Do you remember running around barefoot as a child? If so, do you remember feeling energized by the soft yet raw ground beneath your feet? Science is now showing that direct connection to the earth restores your health in many ways.
Walking barefoot, also known as ‘earthing,’ is the practice of placing your bare feet on the earth. Studies have shown that the negative ions in the earth help balance out the positive ions in our bodies. This charge is electron-rich, and serves as an abundant supply of antioxidants and free-radical destroying electrons.
Back in the day, we did not have the shoes we have now. It was common to walk on treacherous grounds without any protection. People would run, walk, and hike with bare feet. We even grew calluses on the soles of our feet for protection. In this day and age, we were a lot more connected with nature, and felt replenished by touching the ground with our bare feet. Yet nowadays, wearing shoes is what deems us as socially accepted human beings; We are required to wear shoes in stores, restaurantS, shops, malls, buildings, you name it! As a society, we no longer cultivate a strong connection to the earth, and due to this we, as a collective, have many health problems.
Of course shoes are stylish and prevent our feet from getting cuts, but did you know that most shoes directly cut off your connection with the energy field of the Earth? You see, most shoes have either rubber or plastic soles. When we are constantly wearing these materials on our feet, we become disconnected from Earth’s electron flow, which we are naturally supposed to remain connected to.
With that being said, let’s discuss some of the health benefits of being barefoot.
1) It helps reduce chronic pain
Science has proven that the electrons present in the earth enrich our bodies immune system. Not only that, but grounding actually increases the oxygen levels of the body which helps reduce chronic or acute pains.
2) It helps insomnia
Studies have shown that people who expose themselves to grounding have better sleep at night when compared with those who do not walk barefoot regularly. Walking barefoot helps stabilize the circadian rhythm, which is your internal clock that is designed to regulate feelings of sleepiness and wakefulness over a 24-hour period.
3) It helps with your posture
Having weak feet can lead to bad posture which can lead to back pain, neck pain, even knee pain which is actually often caused by shoes that misplace your postural alignment.
A recent study has shown that wearing shoes actually has a negative effect on our feet. Our foot muscles are weaker than ever because of shoes and soft surfaces that don’t cause our feet to be flexible and strong like they once were. This is one of the reasons bad posture occurs. It’s because we become reliant upon other muscles to do the job our feet are responsible for doing.
4) It strengthens your overall energy
Nature has this way of just re-energizing us when we immerse ourselves in it. Every individual who is in tune with nature knows that when they go outdoors, they receive the higher frequencies that nature emits. This, then, increases their energy levels.
Not only that, but since walking barefoot stimulates the nervous system, it also helps increase one’s immunity by making them stronger and less susceptible to disease. Strong immunity = higher energy levels.
It is especially important to go outdoors since our vitality is constantly affected by modern society. It is advisable to make out time to walk barefoot as often as we can.
5) It rebalances your hormones & controls blood pressure
Those who walk barefoot have been shown to have lower levels of cortisol (a hormone associated with stress, inflammation and sleep dysfunction) than those who don’t.
There are 1,300+ nerve endings per square inch on the soles of your feet – more than any other part of your body. So, when the nerves of our feet are stimulated, it releases stress. When stress levels come down, it helps us maintain our blood pressure. So if you have high blood pressure or experience high levels of stress, this is your sign to get your bare feet into the Earth!
So…
The next time you find yourself feeling tired, stressed, or disconnected, remember that the simple act of placing your bare feet on the earth can do wonders. Let your inner-child come out and play! Your body will thank you later. (;
