Have you ever felt tired after a long car, train or bus ride? Perhaps you have experienced fatigue after a trip on a plane and assumed it was jet lag. Have you ever slept a full 8 hours and still woke to find yourself tired and groggy? Maybe you’re like me and find that you need more sleep in the winter time. For years I assumed this was solely due to attaining less sunlight during the day which meant I had lower vitamin D3 levels and therefore required more sleep to recharge. The problem was that over time I realized I still felt I had less energy. I even began to regularly take a D3 supplement which while beneficial, still did not seem to completely rectify the issue for me. Once spring came along I would slowly begin to feel more energized. Some people are familiar with something called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD; the symptoms of which are fatigue, feeling withdrawn, trouble sleeping, inability to focus, Irritability, and even body aches to name a few.
There is something that connects all of these things together. Something eastern medicine has known about for years. It has to do with electricity in the body. This is something often overlooked by western medicine. While some recognize the importance of electrolytes in beverages to help hydrate and restore energy in the body, most do not understand what they are and how they help us. Electrolyte minerals that can be obtained in the diet include magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sodium. These minerals are all alkalizing, meaning they make the body more alkaline. This is a term you may have heard when someone is talking about a battery. This is because by becoming more alkaline one literally becomes more conductive and thus more electric. This is very important because there are many processes which cannot take place in the body without proper conductivity, such as cell regeneration and many other restorative functions of the body. Without proper conductivity one could experience low energy, immune dysfunction, slow wound healing, brain fog, and well… all the symptoms associated with SAD. Now while those who are aware of this (such as myself) can and do make an effort to eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of clean water, and supplement when needed, there is something profound that most are still missing. Are you ready for this?.. clean air!!
How important is the air we breathe and how does it factor in? Well first of all, the body can go almost a month without food, and up to a week without water, but if you go without air for more than a few minutes you’re a goner, so I’d say it’s pretty important. Scientists have discovered that while oxygen and nitrogen are both important components of the air we breathe (along with lesser components such as argon, carbon dioxide, and methane) it is the negative ions within the air that have the greatest impact on our health. These negative ions carry a small electrical charge which when breathed in aid our body’s in numerous functions. The action of deep breathing alone is beneficial for lymphatic drainage and activation of the pneumogastric nerve which triggers glands in the body useful for balancing hormones. Proper deep breathing can be achieved by focusing on feeling your lungs expand downward towards your belly while drawing air in through the nose. This pushes on the diaphragm and is helpful for proper digestion and massaging the intestines thereby assisting in moving waste forward and out of the body (also known as peristalsis). But how do we get more negative ions, and what about positive ions? Positive ions are unfortunately all around us; they are in all of the things that pollute our air such as chemical sprays, dust, smog, and exhaust. These positive ions essentially render the negative ions useless. Furnaces and air-conditioners also damage the charge of the negative ions. In nature the sun’s rays, the moving of the oceans waves, and quickly moving air are the tools used by the earth to charge up more negative ions.
This brings me back to my questions posed to you about feeling tired after being trapped in a room, vehicle, or plane without any of the things necessary to produce negative ions for an extended period of time. I mean, just think about the places you’ve been where you feel the most charged up; the mountains, the beach, and wide open spaces in nature. Now think about how low energy you feel when you stay inside breathing recirculated air all day. Is it any wonder people experience SAD more in places where they are forced in doors due to freezing temperatures? Automobile manufacturers are now making available negative ionizers as research has shown that it cuts down of fatigue while driving. Even the space program uses these devices to help keep astronauts alert. Having one of these ionizers around has been paramount in helping me to feel more energized. I run it while I sleep, meditate, and workout. It is especially helpful during the winter months when I cannot be outside as much. I feel the biggest difference after I sleep with it in the room. Its like I’m actually recharging! I used to use a salt lamp as these are thought to improve the negative ions, but studies have shown the amount of negative ions produced by these lamps is so low it’s almost impossible to measure; it makes a good night-light for my son though. However, here are some ionizers that do work (including the one I have). https://amzn.to/2JC5nlA https://amzn.to/2SJCmIz https://amzn.to/2SOu9TI https://amzn.to/2JCJMcE https://amzn.to/2qrqOgd
I hope this has been helpful to you. Thanks for reading!
