Have You Gone Barefoot Today?

I like to walk barefoot in the morning, even walking out into the yard, on the wet grass.  It feels so refreshing and invigorating.  Just recently I learned that there are now therapies called, 'earthing' or grounding to benefit our health. 

It seems so natural to walk in your bare feet, but our modern-day lifestyle keeps most people indoors, with shoes or at least socks on their feet.

Since I did some research on the subject, I discovered that there is even scientific validation on walking barefoot.  Free electrons are transferred from the earth into your body, and this grounding effect is one of the most powerful antioxidants we know of.  Dr. Joseph Mercola reports that inflammation thrives when your blood is thick, and you have a lot of free radical stress, and a lot of positive charges in your body.  Grounding effectively alleviates inflammation because it thins your blood and infuses you with negatively charged ions through the soles of your feet.

 

Surfaces that allow for proper grounding include sand, grass, bare dirt, and untreated concrete, brick and ceramic tile.  Leather-soled shoes also allow you to ground while walking, whereas rubber-soled shoes disconnect you from the earth and block beneficial electron transfer.

Grounding helps thin your blood by improving its zeta potential, which means it improves the energy between your red blood cells.  Research has demonstrated it takes about 80 minutes for the free electrons from the earth to reach your blood stream and transform your blood.

Grounding is contraindicated if you take Coumadin, as it may thin your blood too much.

 

There are some other authorities reporting on the benefits of “grounding:” Some say, that the benefit can be felt in as little as 15 minutes a day.

There are several books on the market revealing the benefits of barefoot walking.

Here are a few benefits of going without shoes and connecting with the earth:

- Anti-aging

- Sound sleep

- Heightened clarity

- A calm nervous system

- Accelerated healing from injuries

- Cardiovascular health

- Enhanced immune system

- Reduced PMS symptoms

- Increased energy

- Reduction in inflammation

- Elimination of jet lag

- Protection against electromagnetic fields (EMFs)

 

There are even throngs and mats produced to help get grounded when we don’t have access to grass or a beach.

 

Naturally, the best way is also the least expensive way: just take off your shoes and socks and walk barefoot,  you will feel refreshed and energized.