The real importance of walking barefoot (scientific explanation)

[JakeSully127]

It is a well established scientific fact (though not widely known), that the earth's surface is charged with mobile free electrons. The earth's surface charge is commonly referred to as "ground" or "the earth's electrical potential." When grounded or "earthed," any conductive object including the human or animal body becomes charged - at the speed of light - with the earth's free electrons.


From the beginning, all life on earth has been nurtured within the electromagnetic womb of the earth. Humans have lived and slept in direct and virtually constant contact with earth. Until recently, the human body has been continually charged with the earth's free electrons. Today, most people live for extended periods of time completely disconnected from the earth. We work and often live in high-rise buildings. The use of plastics, synthetic fabrics, and synthetic-soled shoes insulates us to an even greater degree so that the human body is no longer in its natural state - connected to the earth. As a result, the human body is no longer able to receive the constant supply of free electrons our bodies evolved around.


During the same period of time that we have elevated our dwellings and work places, and incorporated synthetic materials into our modern lifestyle, we have seen an increase in chronic health problems and sleep disorders that were rare or unheard of 50 to 60 years ago. Research has revealed that most of our modern diseases are linked with inflammation and free radical damage.


Free radicals are volatile molecules. Because they are missing an electron from their outer electron shell, they are electrically unstable. To become stable, free radicals grab electrons from other molecules; although this stabilizes (neutralizes) the original free radical it creates a new free radical and begins a chain reaction known as free radical damage - the destruction of cellular tissue. This process, also called oxidation, comes in very handy when bacteria invade the body. In fact, it is the immune system's primary response to infection. Free radicals help destroy bacteria by literally ripping apart their cellular structures. The same process breaks down damaged tissues for removal from the body.

But what happens when infection/injury is gone and free radicals persist? This is a common problem. Free radicals that are left behind after an infection or injury cause damage to healthy tissues. However, a larger problem ensues when the immune system (perceiving a secondary threat), releases even more free radicals.


The earth is a vast reservoir of naturally produced electrons. This is important because electrons stabilize (neutralize) free radicals and stop free radical damage. The earth is therefore the best antioxidant available - and it's free. Connecting with the electrons on the surface of the earth can stop the destructive cycle that causes free radical damage. No wonder re-connecting with the earth is so important for our well-being.

[Grif]

That sounds great and all, but I need proof. Please link me to any research studies regarding this.

[Colonel Quaritch]

All I could find were dubious (imo) natural healthcare and homeopathy sites regarding this; if you can find any research studies done by respectful universities or similar then I'll be more inclined to believe it.

[AuroraGlacialis]

Well - I agree, it sounds too much like a system of faith trying to sound scientific than actual science. While I agree on the psychological benefits of touching ground and earth, seeing live trees and green plants, breathing fresh air and feeling clean water with your bare feet and hands - I disprove of attempts to make this emotional response a matter of pseudoscience. Isn't it enough that there are proven emotional benefits?
Greetings

[JakeSully127]

Please, do not consider this as a promotion of some product, but the points they are outlining is quite valid, and they ARE backed up with some scientific research (if it works for their product, then it works for walking barefoot also).

http://www.sleepingearthed.com/WorldScientistsontheGlobalElectricalCircuit.pdf
(references can be found at the end of the article)

[Txim_Asawl]

Well, at least one proven fact about bare feet and electrons is that by walking barefoot you're literally grounded... Build-up of static electricity is reduced considerably. I remember when I was at college, how the fluffy plastic-fibre carpet in our library used to help in charging me up, when I was wearing shoes with rubber soles (on the rare occasion when it was too cold for barefooting). As soon as I reached for one of the tin shelves (!) to grab a book - *ZAP!*

That didn't happen when I was barefoot in the library... and I was able to enjoy the plushy feeling of that fluffy carpet beneath my bare soles. So, if you're working with electronics and wish to prevent static discharge, be barefoot.

Other than that, I walk barefoot for wellness, fun, health and spiritual reasons... and that's quite enough for me.

Wiggling happy bare toes,

~*Txim Asawl*~

[AuroraGlacialis]

Ok - i will not try to challenge your beliefs in this hypthesis, JakeSully, but these products sound like ripoff. I'd rather like to spend half the money and get myself a totally unearthed traditional mexican sleeping hammock. Oh - I did that already ;) . But plugging a blanket into a power plug - I do not like that. By the way whenever I get that ZAP, Txim mentioned, it is because there is some artificial material involved like rubber soles on shoes. Use natural materials like leather or cotton and it will not happen often. Buldings made of concrete usually are actually made of steel and concrete, so they actually have a higher conductivity than natural rock. And finally even if conductivity is rather low, given some time the electrons will level out. So if Txim would wait 5 minutes standing in front of that tin shelf, he'd not get zapped.

So I still agree that touching the earth and plants and soil and forest floor with bare feet and hands is very much beneficial in an emotional (and maybe spiritual) sense and that walking barefoot is probably healthier for you (unless you step into some broken glass)!

That article is rather lengthy, I tried to sift through some part of it and it seems that the parts that are backed up by scientific paper are obviously quite right, but the conclusions and new hypothesis the authors draw from these statements are not backed up by anything other than the opinion of the authors. This is a nice way to put many well sounding references in an aticle while still promoting something that is not a logical conclusion from these references.

"Ok, done playing Grace for now" ;)

Greetings, Aurora

[JakeSully127]

Ok - i will not try to challenge your beliefs in this hypthesis, JakeSully, but these products sound like ripoff. I'd rather like to spend half the money and get myself a totally unearthed traditional mexican sleeping hammock. Oh - I did that already ;) . But plugging a blanket into a power plug - I do not like that. By the way whenever I get that ZAP, Txim mentioned, it is because there is some artificial material involved like rubber soles on shoes. Use natural materials like leather or cotton and it will not happen often. Buldings made of concrete usually are actually made of steel and concrete, so they actually have a higher conductivity than natural rock. And finally even if conductivity is rather low, given some time the electrons will level out. So if Txim would wait 5 minutes standing in front of that tin shelf, he'd not get zapped.

So I still agree that touching the earth and plants and soil and forest floor with bare feet and hands is very much beneficial in an emotional (and maybe spiritual) sense and that walking barefoot is probably healthier for you (unless you step into some broken glass)!

That article is rather lengthy, I tried to sift through some part of it and it seems that the parts that are backed up by scientific paper are obviously quite right, but the conclusions and new hypothesis the authors draw from these statements are not backed up by anything other than the opinion of the authors. This is a nice way to put many well sounding references in an aticle while still promoting something that is not a logical conclusion from these references.Well, I knew someone will say something like that, so I'll repeat again: I'm not an advertiser.
I didn't started this thread to promote some mattresses.
I started this thread to show (and to prove it's effect on health) "the grounding" effect of walking barefoot, and that article was the best I could find in the internet.

[AuroraGlacialis]

Ok - point taken :) - Yes, barefoot has a grounding effect in the way Txim said. If that is the reason why it is healthy (by "providing electrons to fight radicals") I do not know. Still - I really like to kick off shoes and put my toes into the moss of a forest. Sadly, I am not trained with barefoot walking and I really do not like to do it in urban areas - there is just too much civilization dirt there. So everytime I go to medieval festivals or participare in reenactment, I am going barefoot, but everytime it really hurts from not beeing used to it :) - guess Txim has no such problems :lol:

Greetings
Aurora

[Txim_Asawl]

Still - I really like to kick off shoes and put my toes into the moss of a forest.

One of the big delights about barefoot walking, to be sure!



Sadly, I am not trained with barefoot walking and I really do not like to do it in urban areas - there is just too much civilization dirt there. So everytime I go to medieval festivals or participare in reenactment, I am going barefoot, but everytime it really hurts from not beeing used to it :) - guess Txim has no such problems :lol:

Greetings
Aurora

Well, since I wash my bare feet at least once on a daily basis, the urban dirt is not much of a problem to me... and I bet people wash the soles of their shoes way less often than that... plus: they don't always watch where they walk and what they might step into...
:nwink:

If you practise barefooting a little more, the pain will soon be a thing of the past. And, you're right, I don't have a problem of foot pain when walking barefoot - but rather the opposite, I get it from wearing shoes for a longer period of time. That's one of the pet peeves of a cold winter.

:nlol:

Wiggling bare toes, very happy that it is mild enough to wear flip-flops in the office (easy to slip on and off and not too confining),

~*Txim Asawl*~

[AuroraGlacialis]

Well, since I wash my bare feet at least once on a daily basis, the urban dirt is not much of a problem to me...
Hmm - I still would not like to know that my feet have motor oil, rubber, soot, spit and paint on them, even if it is only in particles. I take off my shoes when I enter my house also.

Wiggling bare toes, very happy that it is mild enough to wear flip-flops in the office
Oh - "chinese safetly shoes (http://izismile.com/img/img2/20090604/asian_workers_12.jpg)" :rotfl: , I can't do that in my work. Too dangerous, so I have to stick to shoes that are closed in the front.
5703http://www.avatar-forums.com/images/imported/2010/04/330.jpg

Greetings
Aurora

[Theorist]

Here's the run down. We argue about this all the time in Cross-country.

1. Going barefoot was most important when you were a kid and certain muscles in your feet were developing.

2. You can still strengthen these muscles by going barefoot.

3. Running in the grass is a good way to do this, it can really help strengthen you ankles.

4. But, if you are tired, the uneveness of the grass may cause you to roll and ankle instead of strengthen it. This is where the good/bad comes in.

5. Wearing shoes protects you from cutting you feet up on rocks or glass and stuff.

6. Wearing shoes does reduce how much certain muscles in your feet and ankles develop, because of the extra support.

7. wearing shoes can (notice I didn't say does) cause you to slam your heels into the ground.

Thus, it is hard to argue that either is better. It might be best to do some of your shorter runs barefoot in a very soft area at first. If your feet toughen up, you might be able to hit a concrete/grass mix on your longer runs. But don't forget about things you could find in your area that you will step on. In the city there is glass, and trash that can be bad. In the woods there are lots of sticks that will cut you. It is best to only run barefoot on soft grass, and safe bike paths before going barefoot only. Sadly, we don't all have the feet to win the Olympic marathon in Rome barefoot, like Bekele did.

[Turborabbit]

I would like to point out that shoes also cook peoples feet in a soup of sweat and bacteria, making nasty foot odors and encouraging fungal growth (aka: athletes foot) providing you don't live in a rice patty, walking barefoot keeps your feet a lot dryer and they will not develop that nasty smell shod feet sometimes do. also if you walk barefoot alot you will develop these cool callus pads on the places you put most of your weight, and they are like natural leather gloves, protecting them from cuts and such ,Ive got 1/8 inch of it covering most of mine and it nolonger hurts to walk on gravel.

[AuroraGlacialis]

I just found this: Is Barefoot Better? (http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4185) - The conclusion that it makes no difference regarding health if one walks barefoot or with shoes is an amazing statement for that guy who usually bashs every topic he gets his hands on ;)

[madman]

I think something is afoot here...

[Txim_Asawl]

I think something is afoot here...

To quote Trudy Chacon: "ha-hah" :nlol:

Every topic has its pro and cons, certainly, and walking barefoot - even though it's a natural thing - doesn't come natural at all to most "civilized" people. Strange indeed...

However, even if it may seem old, there is still the classic position paper on why walking barefoot is a good thing:

A Case for Bare Feet (http://www.barefooters.org/key-works/case_for/index.html)

It was published on the Society for Barefoot Living (SBL) web site in 1997 - back when that group was known as "Dirty Sole Society" (I liked that name for its obvious pun - but, as it was decided, the "dirty" was dropped due to possible negative connotations). Ans since that word "dirty" might kick up unwanted dust, I refer to my bare soles as "Earth-colored" when it comes to questions about feeling groosed out by dirt or not. And, as I could read above, city dirt has some other ingredients, true enough. But the skin of my soles is tough and thick enough not to let any of that stuff through, before I get to wash my feet or use Mother Nature's footpad - grass - to wipe them clean just by walking on it.

Wiggling happy toes,

~*Txim Asawl*~

[Txim_Asawl]

And beyond any scientific backup of the positive effects of walking barefoot, I can only add my personal experience in this "Barefoot Freedom Week" of mine. One week of vacation, being able to set my bare feet free.

My barefoot diary - the 21st century (http://www.barefoot-spring.net/barefoot/diary3.html)

Wiggling happy toes,

~*Ganesha*~