I recently watched a documentary on Amazon Prime about Earthing - also commonly called grounding. It is about the old and emerging science on how electrical charges in our body are released when we ground ourselves by touching a tree, swimming in the ocean, or walking barefoot on the grass or beach.
Apparently, when we touch the earth, we transfer free electrons from the planet to our bodies which neutralizes free radicals. Studies have shown grounding has been linked to reduced inflammation, improved sleep, less pain, and many other health benefits in the body.
Inflammation is a normal response of the body to injury. However, in chronic inflammation, the response begins without injury. It can be caused by stress, obesity, environmental factors, and as in my case, an autoimmune disease. Over time, chroinic inflammation can cause DNA damage and lead to heart attacks and even cancer, so the idea that touching a tree can reduce inflammation is very appealing to me. I love trees. Trees make me happy. Besides, it is way easier on the tummy than antiinflammatories and steroids!
The whole earthing thing makes sense to me. I think it must be why I am always "healthy" when I travel in the winter, and why if I stay home, I struggle with disease flares. At home in the winter, I am not out touching trees or walking barefoot on the beach. So, as I have done the past three years, I am tree-hugging and moss crawling my way down the west coast in search of edible and medicinal mushrooms.
And what a banner mushroom year it is proving to be so far! I have found Lobster mushrooms, chanterelles, admiral boletes, fat jacks, sweetbread fungi, edible coral, shrimp russula, shaggy manes, parasol mushrooms, wine-coloured agaricus, and several edible jelly fungi.
I have only been at it one week and have found more edible varieties of fungi than I did all of last season! I am eating chanterelles for breakfast, Lobster mushroom bisque for lunch, and bolete wine sauce on chicken for supper. and all the while when I am out there crawling around in the moss, I am healing myself!
Today I am leaving the area near Mount Baker where I have been the past week and am headed to the coast for the next couple of weeks. I may pop back into Canada for a few days to visit a friend in Pitt Meadows, and I hope to revisit some of the areas where I foraged last year in the Blaine and Bellingham areas. Following that I will be in the Seattle area for a couple weeks, then on to Seaside Oregon, Portland, Springfield, and Sacramento. All the while, foraging my way through local parks, forests, and backyards.
I hope you will come along for the journey either by reading my blog or watching my one minute forest walks posted on facebook. And the next time you are feeling crappy, suffering from pain, or not sleeping well, might I recommend you head out and hug some trees?
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