Earthing Featured in The Going Organic Guide

11 GOING ORGANIC GUIDE / FALL 20111 GOING ORGANIC GUIDE / SPRING 2011

CLINT OBER’S “EARTHING”The Amazing Health Discovery That’s Sweeping the Planet

GUIDE

Earthing_story-revised_08-25-12_Layout 1 8/26/12 3:39 PM Page 1


3

For decades, new-age gurus have referred in a vaguely hopeful way to “the healing power of the Earth.” Now a former electronics expert claims to have found scientificproof that the Earth can indeed heal us – in a very basic andliteral way. He has taken a remarkable journey that beganwith a bad tooth and just might end in a radical new way for the World to think, live, and deal with chronic pain anddisease. This is the story of Clint Ober and Earthing.

In its inaugural issue, Going Organic announced a mission of partneringwith readers and the community in attempts at harmonizing our worldthrough the presentation of information aimed at helping readers create

a safer, sustainable, and organic environment that supports sufficiency andhealth. As such, it is our pleasure to introduce you to a like-minded, localresident at the forefront of a health-transforming, global movement: Clinton Ober, the founder of “Earthing.” From the red sands of Sedona to the skyscrapers of Japan, professionals

and laymen from around the world are singing the praises of this pioneer inself-healing, and word is quickly spreading about a new way of thinking,living, and healing. We at Going Organic invite you to join the chorus.The details of Earthing are outlined in a paradigm-shattering book written

by Mr. Ober along with cardiologist Stephen T. Sinatra and veteran healthwriter Martin Zucker. The book outlines Ober’s personal mission of discovery and provides validation of what may prove to be one of the mostimportant health revelations in recent times: that major health benefits canbe easily acquired by regular contact with the natural electric energy that ispresent on the surface of the Earth.

BY GRACE XANTHOS

The GlobalPhenomenonof“Earthing”

REPRINTED FROM GOING ORGANIC GUIDE

Mr. Clint Ober’s book, Earthing, The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?, co-written with cardiologist Stephen T. Sinatraand veteran health writer Martin Zucker,outlines Mr. Ober’s discovery that majorhealth and healing benefits can be acquiredby regular contact with the Earth’s electricenergy.


4 REPRINTED FROM GOING ORGANIC GUIDE

Earlier this year, Earthing was selected as a 2011 Nautilus BookAward winner, a prize given

out for writing that promotesspiritual growth, consciousliving, and positive socialchange. The book has beenwidely praised by leadingexperts in the fields of healthand self-improvement: • “Earthing is a revolutionary health

breakthrough that will change yourlife.” —Martin Gallagher, M.D., D.C.

• “This book is a manual for one of Nature’s great healing secrets.”

—John Gray, Ph.D.• “Earthing may be as fundamental as

sunlight, air, water, and nutrients.” —Gary E. Schwartz, Ph.D.

• “Earthing ranks right up there withthe discovery of penicillin.”

—Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S.

• “Earthing is a return to the healingpower of Nature… here’s a simplebut powerful way to restore yourhealth on all levels.”

—Hyla Cass, M.D.So what is this wonderful process

that everyone is talking about? Afterreading the book and feeling an instantconnection with its premise, I made anappointment with the man behind thephenomenon to find out first-hand. I was just as fascinated by the man as Iremain with his work. A Well Grounded Childhood and CareerFrom the time Ober was a young boy

in Montana, he was enthralled with nature. He describes his early years ex-ploring an area rich in Native Americanhistory and legend. As a child, he had anintuitive sense to “kick off my shoes”and run around on the bare earth, oftensleeping outside as those who inhabitedthe land hundreds of years before haddone. Forced to drop out of school towork the family farm after his father’sdeath, he started observing how animalsthat ran free seemed healthier than thosethat were caged or kept indoors as pets,but it wasn’t until many years later thathe discovered why.

What is Earthing?Earthing involves coupling your body to theEarth’s eternal and gentle surface energy. It means walking barefoot outside and/or sitting, working, or sleeping inside while con-nected to a conductive device that delivers thenatural healing energy of the Earth into yourbody. For more than ten years, thousands ofpeople around the world—men, women, chil-dren, and athletes—have incorporated Earth-ing into their daily routines. The results havebeen documented and they are extraordinary.What isn’t Earthing?You are not in any sense being electrocuted.Earthing is among the most natural and safestthings you can do.What happens?Your body becomes suffused with negative-charged free electrons abundantly present onthe surface of the Earth. Your body immedi-ately equalizes to the same electric energylevel, or potential, as the Earth.What do you feel?Sometimes, a warm, tingling sensation andoften feelings of ease and well-being.

Will you feel better?Usually, yes, and often rapidly. The degree ofimprovement varies from person to person.The important thing is to make Earthing along-term addition to your daily routine, and to do it as much as possible so as to gain maximum benefits. When Earthing is stopped,symptoms tend to slowly return.What does Earthing do?Observations and research indicate the followingbenefits from Earthing; we expect many more toemerge with ongoing studies. Earthing:• Defuses the cause of inflammation, and

improves or eliminates the symptoms ofmany inflammation-related disorders.

• Reduces or eliminates chronic pain.• Improves sleep in most cases.• Increases energy.• Lowers stress and promotes calmness in the

body by cooling down the nervous systemand stress hormones.

• Normalizes the body’s biological rhythms.• Thins blood and improves blood pressure

and flow.• Relieves muscle tension and headaches.• Lessens hormonal and menstrual symptoms.• Dramatically speeds healing and helps

prevent bedsores.• Reduces or eliminates jet lag.• Protects the

body against potentially health-disturbing environmentalelectromagneticfields (EMFs).

• Accelerates recovery from intense athleticactivity.

The “World’sMost Dangerous Invention”

Earthing at a Glance

David Wolfe, an author, speaker, and outspo-ken authority on health and lifestyle, deems“the common shoe” as perhaps the “world’smost dangerous invention.” After fifteen yearsof nutritional and lifestyle research, he incrimi-nates the shoe as one of the “most destructiveculprits of inflammation and autoimmune dis-eases” in our lives because it separates us fromthe healing energy of the Earth. “Put a shoeon,” he says, “and it’s gone.”


5REPRINTED FROM GOING ORGANIC GUIDE

During the 1970’s Ober started whateventually became a successful, nation-wide cable television company. Hehelped conceptualize the use of modemsand personal computers, which soon ledto working with those who createdCNN, HBO, and other cable networks.He had achieved what many considerthe American Dream: his own business,a luxurious home in Denver, and alifestyle including anything that moneycould buy. However, in 1993 his worldfell apart.A Brush with DeathIn 1993 at the age of 49, Ober’s body

began to shut down after a serious toothabscess left him with a gravely damagedliver. Luckily, an experimental surgicalprocedure saved his life. But his brushwith death left him a new man—one whorealized he was a slave to his possessionsand a job that no longer fulfilled him.Transformed, he became a man in searchof a purpose. After giving away most ofhis possessions, he drove around thecountry in an RV for over four years, ultimately ending up in Sedona, Arizona,the birthplace of Earthing. The “Ah-Ha” MomentOne day in 1998, Ober was sitting

outside watching a group of tourists inSedona. As he describes it, a “light bulb”went off as he watched those aroundhim in various forms of footwear. Suddenly, it occurred to him that almosteveryone was wearing shoes with somesort of rubber or plastic soles. Based onhis knowledge of electricity and insula-tion, he realized that all those peoplewere actually insulated from direct con-tact with the earth. He thought back tohis cable industry experience and re-membered that all electrical appliancesand cable systems had to be grounded to the earth to stop interference fromoutside electromagnetic fields. The pathof his life changed with a single thought:“Could wearing insulated rubber orplastic-soled shoes adversely affect ourhealth?”From that moment on, Ober became

obsessed with finding the answer. Usinga simple voltmeter, he measured the

electromagnetic field (EMF) around hisbody near various appliances before andafter “grounding” himself, by connect-ing his body to a metal wire leading to agrounding rod outside, planted in theEarth. Before he knew it, he had fallenasleep while “grounded.” He awoke re-freshed and realized it was the first timein years he had slept through the nightwithout having to take his usual medica-tion for chronic back pain. Fascinated, he conducted similar experiments withfriends who had chronic pain and sleepproblems. The results were consistent:better sleep, less pain, and a heightenedsense of well-being. Thus began theEarthing Movement.Good News Travels FastWord spread rapidly about the amaz-

ing effects of simply being reconnectedto the Earth. As many people soughthelp from Ober, he sought ways to helpas many people as possible. Workingwith specialty companies, he developedcotton sheets with conductive silverstrands woven into them. He also devel-oped grounded mats, patches, andbands with which to connect people tothe Earth. He began grounding peoplewho had chronic pain, severe inflamma-tion, immune disorders, insomnia, andeven conditions as disabling as multiplesclerosis (MS). Within a short period oftime—sometimes as fast as overnight—many people reported significant symp-tom relief. Word spread rapidly aboutthe amazing effects of simply being reconnected to the Earth. Over time, the repeated positive

results convinced Ober that contact withthe Earth restores a natural electricalstate in the body. As he puts it, “yourbody slowly becomes infused with theEarth’s omnipresent and ever-presenthealing energy.” This is what Earthing isall about—a simple, safe, and naturalshift in the body that reduces pain, in-flammation, and stress. It has the poten-tial to help people with disablingconditions regain a better level of health.In short, people become connected withthe planet’s abundant yet overlookedhealing properties.

Everyone is susceptible to inflamma-tion—from high-performance athletesto non-performance couch potatoes.It’s an equal opportunity hit man. The word“inflammation” comes from the Latin inflamma-tion, meaning to set on fire. Inflammation is thecomplex biological response of the body toharmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damagedcells, or irritants. It is a protective attempt bythe system to remove injurious or threateningagents as well as star t the healing process forthe affected tissue. In the absence of inflam-mation, wounds and infections would neverheal and progressive destruction of the tissuewould compromise survival.

What is Inflammation?

Renowned Cardiologist, Stephen Sinatra,M.D., who has over 30 years practicing in medicine says, “I regard Earthing as the greatesthealth breakthrough in all my years in medicalpractice. Regular grounding (another name forEarthing) restores the body’s natural electricalstate, calms the nervous system, reduces inflam-mation, and improves circulation. No pill on Earthcan do what Mother Earth does!”



Overcoming SkepticsInitially, researchers wanted nothing

to do with such an idea. In fact, as hefirst tried to solicit doctors and scientiststo investigate his discovery, Ober waslaughed at and ridiculed. One doctortold him that even if the idea was valid,he wasn’t about to tell his patients totake off their shoes and get well “forfree.” But word continued to spread, andas it did, some members of the healthcommunity started to listen and conducttheir own experiments using Ober’stechniques. What they found may be, asthe book suggests, “the most importanthealth discovery ever.” One pilot study conducted by Dr.

Maurice Ghaly, a retired anesthesiolo-gist, measured the secretion of cortisol,the so-called “stress hormone,” in people before and after grounding. The study found that Earthing duringsleep “resynchronizes cortisol secretionin alignment with its natural, normalrhythm.” People in the study reportedbetter sleep and less pain, consistentwith Ober’s findings. In 2001, Ober’s work attracted the

attention of Dr. Steve Sinatra, an integra-tive cardiologist who believes in com-bining conventional and alternativetreatment for his cardiac patients. Because the heart is “one of the primaryelectrical entities in the body,” he feltthat if grounding reduced inflammation,it might represent a “new weaponagainst heart disease.” He asked Ober to find out if Earthing could decrease inflammation. With the help of otherprofessionals, such as biophysicist JamesOschman and William Amalu, D.C., thepresident of the International Academyof Clinical Thermography, Ober foundthe answers he was seeking: Yes, Earth-ing appeared to significantly reduce inflammation, the cause of many oftoday’s most serious medical problems. The Positive Effects of Negative IonsAs his book documents, Ober and his

associates found out that the Earth actsas a giant anti-inflammatory agent. The electric energy on the surface of theplanet takes the form of a free and limit-

less supply of sub-atomic particles calledelectrons. These electrons are negativelycharged. So when you have direct con-tact with the Earth, they are absorbedinto the body and negate any positivelycharged areas of inflammation. Thus,electron deficiency resulting from a lackof grounding is eliminated and healingunfolds because “the inflammation, sick-ness, and pain inyour body are buta manifestation—in large part orsmall—of an elec-tron deficiency.”Although in-

flammation is ac-tually caused viathe body’s attemptat healing itselfthrough the re-lease of whiteblood cells to aninjury site, sometimes the inflammatoryresponse continues even when the initialillness or injury has passed. Ober andhis co-authors believe that “normal in-flammation veers out of control becauseof lost contact with the Earth…. [This]generates an autoimmune responsemanifesting as chronic inflammation.The immune system [runs] amok, attacking its owner—you.” Reconnec-tion with the Earth, they contend, eliminates inflammation and a healingprocess unfolds. Nature’s Anti-inflammatory AgentThe conditions related to chronic in-

flammation can be extreme: MS, arthri-tis, fibromyalgia, intestinal disorders,headaches, kidney failure, chronic pain,diabetes, cancer, allergies, and cardio-vascular disease. One of the great con-cepts of Earthing is that it offers a simpleand natural way to impact inflammationand aid the body in combating the painand dysfunction it causes. The healingpotential is amazing yet simple. You canconnect to the Earth as easily as walkingbarefoot on the ground outside, swim-ming in the ocean, sleeping on one ofOber’s grounded sheets, or working onyour computer as your bare feet rest on

White Blood Cells to the rescue

The medical infrared images show inflammation in both knees before (left) and the reduction of inflammation that occurs after (right) sleeping withsubject’s bare feet on grounded Earthing pad.

The reproductions above represent darkfield microscope images of blood taken from three individuals in attendance at Dr. Sinatra’s house just before and after forty minutes of grounding.The before image is on the left, the after on theright. The pictures clearly show a dramatic thinningand decoupling of blood cells.

The Effects of Grounding onBlood Cells

Grounding Reduces Inflammation

In unstressed individuals, the normaltwenty-four-hour cortisol secretion profile fol-lows a predictable pattern—lowest around12:00 midnight and highest at 8:00 a.m. (GraphA). The pre-grounding chart (Graph B) showsthe wide variation of patterns among the studyparticipants. Graph C represents the alteredpattern of the participants after Earthing, show-ing a significant stabilization of cortisol levels.

Cortisol levels before andafter grounding


7REPRINTED FROM GOING ORGANIC GUIDE

one of his grounded floor mats. As far-out as Earthing may sound

initially, it actually makes sense if youjust think about it. The human body is aconductive device. The Earth has beenfound to contain an endless supply ofelectrons—think of a giant mass of nega-tive charged electrons. When the body isin disharmony or inflamed, which maymanifest as pain, illness, disease, or simply stress or depression, it is in apositively charged state. If you put yourbody (positively charged) against theground (negatively charged), the smallerof the two—you—will pull electronsfrom the larger object—the Earth. Thenthe “electrical potential” of the two willequalize or harmonize, which is whatEarthing accomplishes. As Ober and his co-writers put it,

“Electrons are the smallest possible negative charges of electricity. It is wellestablished that negative charges (elec-trons) are attracted to positive charges(free radicals). Connecting the body tothe Earth automatically enables the conductive tissues of the body’s livingmatrix to become charged with theEarth’s free electrons.” What is the re-sult? A reduction in symptoms related to inflammatory conditions, or moresimply put, healing! Reconnecting with the Power of the EarthWhen reading Earthing, one finds

astonishing before and after pictures ofwounds healing faster than normal aftergrounding therapy. There is confirma-tion via thermal imagery of decreasedinflammation after Earthing is applied,which is shown in before and after pictures of participants. In addition, pictures provided by Dr. Sinatra demon-strate that after grounding for only fortyminutes, red blood cells that had beenclumped together in a pattern indicativeof cardiovascular disease thinned outinto healthier patterns. This powerful effect is already docu-

mented in one pilot study, with anotherlarger study ongoing. If Earthing isfound to contribute to blood thinning,the implications for cardiovascular

patients are tremendous. The book and its website also contain

countless testimonials from peoplearound the globe whose use of Earthinghas allowed them to leave behind yearsof chronic pain and return to normal ac-tivities. As I read the personal accounts,I was literally moved to tears. I was as-tounded at the enormous impact thatsuch a simple act has had on so manylives. When I interviewed the man, I was

amazed by his experience, his persever-ance in the face of disbelief, and his hu-mility. While talking to Ober, it becomesclear he is on a mission to spread theword about the healing effects of Earth-ing. He is also quite outspoken about hisbeliefs on healthcare.The Message Behind the ManOber maintains that Americans, in

particular, were misled into a false senseof health security. We were promisedthat in the years ahead there would be apill for all our ills and medical insurancefor everyone. Clearly, that has not hap-pened. Meanwhile, we have become in-creasingly disconnected from nature byour modern lifestyle. Not only do we eatunhealthy and unnatural food, but ourenvironment has become equally un-healthy. The conductive leather-soled shoes of

our ancestors have been replaced withinsulated plastic. Our homes and officessurround us with electronic devices,wireless connections, microwaves, andcell towers, which assail us with multi-ple forms of interference that act likeelectricity running wildly through ourungrounded bodies. From the latter half of the 20th century

on, everything in our homes, schools,and offices has decreased our ability todirectly connect with the healing powerof the Earth while bombarding us withmultiple sources of contamination. Native Americans, such as those in Mr.Ober’s home state of Montana, knew thevalue of the Earth. They walked on itbarefoot or with moccasins; they slept onit; they honored it; they healed from theirinteraction with it.

Final ThoughtsOber pleads for us to become proac-

tive about our own health, to start think-ing of “health assurance” versus “healthinsurance,” and to begin reconnectingwith the Earth before it’s too late. He be-lieves in a healthy diet and being active,but he also believes that if we are notgrounded, we are failing to take advan-tage of a remarkable source of healingthat is available to all of us, all the time.And for those who don’t have the timeto go outside and walk barefoot on thegrass or swim in the ocean, he has a lineof reasonably priced products that allowus to ground from almost anywhere. His desire for the future is simply toshare the healing results that Earthinghas to offer and to motivate others to become as healthy as he is—somethinghe accomplished through the regularpractice of grounding. Thanks to Clinton Ober, I have now

been Earthing for two weeks. I sleep ona grounded pad; I type with my feet ona grounded mat; and I walk wearinggrounded shoes. After two days, I noticed my insomnia was better. Aftertwo weeks, my daily migraines are almost gone. On the one night I wasaway from home and forgot my Earth-ing sleep mat, I woke with a migraine.That was my “ah ha” moment. As aReiki Master, I am planning my ownstudy on the results of Reiki ongrounded versus ungrounded clients.As a Clinical Hypnotherapist whooften works with clients for chronicpain issues, I anticipate significantlybetter results as I start combiningEarthing with my sessions. a

Grace Xanthos, M.A., D.C.H.Grace Xanthos is a college pro-fessor and writer with M.A.Degrees in both English andEducation, and she is an alter-

native health practitioner. With a Doctoratein Clinical Hypnotherapy, National Certifica-tion in Massage Therapy & Body Work, and a long history as a Reiki Master, her back-ground in both academia and holistic healingprovide a unique perspective on the work ofClint Ober, the founder of “Earthing.”



Effects of Grounding SunflowersGary E. Schwartz, PhD.

Professor of psychology, medicine, neurology, psychiatry and surgery at the University of Arizona and director

of its Laboratory for Advances in Consciousness and HealthProof-of-Concept Experiment, September 15, 2011

Experimental Setup on Day 0.Two Sunf lower s on the lef t were connected to the bo ttom plug. Two Sunf lower s on the r ight wer e connec ted to the top p lug.

The experimenter was bl ind to which p lug was electr ica l ly grounded and which plug was not g rounded .

A Study on the Effects ofGrounding on Sunflowers

Do the studies conducted on sunflowershave some relevance to human health? It is interesting to note that Dr. Gary Schwartz, PhD,at the University of Arizona has conductedstudies on the effects of “Earthing” plants. Theresults of his scientific studies on the healthand longevity of sunflowers gives rise to thequestion of relevance on human health.

Dr. Schwartz placed four freshly picked sunflowers into individual vases. They were allpicked from the same area at the same time.The water in each vase was the same. Each ofthe four vases had a thin metal rod placed inthe vase. Each rod was connected to a wireplugged into a wall socket earth ground port.

For his test, one plug was grounded. Theother plug was not grounded. Two of the rodswere connected to the upper socket and twowere connected to the lower socket. It wasn’tknown which plug was grounded.

The results were astounding! After a week,the sunflowers without the grounding connec-tion drooped and died. The water in their vasesturned cloudy and dark. The two remaining sunflowers on the right maintained their vigorand lived for another 10 days. Their water remained as clear as when the vase was firstfilled. Their wall plug had been grounded.

Clint Ober creator of “Earthing” states thatsunflowers growing in the ground are continu-ously supplied with energy from the Earth. Thegrounding rod continues to provide that Earthconnection, allowing the grounded sunflowersto live out their life cycle.

Does our health and the health of all floraand fauna depend on our connection to theearth? Is Clint Ober on to something basic thatour modern society has forgotten?

You will find more information on“Earthing” at: www.earthing.com

DAY 0 DAY 3

DAY 6 DAY 7

DAY 7 — NOT GROUNDED DAY 7 — GROUNDED


Documents

Earthing Featured in The Going Organic Guide