We walked to the beach with our friends and their poodle puppy this morning. I had a hard time keeping up for the 1/4 mile; my husband pulls me by the hand. It’s not intentional, it’s just that everyone has a hard time slowing down enough for me. But it’s okay, we’re all working it out. I have another group of friends that call it “Operation K-Care.” It’s a team effort to help me through this and they help me so tremendously.
Anyway, our friends left on their puppy walk and my husband and I sat on the beach. I cried for a moment, missing my ability to walk with them and missing the old me. My husband got me through that moment and we sat and watched the water roll in. Then he left me on the beach to meditate and do a few simple exercises while he went off to run errands. But during it all — tears, watching the water, meditating, and exercising — I was earthing: a contact of the human body to the earth to reduce inflammation.
Earthing: Contact of the human body to reduce inflammation
Journal of Inflammatory Research, Oschman, et al.
I’ve looked up every possible technique for fighting inflammation. I had a consultation with a cardiologist in Zurich a month or so ago and she recommended I keep doing what my doctor asked me to do and also continue to do my own research on alternative methods for anti-inflammatories. I’ve created a long list of things which I’ll share piecemeal, but today, it’s all about earthing.
In a 2015 article in the Journal of Inflammatory Research, Oschman et al, propose when the human body is connected to the earth via barefeet, for example, that free electrons from the Earth’s surface are enabled spread over and into the body where they can have an antioxidative effect. Oschman also hypothesizes “that electrons from the Earth can prevent or resolve so-called “silent” or “smoldering” inflammation.”
Hmmm… This sounds all so promising and so very easy to do.
In a 2013 article in the Journal of Alternative and Complement Medicine, Chevalier et al, found that earthing increased the “surface charge on RBCs and thereby reduces blood viscosity and clumping.” The study goes on to say that, “Grounding appears to be one of the simplest and yet most profound interventions for helping reduce cardiovascular risk and cardiovascular events.” Wow.
All of my friends and family fall into the same category of people I want and need in my life. And when they tell me, “I’m sure this will work!”, and then I don’t do it, they look at me as if I want to be in pain. I get that look, or couples share a knowing glance that says, “Well, we tried. If she wanted to get better, she would. I guess she just wants to be sick. She must be getting something out of this.” AAAAGGGHHHHH!
Yep, I’m getting a lot out of this long Covid shit. I get to look at my paddleboard and cry because I won’t be using it this summer. I get to walk into my favorite swimming hole and… not swim; just stand there like a stick in the mud–literally. There are so, so many things I’m getting out of this.
But here’s what I’m not getting out of long Covid. I need a medical team that will at least glance at the studies I send their way. My team told me, “It’s all so new. There’s just so much we don’t know.” Ok, I get that. But if I do research via reliable resources as new studies are published every week, please look at them. Please don’t spout data that is outdated even if it is only 6-month-old data. Old studies are not in the best interest of your patients. Certainly not in mine.
Here’s what I’m learning from long Covid. My friends and family love me. They don’t know that because I don’t get to see them very much right now due to feeling like crapola, I ache to see them even more. Ache for my boring, normal life. Their lives are going on, mine is at a standstill. They are doing the things we loved doing together. I am “healing.” I have also learned how easy it is to see the disappointment in their eyes and how hurtful it is. I wish I couldn’t see that.
Feather
A day at the cool, foggy beach. It’s a gorgeous morning with birds, dolphins and puppy dogs. This feather is so cool with its purple quill. Maybe it has a message for me — I’m not sure.
I just took a minute to look up the symbolic meaning of a black feather. Worldbirds.com says that it is a direct connection to the divine. Feathers in general are a “sign of encouragement from the spiritual world to keep on going, even when times get tough.” Thank you at Worldbirds.com, I’ll take that encouragement with a boatload of gratitude.