Bare Feet May Support Better Health
By Tom Herrin
Most of the time, when we think of something that may make us healthier, it is exercise, eating right, and getting plenty of rest. I can honestly say that going barefoot may be the last thing that many would think about. If you reflect on times when you may have gone without shoes in the past, it may have actually made you feel pretty good. It may not just be the fact that you were much younger back then. It seems that walking barefoot on natural surfaces may give your health a boost. There are quite a few ways this can help. They are all pretty simple.
This Ground Contact May Reduce Inflammation
In one study, people who had a considerable amount of pain simulated sleeping on the ground. Apparently this helped to reduce their cortisol levels which meant less pain. Cortisol is a hormone that increases stress. This way of getting in touch with nature appears to be partly responsible for the success. All of the participants had improvement in their level of pain, stress, and sleep. Some even reported that their discomfort disappeared completely.
Bare Feet May Lessen Tension and Headaches
Earthing, as bare feet on natural surfaces may be referred to, is believed to help rid us of some of the things that can cause problems. It is a sort of cleansing from things that may be potentially toxic to us, in some form or another. Some people think that migraines are somehow associated with lengthy exposure to radiation, and there is some thought that earthing may help to reduce the levels of radiation. One study concluded that soreness in muscles from exercising may be less for those who participate in earthing.
Walking Barefoot May Increase Energy
Those of us who may remember a time in which we spent quite a bit of our day walking barefoot. While we may attribute some of it to our obvious youth at the time, there may be more to it. There is a certain feeling to be had when we truly get in touch with the natural world. It can be really enjoyable and help us to feel young again. Some of it may be nostalgia, but some of it is surely the fact that we are interacting with nature itself. It may go well with our chosen new lifestyle.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Newnan, Ga.