THE JOURNAL OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE

Volume 17, Number 4, 2011, pp. 283–285 Editorial

ª Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
DOI: 10.1089/acm.2011.0101

Chronic Disease:
Are We Missing Something?

James L. Oschman, PhD

C hronic disease is the no. 1 cause of death and disability

in the United States. Treating patients with chronic dis-
eases accounts for 75% of the nation’s health care spending,
There was also a statistically significant reduction in renal
excretion of both calcium and phosphorus during a single
7- or 8-hour night of sleeping grounded or Earthed. The
which surpassed $2.3 trillion in 2008. The most common observed reductions in blood and urinary calcium and
and costly chronic diseases are heart disease, cancer, stroke, phosphorus directly relate to osteoporosis. Specifically,
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteoporosis, and Earthing for a single night reduced the primary indicators of
diabetes.1 Other significant conditions include Alzheimer osteoporosis.
disease, asthma, bowel disorders, cirrhosis of the liver, cystic Diseases affecting bone and mineral metabolism encom-
fibrosis, lupus, meningitis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and pass a wide range of skeletal and soft-tissue disorders. Re-
arthritis. Many patients suffer from several of these problems cent research is documenting regulatory interactions
simultaneously. Diabetes alone accounts for 10% of all health between the skeleton, fat tissue, and energy metabolism.
care dollars spent, with age-related osteoporosis affecting Leptin is a hormone produced by adipose tissue that regu-
about 28 million Americans.2 lates bone metabolism; bone cells secrete another hormone,
A report in this issue of the Journal by two physicians, osteocalcin, which appears to influence energy metabolism,
Pawel and Karol Sokal (301–308), relates to all of the chronic including both insulin secretion and adipose cell metabo-
issues mentioned above. These authors point out that our lism.3 Diabetes lowers bone density by an unknown mech-
preoccupation with treating symptoms may have distracted anism. Hyperthyroidism speeds the cyclic bone remodeling
us from noticing that there is a common denominator to process, resulting in a steady decline in bone density. Di-
many diseases: Our contemporary civilization may be de- gestive disorders interfere with intestinal absorption of cal-
priving us of something our bodies require if we are to be cium and phosphate. Asthma, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and
healthy. Perhaps this missing ‘‘something’’ is directly asso- rheumatoid arthritis can be comorbid with osteoporosis be-
ciated with all of the costly and uncomfortable chronic dis- cause those conditions are often treated with steroids, which
eases mentioned above. interfere with bone deposition. Multiple sclerosis, lupus,
The Sokals looked for universal regulating factors in na- and rheumatoid arthritis also slow bone deposition because
ture that are related to the chronic diseases they see every those afflicted with those disorders are less mobile and get
day in their clinics. They concluded that interaction of the less exercise.4,5 The point is that the chronic issues identified
human body with the electrical charge of the earth is such a through studies of blood chemistry interact with one an-
factor, and they present evidence that a connection to the other. Of increasing significance is a set of conditions termed
earth (sometimes referred to as Earthing or grounding) is metabolic syndrome, the name given to a group of risk fac-
essential for normal physiology. Our shoes, with their insu- tors that can occur together and increase the risk for coronary
lating soles made of plastic or rubber, and our contemporary artery disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
homes and buildings have disconnected us from a vital The Sokals also found that Earthing the human body
‘‘nutrient’’ in the form of electrons from the earth. The Sokals during rest and physical activity has a direct, beneficial effect
measured parameters that are used routinely to diagnose on the regulation of blood glucose. Recall from above that
many of the diseases listed above. Specifically, diabetes, os- diabetes currently accounts for 10% of all health care ex-
teoporosis, hyperthyroidism, and related metabolic, endo- penditures in the United States.
crine, and regulatory disorders produce characteristic The Sokals also discovered that thyroid function is influ-
changes in blood chemistry. The Sokals studied the effects enced by Earthing, as documented by a significant decrease
of connecting the human body to the earth on various of free tri-iodothyronine and an increase of free thyroxin and
aspects of blood chemistry and urinary excretion, using well- thyroid stimulating hormone. Through a series of feedback
controlled double-blind study designs. regulations, thyroid hormones affect almost every physio-
Earthing or grounding during sleep resulted in statisti- logic process in the body, including growth and develop-
cally significant changes in the concentrations of minerals ment, metabolism, body temperature, and heart rate.
and electrolytes in the blood serum: iron, ionized calcium, Finally, the Sokals studied the classic immune response that
inorganic phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. takes place following vaccination. Earthing accelerated the

Nature’s Own Research Association, Dover, NH.

283
284 EDITORIAL

immune response, as demonstrated by increases in gamma metabolism and bone formation. Other subtle and not so
globulin concentration. This confirmed an association between subtle environmental influences have been the topic of much
Earthing and the immune response, as was suggested in a research. For example, surgical patients assigned to hospital
pilot study published in this journal by Brown et al.6 rooms with windows looking out on a natural scene had
A new and popular book7 describes the significance of quicker recoveries than patients in similar rooms without a
contact with the surface of the earth and documents benefi- view of nature.27 A new field of evidence-based health care
cial effects on many chronic diseases. More examples are design has emerged.28 Another group showed that views of
described in dozens of reviews of the book.8 Reviewers re- nature help children concentrate and have better behavior in
port dramatic effects on their health after simply taking off school, and that areas in public housing that have trees and
their shoes and socks and walking barefoot on the grass. grass had lower levels of violent crime.29 ‘‘We need the tonic
Others have used various conductive systems that bring the of wildness,’’ wrote Henry David Thoreau, the dean of
benefits of barefoot into their homes or workplaces, and re- American nature writers.30
port dramatic health and life-changing experiences.
Testimonials have little meaning in the world of science. Conclusions
Of major concern are the placebo effects such as conditioning
Many chronic diseases are lifelong conditions, and impact
and expectation. Research has shown that expectancy effects
the quality of life not only of those suffering from the dis-
alone can generate health and performance benefits.9 For the
eases, but also of their family members, caregivers, and
scientist it is necessary to look deeper, to see whether the
others. Stemming the growth in the enormous costs related
approach affects physiologic processes. Of course, eliciting a
to chronic disease has become a major policy priority, as the
change in some measurable parameter is not the whole story.
government, employers, and consumers increasingly strug-
In Studies Show, Fennick10 discusses a perennial problem: We
gle to keep up.
are continuously bombarded with the results of studies de-
One can count on the fingers of one hand the genuine
signed to show that this or that treatment is good or bad for
discoveries in the history of medicine that have totally and
us. How can the average person or the physician or even the
unequivocally changed our understanding of health and
experienced researcher evaluate this continual barrage of
disease and thereby improved the quality of life for literally
‘‘science’’ that is supposed to improve our health? We should
millions of people. The discovery of bacteria and viruses as
not drink coffee—we should drink coffee; we should not eat
the causes of disease, the development of vaccination and
chocolate—we should eat chocolate; vitamin E will save your
antibiotics, the discovery that we can see inside the body
life, but do not take too much of it! These back and forth
with X-rays and other forms of energy, trauma medicine and
recommendations can make us cuckoo, nervous, worried,
organ transplantation come to mind. Discovery of the un-
and depressed, conditions that can, of course, be treated with
derlying causes of the chronic diseases would be another
antidepressant drugs, whose benefits are also validated by
milestone, and may now be within reach.
some studies but not by others.
A hypothesis is a proposition that attempts to explain a set
Are life and health really this complicated?
of facts in a unified way to form the basis for experiments
The testimonials on Earthing are supported by a series of
that can establish its plausibility or refute it. Simplicity, ele-
physiologic studies in the United States and Canada showing
gance, and consistency with previously established hypoth-
measurable changes in a variety of stress-related parameters
eses or laws are major factors in determining the value of a
when people are conductively connected to the earth.6,11–23
hypothesis. With respect to chronic diseases, a plausible,
What this means is that the electrical rhythms and electrons
testable, and refutable hypothesis is that all chronic diseases
conducted over the surface of the earth can have beneficial
have a single underlying cause: the stresses that produce and
effects on human physiology and health when the body is in
maintain chronic inflammation. Such stresses include envi-
contact with the earth. Most of this research has been done
ronmental factors of various kinds including those that dis-
by scientists and experts on human performance who have
turb physiology and those whose absence is disruptive. In
been inspired by seeing the benefits of Earthing.
this editorial, both sunlight and contact with the earth have
The editors of this Journal are careful to make certain that
been mentioned as essential environmental requirements for
readers are told of potential conflicts of interest or possible
health. A corollary to the hypothesis is that the thousands of
vested interests in relation to the products and processes
so-called diseases that have been named may actually be an
described in the articles. Until now, all of the research just
elaborate classification system of the various symptoms that
mentioned, and this author’s writings on Earthing, have been
can arise from a single underlying condition: inflammation.
sponsored by the company that manufactures products that
A major contributor to the inflammation hypothesis is the
can be used to connect the body with the earth when it is
abundant biomedical research on the links between chronic
impractical to walk barefoot on the ground. There has been a
inflammation and virtually every chronic disease. A search
need for an independent verification, and the Sokal and
of the database of the National Library of Medicine, PubMed,
Sokal report both confirms and extends the studies done in
reveals the following numbers of peer-reviewed studies
North America.
documenting relationships between inflammation and spe-
The idea that nature has influences that are vital for the
cific conditions:
proper functioning of mind and body has been thought
about for thousands of years, and in the last century has been  Aging: 3924
repeatedly confirmed by science. Studies of Huldschinsky25  Alzheimer disease: 2145
and Mellanby26 and subsequent work showed that sunlight  Asthma: 12,930
is essential for the chemical reactions in the skin that lead to  Atherosclerosis: 8921
the synthesis of vitamin D, which, in turn, is vital to calcium  Bowel disorders: 9755
EDITORIAL 285

 Cancer: 34,871 tage via the application of earth ground. Eur Biol Bioelec-
 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: 2626 tromagnetics 2005;1:23–40.
 Cirrhosis of the liver: 4708 12. Chevalier G, Mori K, Oschman JL. The effect of earthing
 Cystic fibrosis: 1991 (grounding) on human physiology. Eur Biol Bioelectromagn
 Diabetes: 10,788 2007;1:600–621.
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 Multiple sclerosis: 3100 siology: Part 2. Electrodermal measurements. Subtle En-
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 Prostate cancer: 1015 14. Chevalier G. Changes in pulse rate, respiratory rate, blood
 Psoriasis: 1955 oxygenation, perfusion index, skin conductance and their
 Rheumatoid arthritis: 940231 variability induced during and after grounding human
subjects for forty minutes. J Altern Complement Med
Evidence from the Sokal study, along with related studies 2010;16:81–87.
reported in this and other journals, show that Earthing may 15. Ghaly M, Teplitz D. The biological effects of grounding the
be a major piece of the inflammation/chronic disease puzzle. human body during sleep, as measured by cortisol levels
The Sokals studied the effects of Earthing on the reaction to and subjective reporting of sleep, pain, and stress. J Altern
vaccination. This is the first study of its kind, and provides a Complement Med 2004;10:767–776.
foundation or a model system for future investigation of the 16. Minkoff DI. Best cases in biological medicine: Series #6.
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