift recipient and it makes me so happy to know how special the item will be to the person who will receive it. Everything has a little story to go along with it. I’ll share some of those later…

No morning would be complete without a huge glass of water and a little exercise. I am still working on my exercise routine (2023 will be the year I get back into shape! Don’t we all say that on January 1?) but normally I use the bike or walk just to get a little exercise in before the day starts.

So, that is my not so perfect routine, but it helps me maintain my resiliency and sanity in this really busy, technology driven world. It feels good to start the day like I am on vacation rather than start it as if I am getting ready to go to work. I have a few other ideas up my sleeve that I am working on and trying out, then I will certainly share with you.

What is your morning routine? Would you share it in the comments so that others can learn too? I always like to try new things!

Some resources to share with you:

The Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod

The Ziva Method, Emily Fletcher

Free Time, Jenny Blake

Bliss More: How to Succeed in Meditation Without Really Trying, Light Watkins

The 6 Phase Meditation Method, Vishen Lakhiani

A New Year…a New Blog!

Another year! Oh my! 2022 is almost over! It’s been a while since I have written here, but with a new year comes a new blog. I hope you will join me on this journey.

It’s amazing that I am writing about 2022 coming to an end. The year flew by, yet also stood still. What a year of accomplishments, joys and heartbreaks. Our family had some real gains and some real losses, like everyone else I guess. Ella grew, I got more wrinkles, Jason, well…he pretty much stayed the same. Our Farm Community expanded beyond our envisioning. We lost a few of our tribe and for that we are deeply saddened.

What brings me back to the blog? I have an inner critic, like everyone else. Most of the time she sassily shouts: “Who the (enter your favorite expletive here) do you think you are?” when I start thinking about writing the book that has been swirling around in my head. In planning for 2023, my first order of business is to quell my inner critic- her voice needs to radiate “Look what you just did!”. So, in order to do so, I have created some pretty big, audacious goals that I am hoping this blogging adventure will help me with. So, you will have some more blogs to look forward to in the new year!

I am deeply curious about how humans keep themselves and their communities well. I have been reading and thinking about the intersections between life, personal and professional with wellness. I am curious about nature’s impact on health and wellness, about crafting and side hobbies impact on wellness, about how community and socialization helps with not only personal wellness but also the wellness of the community. There are so many things to think about, write about and talk about! I am hoping to do that here and hoping you will join me. Critique me. Talk to me in the comments about what works for you and what doesn’t. There are so many ways we can help each other be well and be happy. I am looking forward to this journey with you! Thank you for being here with me!

Day 7: At Least I have Wilson

Once my bestie heard I was in quarantine, she sent me Wilson. He has been by my side throughout these first few days of quarantine. He helps me take my supplements in the morning, he oversees all of my meals and my work being done in my home office. He even attempts to snuggle when I am missing Ella. He is very patient with me, and waits in the comfy chair for me to be finished at the computer and need some downtime.

I had no idea how much I would need Wilson. I do know that I needed my bestie to cheer me up, and cheer me up she did. I giggle everytime I look at Wilson and his funny smile. Thank you my friend. You have been with me through this entire COVID event since March. You have helped me get through each day by checking in with me, I am so grateful. But, I must tell you, Wilson is NOT taking your place!!!

Be well everyone. Stay safe. Love from Day 7.

The COVID Quarantine

Day 6 of 14, why did it take me so long to write this?

While most bloggers are getting ready to blog about the election, we have other things on our minds. On Day 6 of a 14 day quarantine, my mind is filled with ways to be closer to Ella. We are both feeling the separation. Sometimes more acutely than other times. Fortunately, it was a beautiful fall day on Saturday, a social distanced walk was in order for our troop. Zoom and Facetime are occupying the rainy, cold days when we can’t sit outside together.

Although no ones fault, an exposure has many feelings attached to it. I feel that since March, we have done our best to not only protect ourselves, but also our customers, families and friends. Even though I have to work daily, Monday- Friday in a builidng that takes care of patients with the virus, I have always felt safe. Now I am waiting… I know that my family is safe, I know that most likely, I will be fine, but the waiting is almost demanding in its own way. The waiting is dreadful, filled with dread, making me feel dread. Dread is something that you feel physically, and can be mistaken for symptoms. Filling out a symptom tracker along with taking my temperature twice daily also does not help keep the dread at bay.

Seeing Ella smile is probably the one thing that helps the dread.

So, while Ella and I live apart and socially distance, outside in between my virtual work meetings, please be safe everyone. Wear your mask and socially distance from each other when you are around others. And on election day, do your best to breathe and make the best choice for you. While I won’t be writing about the election, I am writing today about the necessity of taking care of ourselves so that we can take care of our precious others that live with us, or in my case right now, live a bit distanced from me and from my embrace.

To Day 14, I can’t wait to see you.