Inflammatory Barricades & Grounding

Written By Robert Iron Shell

The body’s inflammatory barricade is a frontline defense designed to surround and contain threats like pathogens or tissue injury. The process begins with recognition. Immune cells such as neutrophils and macrophages detect harmful invaders or damaged tissue, then rush to the site. Once in place, they unleash chemical mediators, reactive oxygen species (ROS), cytokines, prostaglandins, histamines, that increase blood flow and vascular permeability. The familiar signs of inflammation, heat, swelling, redness, follow.

In the best-case scenario, this barricade isolates the threat, neutralizes it, and then dissolves as healing begins. But often, the barricade itself becomes problematic. Its dense structure restricts access, blocking antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules from reaching inside. The result can be persistent, smoldering inflammation.. sometimes silent, but still destructive.

One of the most striking examples of this phenomenon was described by Hans Selye through his inflammatory pouch experiments. By inducing localized inflammatory sacs in animals, he showed how toxins trapped within could gradually leak into circulation, causing systemic damage. James Oschman later expanded on this idea, suggesting that these local barricades, if unresolved, may fuel chronic conditions ranging from cardiovascular disease to autoimmune disorders.

The respiratory burst, a powerful weapon of immune cells, lies at the core of barricade formation. Neutrophils and macrophages generate a surge of ROS to destroy invaders. While effective, this oxidative burst can also damage surrounding tissue. Antioxidant defenses exist to contain the collateral damage, but in many cases they are insufficient. This mismatch explains why barricades are difficult to dismantle and why conventional antioxidant supplements often fail to penetrate and resolve them.

Here, grounding introduces an important perspective. Unlike chemical antioxidants, which must travel through digestive and circulatory obstacles before reaching their targets, electrons from the Earth can flow freely through the body’s conductive matrix. This provides immediate, mobile antioxidant capacity, saturating tissues and preparing the body to handle inflammatory challenges. Oschman refers to this as “inflammatory preparedness” - a state in which electron-rich tissues can prevent barricades from forming, or dissolve them before they persist.

At its core, the inflammatory barricade is built from the body’s own connective tissue - proteins, carbohydrates, and their hydration layers. In other words, it is matrix material, restructured in defense. This dual role, protection on one hand, entrapment on the other, makes the barricade both shield and snare. Recognizing its nature and supporting the body’s electrical reserves through grounding may hold one of the keys to preventing acute defense from becoming chronic dysfunction.

As always, if you’re interested in learning more about grounding, check out the Earth & Water books.



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Robert Iron Shell
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Grounding and the Human Matrix