Back to Basics: Why Barefoot Is Better

Walking and running has always had huge health benefits including, but not limited to: cardiovascular health, immune benefits, stress relief, and blood circulation and oxygenation. The list goes on and on!

But have you ever considered the benefits of going barefoot, or what many like to call, earthing? This grounding experience in one sense makes you connect with the earth on a level we can hardly fathom. On the other hand, people have been doing it for millions of year – and there’s a reason why!

Health Benefits

We are electrical beings — our bodies regularly produces positive charges, which can oxidize and harm us if it is excessive. The Earth’s surface is electrically conductive, maintaining a negative charge with its free electron supply continually replenished by the global atmospheric electrical circuit.

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine also found that walking barefoot increases the charge of red blood cells, which reduced blood clots.

Going barefoot also improves your gait, posture, balance and reflexology.

Getting started going barefoot:

Yes, yes. We know. “Don’t we need cushion to protect us from injuries?” You could step on something sharp, hot, cold, etc. But people have been doing this for millions of years! Over time, your feet will become calloused and become immune to some of these elements. Of course, we aren’t saying go get hypothermia in the snow.

They key? Patience. Take your time! Ease into it. Try going barefoot around the house and allow your feet to get used to the ground beneath you. Steadily move onto asphalt or gravel. In time, you’ll be running barefoot!

In essence what we’re saying is –  if you are not an advocate of the barefoot movement, and you just so happen to lose all your shoes in a disaster, it won’t be the end of the world.

By Natalie Rhea, Survival Life