When was the last time you took a walk in the grass barefoot? Yesterday? Last year? When you were a child? June 1st is National Go Barefoot Day, which is the perfect time to shed those shoes and get outside! 

Why is Grounding Important?

Connecting with nature is a vital part of life that is often overlooked in our current society. Technological advances and urbanization of housing have resulted in fewer opportunities to connect with nature. The practice of grounding, or earthing, helps connect us to the earth through the gentle flow of energy that flows across the surface of the Earth. When we make direct contact with the earth (i.e., not wearing shoes), our bodies become a part of the global direct current network. This helps us enter a more healing state. Many bodily functions rely on electrical impulses to function correctly (the cardiovascular and nervous systems are two primary examples). So, you can imagine how being disconnected from this global direct current could have negative impacts on our health. 

Many of us spend more hours at work than we do at home. This means that we spend a significant amount of time indoors sitting at desks, running from room to room, or working in a warehouse or factory surrounded by machines and computers. Even if you work outside, odds are you’re probably wearing shoes. Our busy work schedules often do not leave much time for basic self-care, and the last thing that we may think about is finding time to kick off our shoes and walk through the grass. 

Benefits of Grounding:

• Improvements in sleep
• Improvements in stress levels and stress management
• Improvements in pain levels
• Improvements in inflammation levels
• Improvements in mood
• Helps move the body from a ‘fight or flight’ state into a ‘rest and digest’ state

How Can I Practice Grounding?

• Walking barefoot, sitting, or lying directly on the ground are the best ways to become more grounded. Rubber (soles of shoes, yoga mats, etc) is a poor conductor of electricity. It’s actually an insulator that resists the flow of electric currents. This means that these items can interfere with electrical impulses, which is why we are not fully capable of grounding until our bare skin makes contact with the earth.
• Swimming is a great way to connect with the earth and become more grounded, as long as you are swimming in a natural body of water. These natural bodies of water (lakes, rivers, oceans, etc) contain essential minerals that help conduct electricity, therefore working to connect you to the gentle electric current that flows across the surface of the earth 

Grounding in the Office 

You may be thinking that grounding is something that you would like to incorporate into your daily routine, but you spend more time at work in your office than you do at home, and just don’t have the time to get outside and take your shoes off during the day. If this pertains to you – there are still a few ways that you can incorporate grounding into your routines to help support you during your work day!

• Grounding Mat—You can purchase a grounding or earthing mat online. These mats can be placed on the seat of your office chair or on the floor for you to place your (bare) feet on. These mats are typically plugged into a (grounded) outlet and can pass direct current (DC) energy onto you once you sit or step on them.
• Grounding Sheets—If you find that you have trouble sleeping and toss and turn throughout the night or have trouble shutting off your mind in the evenings, you could consider purchasing grounding sheets, a grounding mattress protector, or a grounding mattress pad for additional grounding support.
• Grounding Shoes—This is another option available and created specifically to allow you to remain grounded while wearing shoes. These shoes are designed to help transmit electrical impulses to stay grounded while also providing the necessary integrity of footwear.

Want more information on how to incorporate grounding? Or, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, exhausted, or have been dealing with chronic health concerns, it may be time to schedule an appointment with one of the naturopathic doctors at Richmond Natural Medicine. It’s time to regain your health and become more connected with the Earth to help facilitate your healing journey! 

Want to read more on the benefits of grounding? Check out our blog:  The Benefits of Earthing and Grounding

References

1. https://www.earthing.com/pages/what-is-grounding 
2. Oschman JL, Chevalier G, Brown R. The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. J Inflamm Res. 2015;8:83-96. Published 2015 Mar 24. doi:10.2147/JIR.S69656
3. Sinatra ST, Sinatra DS, Sinatra SW, Chevalier G. Grounding – The universal anti-inflammatory remedy. Biomed J. 2023;46(1):11-16. doi:10.1016/j.bj.2022.12.002
4. Koniver L. Practical applications of grounding to support health. Biomed J. 2023;46(1):41-47. doi:10.1016/j.bj.2022.12.001 

Starting in the early 20th century, International Women’s Day arose due to inequalities in daily life that forced women to speak up for better working conditions, equal pay, and the right to vote. Although we’ve made significant progress during this time, there are still significant gaps and inequalities present today. Because of this, women around the world continue to press onwards to ensure equal rights for future generations. 

Since women make up the majority of the naturopathic medicine field, we would like to take a moment to acknowledge a few women who were pioneers in the field and helped us get to where we are today. We would not be able to provide the care and support to our patients without these previous contributions. 

Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell

Dr. Blackwell was the first woman awarded a medical degree in the United States upon graduating from medical school in 1849. Upon graduation, she focused on the health and well-being of women and children and eventually helped co-found the New York Infirmary for Women and Children. This eventually led to the development of a medical college for women, which provided medical education for women and likely helped open the doors to allow more women into the field of medicine. 

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler

In 1864, Dr. Crumpler became the first formally-trained African American woman to receive a medical degree in the United States. Prior to her medical education, she was a nurse who worked to improve the lives of previously enslaved persons who otherwise would not have had access to medical care. In addition to her medical education, she also documented her work carefully in her book ‘A Book of Medical Discourses,’ which aimed to provide preventative guidance and support for mothers and children. 

Rosemary Gladstar

We would be remiss if we did not discuss Rosemary Gladstar’s contributions to the world of plant medicine. She helped create the longest-running herbal school in the US, allowing her to share her herbal knowledge nationally. Additionally, she has authored multiple books that have helped bring practical herbal understanding into many people’s daily lives. At the same time, she is actively helping promote the environmental sustainability of herbs. She helps promote ecologically sound harvesting and best-use practices to ensure future generations are able to enjoy them.

Ancestral Healers

It is also important to acknowledge our ancestral healers who, for many centuries, had been healing and caring for their communities long before the field of medicine was invented. Civilizations from across the globe have documented stories of women in their tribes, groups, and communities who have shared their knowledge and healing abilities, and there is no doubt that without their contributions, we would not have the breadth of knowledge regarding botanical medicines that we, as naturopathic doctors, utilize on a daily basis. 

At Richmond Natural Medicine, we #AccelerateAction by providing a space for women to tell their stories, celebrate their victories, and support them on their health and wellness journeys! 

If you have been looking for a caring provider who takes the time to sit with you, listen to your story, and craft a supportive plan that is individual to you, give us a call today at (804) 977-2634 to book your appointment with one of our providers. 

References:

1. The History of International Women’s Day 
2. Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler
3. Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell 

As naturopathic doctors, we rely on botanical medicine, also known as herbal or plant medicine, daily. Whether in the form of food, tinctures, salves, topicals, or encapsulations, plants play a vital role in the healing process. The knowledge we possess today regarding plant medicine would not be available to us without the prior knowledge handed down from generations before us. Today, we take a moment to highlight a few African-American pioneers and their contributions to plant medicine. 

Harriet Tubman

While we’re most familiar with Harriet Tubman for her work as an abolitionist, she was also a nurse and herbalist. Historical documents show that she helped the conductors of the underground railroad to identify which herbs and plants were safe to ingest, as well as which ones could help sustain them on their journey. She also served as a nurse and utilized botanical medicine to help treat her patients, and likely helped pass along vital information regarding the uses of different herbs and plants for different ailments. 

Emma Dupree

Emma Dupree was a community herbalist who spent her entire life serving the people of rural North Carolina. Always available and eager to help anyone who knocked on her door, she was the true embodiment of a community herbalist. She cultivated a prolific garden in her backyard with medicinal herbs and plants and understood their medicinal properties and uses well. She often utilized herbs like sassafras, sage, mint, and catnip, all of which are still commonly used in herbal medicine. 

George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver is widely known as a scientist and inventor who primarily focused on creating and enhancing farming practices. Such practices include crop rotation, which helps enhance soil quality and allows farmers to become more self-sufficient. While he is most well known for his work with peanuts, he also made great advancements with soybeans and sweet potatoes. His work highlights the importance of crop rotation for optimal soil health and likely paved the way for what we now know as ‘regenerative farming.’

Current Herbalists

There are many living herbalists who are working to preserve and share their knowledge of African-American herbalism. Here are a few herbalists to consider learning about:

1. Marc Williams 
2. Lucretia VanDyke 

References:

1. https://nursing.virginia.edu/news/flashback-harriet-tubman-nurse/#:~:text=Bradford%20in%20her%201886%20biography,smallpox%2C%20and%20other%20infectious%20diseases. 
2. https://theherbalacademy.com/blog/black-herbalist-spotlight-emma-dupree/?srsltid=AfmBOorDfzmtqflPUsG7KL70WfQmZKksG8YPMrKGEiHVD8Cwgx8uXsYW
3. https://sowtrueseed.com/blogs/gardening/emma-dupree-folk-herbalist-granny-woman?srsltid=AfmBOopm446-94_Y_AQP65JP7HwyhiS8OsVHC-kCYvdSNVaU6Oe3MKSy
4. https://americanherbalistsguild.com/george-washington-carver-american-scientist-indigenous-herbalist-essex-igyan#:~:text=George%20Washington%20Carver%2C%20while%20not,science%20and%20sustainable%20farming%20practices.
5. https://www.bbg.org/article/black_herbalists_harriet_tubman_emma_dupree 
6. https://theherbalacademy.com/blog/african-american-herbalism-history/?srsltid=AfmBOopmJnMq0dvO4HlHC4BASSkanBL29PuGvbEr6AZYeVghqpFkKPu4