Scientists Reveal What Happens To Your Body When You Walk Barefoot

Did you enjoy walking barefooted as a child? If so, then you probably still remember the funny, cold, squishy feeling when you twisted and turned your toes in the mud?  there is an explanation as to why you enjoyed the raw connection to the earth and probably still do.

For centuries, there have been stories about the benefits of walking “connected to the Earth” or “Earthing,” as it is now called.  The idea is that the closer you are to the Earth, the more of Earth’s energy you could pick up through your feet.

It sounds a bit ridiculous initially. After all, haven’t we also heard warnings about running around barefoot?  Despite all of the proposed dangers, it turns out there are benefits to walking barefoot, for your overall health.

THE DISCOVERY OF EARTH’S ENERGY

There has been increasing evidence that all life forms on earth have an energy field around us.   Scientists are still looking into the negative and positive things affecting our field

Earth has its own energy field or frequency.  In 1952, W.O. Shumann German physicist and professor at the University of Munich proved that the Earth had a frequency.  He based his hypotheses on the fact that when a sphere lies within another sphere, an electrical tension exists.  Since the Earth is a negatively charged sphere located within a positively charged ionosphere, the tension between the two should create a charge.  After doing some calculations, he found the frequency was 10hz.

In 1954, together another scientist, Herbert Konig, Mann recalculated it to be 7.83 Hz.  It is now a scientifically accepted fact known as the Schumann Resonance.

There are increasing studies that support and prove that Earth’s electrons can create a variety of health benefits on a therapeutic level.  These include reducing pain, improving sleep, thinning blood, reducing inflammation, minimizing stress and cortisol levels, improved healing of muscle soreness, and improving parasympathetic systems (blood flow, respiration, oxygenation of the blood, pulse rate).

In the studies, subjects were either instructed to walk barefoot outdoors or were connected to grounded conductive devices.  The majority of the subjects reported major improvements in parasympathetic responses in as little as 30 minutes, and positive results involving inflammation, stress reduction.

HERE ARE THEIR FINDINGS:

Diabetic Mellitus

Earthing was done through rest and outdoor activity for 72 hours for patients who had non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.  They showed a decreased fasting glucose after the 72 hours.

Thyroid disease

Patients on thyroid medication reported symptoms related to hyperthyroidism after doing earthing. This generally would not occur without a decrease in medication.  After just one night, other subjects not diagnosed with any thyroid issues started showing a decrease in free tri-iodothyronine and an increase in free thyroxin and thyroid stimulating hormone.  These tests, though inconclusive, show that earthing can affect our hepatic, hypothalamus, and pituitary interplay with the thyroid system.

Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, a foot and ankle specialist, and surgeon at Hoag Orthopaedic Institute, explains more about how Earthing improves the physical health of your feet:

Better control of your foot position as it lands on the ground.

• Improves balance.

• Improves body awareness in relation to the surroundings. This is one of the reasons it is recommended that toddlers don’t wear shoes when first walking.

• By improving foot mechanics, it also helps in keeping your knees, hips, and the core in proper alignment and movement.

• Prevents your foot and ankle joints from exaggerated movements and range of motion which also allows for proper strength and stability in the muscles and ligaments in your ankle and legs.

• Decreases issues from shoes which don’t fit properly (i.e. bunions, hammer toes).

• Increases leg strength, which helps improve lower back strength.

If you are not accustomed to walking barefoot, then your foot strength may be compromised and susceptible to damage. Here are some recommendations to ease into earthing:

• Do it in short increments at first to build up strength.

• Build up your balance through ankle exercises

• Start by using a minimalist shoe

• Try exercises like yoga or pilates which require your feet to be bare

Be mindful of the terrain. Rocky areas can cut your feet

Make sure to thoroughly wash your feet afterward as you can be exposed to a multitude of bacteria.

Earthing, or walking barefoot, may be another way to improve our health while staying connected to the nature around us. Preliminary studies have been able to explain what happens to your body when you walk barefoot, and the results have been positive.