I recently ran across a study talking about improved cognitive ability in adolescents who walked barefoot. You can find that study here.
Seeing scientific literature on this topic is very encouraging to me because I’ve been barefoot walking, or grounding for the last 12 years to heal my body. I discovered a cardiologist talking about using grounding to improve circulation in his patients. Apparently he found that grounding, or earthing was so powerful that he had to remove prescribed blood thinners from his patients because it thinned the blood so much. Struggling with blood clots and varicose veins from multiple pregnancies, I was very hooked to try this simple remedy out.
Not only does barefoot walking improve circulation but it lowers inflammation and reduces stress in the body. I can truly feel the moment my foot leaves the last step of my porch and I’m on soil and grass. Coming into contact with the earth creates an electrical current that literally heals the body; improves immune response, heals wounds faster, brings the body back into a parasympathetic state. Want to read more from a scientific perspective, check out this article.
Grounding or earthing, for me, has kept me off blood thinners, and helped me heal my body of thyroid cancer. I honestly think I’m in a constant state of healing, I still have cancer but scans show my tumor is shrinking. I’ve done a lot of other stuff, but this article is about my experience walking barefoot.
But wait. There’s more!
What about childhood and playing barefoot? I lived without shoes when I could as a kid. Looking back I can remember feeling out of sorts, tired, frustrated, and even bloated. My health issues began early on. I have very clear memories of removing my shoes and playing barefoot. Tag, softball, pickle in the middle… or just running around with my friends. By nights end I felt invincible and looking back, I wonder how much of that surge in energy, lowered stomach pain and migraines were due to simply playing barefoot.
Besides coming into contact with the earth’s frequency, walking barefoot widens the feet, splaying out the toes and building strength in the entire body. Scientists are discovering that our body is covered in fascia, just because we might be tight in our shoulders, doesn’t mean that’s where the issue is. It could been cramped feet growing improperly in tight shoes. Splaying the feet, walking on uneven and rocky ground breaks the fascia down, keeping it loose and supple as apposed to tight and “plastic”. This changes and affects our gait, our posture and even our jaws. Many people who have small jaws with crowded teeth have narrow small feet and crowded toes. I’m not a dentist, dr or orthodontist. I’m just a mom on a mission to discover, try and share cheap, free or great investment things that help moms raise happy, healthy kids.
The jaw formation was especially interesting to me. I have a wide jaw and straight teeth and never needed braces. My feet also splay out and are splaying out more as I live walking barefoot as much as possible. My husband has long feet but rather narrow and a more crowded jaw of teeth. He’s been joining me in barefoot walking and has noticed his own feet changing. That along with mewing and proper tongue posture and he’s seeing some improvements at 45. Mewing, tongue posture; certainly topics I plan to delve into another time. But isnt it a relief to know that things like needing braces isn’t genetic and that we as parents can deal with these issue through nutrition and something as enjoyable as barefoot walking/play?
Walking barefoot puts stress on the feet that supportive shoes take away. We think the answer to weak ankles and pain in the feet is tighter shoes with more support and insoles but thats really the worst thing you can do for your children and yourself. Splaying the feet, strengthens the feet, ankles, legs and even widens the skull. Which is where the improved cognitive functioning in adolescents comes in. If the body is a whole and it’s free to move, splay, experience stress… it naturally grows the spaces needed for straight teeth, jaw formation, eye and face symmetry and of course… more room and oxygen for the brain. All this by simply walking barefoot.
I understand not everyone homeschools. It’s much easier for me to release my wild 8 out onto the soil and grass and rocky terrain of our acreage for hours on end. But what if your kid is in school? Try wider shoes and on weekends and times home, tell them to get in the yard without their shoes on.
For school days check out this company for wide flexible shoes that won’t crowd your kids toes and support their ankles. Splay Shoes
I’m not affiliated with them. Just love them and buy them for my kids for town days.
Or if you are just starting out and have sensative foot skin try Earth Runners. Again, not affiliated, just a six year customer and I love their product. I use them when I’m hiking with my husband in the mountains or working in my garden and wanting something between my feet and the thistles I’m pulling.
For toddlers, try leather moccasins because leather is conductive, you’re not only providing the lack of structural support but you’re providing grounding/earthing too. I love these currently for my two year old.
It’s a relief to know there are simple daily habits we can do to improve our health and the health of our children. I hope you get lots of barefoot time in this summer!
Warmest blessings,
Ashley
