I think a lot about health. It’s arguably my single biggest life value, because without it, we have nothing.
Health is the foundation of our existence, and when we are in better states of health, it makes the overall quality of our lives better in more ways than one.
I shared a post on my social media about how health is:
✨ Deeply personal
🌿 Holistic
🔄 Dynamic
🚶 A journey
🌟 A lifestyle
And how health requires:
🧠 Consciousness
🔍 Curiosity
🧘♀️ Self-awareness (body, mind & spirit)
💪 Responsibility
🎯 Dedication
📆 Consistency
I also asked for suggestions on what else people would add.
This is when a good friend reminded me of something powerful:
Health is also our natural state.
This aligns deeply with my belief that health is life, and life is health. There is no separation between the two.
The challenge is that we live in such an unnatural world nowadays that we become disassociated from our natural state, and therefore from what true health really means and actually is.
Just take a look around.
There is less greenery and natural landscape, and more concrete and man-made buildings. It’s becoming increasingly challenging to touch and feel connected to our natural world, as our ancestors once did.
Our food isn’t really food anymore.
It’s a bunch of artificial and synthetic chemicals bonded together with gums, binders, and God knows what else.
We’re sleeping less.
We’re more stressed.
We’re moving far less than what our bodies were designed for.
And that doesn’t even begin to touch on the fact that there are more chemicals and pollutants in our air than ever before, which we breathe in every second of every day.
We’re not only disconnected from the natural world…
We’re also disconnected from each other.
This paints a bit of a gloomy picture, to say the least…
However, I like to think of myself as an optimist.
I believe there’s always something we can do to offset the damage to our health and well-being.
And while we may not be removing all the pollutants overnight or completely eradicating microplastics (don’t get me started on microplastics; that’s a whole different topic), there are still steps we can take to return to what it means to be human and our natural state, which is health.
One of the main ways we can do this, as I may have alluded to, is by reconnecting with our natural environment, just as our ancestors did.
This is where practices like Earthing (also known as Grounding) come in.
It’s the simple act of touching the Earth’s natural surfaces, like grass, sand, or mud, with bare skin.
There’s science-backed evidence showing that even 20–30 minutes a day of Earthing can bring remarkable benefits to our health and well-being.
That said, in our increasingly concrete world, this can be challenging, especially for those living in cities where green space is rapidly disappearing.
Earthing mats are a good alternative, but getting outside and physically touching the Earth is always best.
At the time of writing this, I recently went away for a few days to the beach.
After my morning run, I walked barefoot through the sand and into the sea.
It reminded me how important and powerful this practice truly is.
I felt so good.
So connected. So calm. So clear.
Another great way to connect to our natural world is nature walks, or simply going outside more often.
Now, this is something I do daily.
I walk a lot. And while walking, I’ve made it a conscious practice to engage all of my senses in the natural world around me.
I notice how green the trees are.
I hear birds chirping and different bird songs.
I feel the breeze on my skin.
I see how blue the sky is.
This is mindfulness. It requires conscious effort at first, but over time, it becomes effortless.
It feels like coming home.
You begin to appreciate everything around you, and life itself, a little more.
There’s nothing more blue than the blue sky, but we so often fail to even look up…
We become too busy being busy.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m far from perfect at this mindfulness game.
And I’ve realised that I could combine Earthing with more of my walks.
Whenever I have done this, I’ve felt so much better.
My recent trip to the beach reinforced that truth.
Remember: More often than not, we have to be reminded more than we need to be taught.
So often we have to be reminded of the things that are good for us until they become a way of life, and this is definitely one of those habits for me.
Getting a pair of VIVO barefoot trainers has helped me feel more of the natural ground.
But… that’s still not Earthing.
There’s more progress to be made here on my part.
Here’s my point:
Health is not only…
✨ Deeply personal
🌿 Holistic
🔄 Dynamic
🚶 A journey
🌟 A lifestyle
And requires…
🧠 Consciousness
🔍 Curiosity
🧘♀️ Self-awareness (body, mind & spirit)
💪 Responsibility
🎯 Dedication
📆 Consistency
But also…
💚 Health is our natural state.
And in an increasingly unnatural world, what I’ve shared here are a couple of good ways to get back to our natural state by reconnecting with our natural environment, especially in an unnatural world.
Earthing and going barefoot a few times a week is optimal, including more nature walks, ideally, tech-free is a great step, and both are a powerful combination.
Because the more we connect with nature and our natural world, the healthier we are likely to be.
REMINDERS
1.
Health is our natural state.
When we strip away the noise of modern life, what remains is our innate connection to nature, stillness, and true health.
2.
Reconnection is the path to restoration.
Whether through Earthing or nature walks, returning to the natural world is one of the most human things we can do for our health.
3.
We need to be reminded more than we need to be taught
Wisdom often isn’t new information, it’s remembering what we already know and committing to practice it regularly so it becomes a way of life.