Summertime Grounding

Summertime and the living is easy, the old song says. The living is indeed easy in this part of the world after a harsh winter as we make the most of the warm months in the great outdoors.

            The good weather makes us all feel better, but there seems to be another reason for improved mood. According to environmental medicine which looks at the interactions between human health and the environment the surface of the earth offers energy linked to our health and wellness.

            I don’t know about you, but as a child being raised in the country, I still remember the pleasure of walking barefoot outside in the summer. Today, researchers call this and other outdoor activities in nature earthing. It essentially means coming into contact with the surface of the earth, something we don’t do often in our cities today.

            Summertime is a good time to reap the benefits of earthing which studies have found may protect against stress and depression and strengthens the immune system. It simply is a matter of being in contact with the earth by walking in a nature trail or in a forest, swimming in the clear cool waters of a lake, walking on a beach, camping, or simply relaxing with a good book under a lush tree. Or, for those with a green thumb, gardening, even if it is only in pots on a balcony.

            So much to do, so little time, so I’m taking a few weeks off from The Booming Life to enjoy as much as I can of this wonderful season and get grounded in nature. I will be back in August.

            Have a wonderful summer!