Fun Fact Friday

The perfect health trilogy

Earthing combined with sunlight and proper breathing.
In a compromised state where we're stressed, hypothyroid, nutrient deficient, etc., we have elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS). When ROS stays elevated chronically, inflammation takes place followed by degeneration and disease.

ROS is highly water-loving (hydrophilic) and increases the water viscosity in a cell. This increased viscosity inhibits the proper function of the ATPase complex, which creates ATP in the electron transport chain. More ROS = more viscosity = reduced ATP and more ROS.
Since we as humans consist of more than 70% water, this is a big deal.

Grounding
When you ground yourself, free electrons flow into the body from the earth and neutralizes ROS, as ROS are molecules with an "electron deficiency" so to speak. Antioxidants donate an electron to a free radical, thus neutralizing it. Same thing with grounding.
This reduction in ROS through grounding will then make water less viscous and allow for better ATP production in a cell, thus preventing degeneration.

Sunlight
Sunlight is a great source of red and infrared light (R & IRL), both of which reduce the viscosity of the water in the cell, thus reducing ROS and increasing ATP production. R & IRL are also great for increasing the production of intracellular melatonin, which will further help to protect against the ROS excess.

Breathing
Finally, breathing. Hyperventilating is a sure way of getting rid of protective carbon dioxide (CO2) in the body. CO2 has many benefits some of which include being the rate-limited factor for tissue oxygenation, keeping serotonin low and protecting proteins and lipids against oxidation, and reducing ROS. When we're stressed, or when serotonin is chronically elevated, breathing is stimulated and too much CO2 is exhaled. This leads to an increase in free serotonin (which promotes vascular permeability, vasoconstriction (think high blood pressure and asthma) and inflammation), and tissue hypoxia. When there isn't enough oxygen getting to cells for prolonged periods of time (aka hypoxia), then that creates the perfect environment for the formation of tumors.

Proper breathing, such as 4-1-8-1 (4 sec in, 1 sec hold, 8 sec exhale, 1 sec hold), is great for retaining CO2 and activating the parasympathetic nervous system (thanks Alex for introducing me to this breathing technique).

Combining it all
Each of these modalities are potent on their own, but even more so when combined. I recommend having 1-2 cups of fruit juice and then going outside, sitting on the grass in the sunlight if possible, and then doing 4-1-8-1 breathing for 10-20 min. This is a phenomenal way of reducing stress, lowering serotonin, ROS and inflammation and clearing your mind. You'll notice that you'll be able to think of new possibilities and outcomes after doing such a session.

You can also walk barefoot in the sun out in nature while focusing on your breathing. Alternatively, if you're pressed for time or don't have access to nature, then a grounding mat/sheet combined with R & IRL and breathing should do the trick.

Feel free to share this knowledge with others anywhere you find necessary (with credit given where due :)
I'll make a youtube vid and possibly an article on this as well next week.