Walk Barefoot to Feel the Earth Beneath Your Feet and Enjoy the Indefinite Health Benefits
A few weeks ago, Latha and I were attending an FDP on Human Values when we noticed a professor walking barefoot from the guest house to the venue. We thought he might be having some issues with his footwear and asked him if he needed any help. But we were surprised to hear from him that he frequently goes like this. He said that as it is good for his health, he makes sure to do all his routine work without wearing any chappal/shoes on some days.
That made me think of our ancestors who framed certain norms like not wearing footwear inside our houses, in the temples, and in certain places considered divine, like performing the havan. Further, they have devised certain procedures to worship the Almighty like not wearing footwear for a period of time, say 48 days, the fasting period! You know the ritual done in temples, coming round the temple rolling on the ground (angapradhatchinam), in which the entire body is in contact with the earth! People from different regions of India do the same in different forms, but the concept is the same. Our ancestors evolved in close connection with the earth’s energy. They walked barefoot. They slept on the ground. They benefited from the Earth’s natural healing energy. You might have seen in the very old movies that all the saints, rishis, and pandits walked barefoot or used wooden footwear. Why go that much backward, if you remember your grandparents or great-grandparents you can recollect that they seldom used footwear, right?
Admiring our ancient knowledge system, I did a small research on this topic!
It turns out that there are many health benefits from simply walking barefoot on Mother Earth’s natural surfaces. Barefoot walking has become a well-recognised practice understanding the various health benefits it has.
First of all, walking barefoot is like getting a free reflexology treatment!. Reflexology is a therapy that uses gentle pressure on specific points along your feet. People go for reflexology treatment for various diseases like back pain, stress, anxiety, and arthritis pain, and even it might reduce the emotional and physical pain caused by cancer. The benefits of reflexology like helping us feel less stressed, more relaxed, and more energized can be enjoyed by walking barefoot! Interesting, right?
Walking barefoot on natural materials like sand, stones, mud, grass, etc stimulates the pressure points on our feet. It is said that all the nerve endings are at our feet and walking barefoot makes us more alert, active, aware, and oriented.
Walking with shoes prevents us from such good health benefits by blocking our feet from contact with the textures of different kinds of natural objects.
One of my friends, Kavin, was caught in depression due to his family problems. He was suffering from anxiety and stress for quite some time. Then, his doctor advised him to take a 30-minute walk barefoot daily along with the prescribed medicines. The doctor said this kind of barefoot walking helps increase our mindfulness and keeps us less stressed.
Walking barefoot helps us maintain our natural way of walking. The ortho doctors say the padding and structure of shoes we are using can, over time, prevent us from using certain muscle groups that can strengthen the body. Walking without shoes can improve balance, help with pain relief, and lead to improved mechanics of hips, knees, and core.
It is said that our bodies are designed to be in contact with the earth. Long ago people were walking barefoot, sleeping on the ground, or using the skin of animals as shoes or to sleep on, still connecting us to earth. But, now in the name of modern society, we are using almost all the nonconducting materials for our footwear! More style, the more the height of the heels! People use chappals even inside their houses, not even a minute do they walk without their chappals. I was also one in that group, as I was told it is good for leg pain! But, now I am not!
In one article I read about earthing or grounding, it says when you expose your bare skin to the ground, it transfers energy from the earth to your body. What this statement says, electricity in the human body, earthing, and transfer of energy!
Yes, there is a simple science behind barefoot walking. We are bioelectrical beings and the human body carries a slight positive charge. Our cells are specialized to conduct electrical impulses. Electricity is required for the nervous system to send signals throughout the body and to the brain so that we can think, move, and feel. While resting cells are negatively charged internally, the outside cell environment is positively charged, due to the slight imbalance between positive and negative ions, resulting in a net positive charge overall. Electricity can build up in the human body. Earth carries a negative charge and when we make a physical connection with the earth, through earthing, we discharge that excess energy, which in turn is said to have a healing effect at a cellular level. The simplest form of earthing involves barefoot walking on the grass, on soil/mud, or on sand. This concept is explained in that article in more detail.
I could see many research articles on this (like the above one on earthing/grounding, Microorganisms entering our body, inflammation, …) a little heavy to understand the scientific and biological terms. What I could understand is there are many many health benefits like:
- Boost your immune system, improving your mood
- Reducing stress and improving sleep
- Helps increase antioxidants and decrease inflammation(which is identified as the root cause of innumerable chronic diseases)
- Increases energy, Reduces fatigue
- Increases healing speed
- Decreases anxiety and depression
- Reduces blood pressure
- Restores balance in the body
- Fights varicose veins, the list continues!
Coming to know about these numerous health benefits, start to walk barefoot to feel the earth beneath your feet and enjoy the benefits of Barefoot Walking! You can enjoy a sense of peace by simply walking through the trees, and being in nature. It is always encouraged to take a walk through the park or on the beach!
A bird or two fly by or a new flower that is blooming along your walking path would make your life beautiful, what do you say?
