Are Your Shoes Killing You? Going Barefoot, Should You Or Shouldn't You?

I want us to take a look into the science of going barefoot and barefoot running and then follow in the next article to delve into the meaning of grounding and how we are connected to the earth and how going barefoot and grounding can affect our overall health. And when I say overall health I mean overall health, our muscles, pain and inflammation, physical diseases, and our mental health.

The big companies out there really want you to believe that wearing shoes is important. There are tons of inserts to put in our shoes to help with knee pain, back pain, sleep, etc., etc. the list goes on and on and it’s all about the shoes you wear, the arch, the cushion, the look, and etc., etc. or it’s all about the name brand of the shoe. We’ve all heard kids say at some point, “Look how fast I can run in my new shoes!” or “Hey, look at my new shoes!”. People have even been killed over the shoes they wear. We have heard about people, adults and children alike, being killed and their shoes taken because of the brand they were wearing at the time. I mean how horrible is that? To lose your life over your shoes? I can’t wrap my brain around that. Anyway, that’s a whole other soapbox we won’t even get into here. I’ll just let that simmer for a bit and let you think about it.

Let’s talk about our shoes for a minute. We all wear shoes, and most people wear shoes all day every day. Many women in fact have tons of shoes in their closets. But is wearing shoes really beneficial to our body, mind, and soul? Are we truly meant to wear shoes all day every day? Sure, shoes keep us from stepping on broken glass and such in the parking lots and other such areas; but should we be wearing them in the parks and our front yards? Let’s take a closer look at this idea of going barefoot.

The big companies out there really want you to believe that wearing shoes is important. There are tons of inserts to put in our shoes to help with knee pain, back pain, sleep, etc. etc. the list goes on and on and it’s all about the shoes you wear, the arch, the cushion, the look, and etc. etc. or it’s all about the name brand of the shoe. We’ve all heard kids say at some point, “Look how fast I can run in my new shoes!” or “Hey, look at my new shoes!”. People have even been killed over the shoes they wear. We have heard about people, adults and children alike, being killed and their shoes taken because of the brand they were wearing at the time. I mean how horrible is that? To lose your life over your shoes? I can’t wrap my brain around that. Anyway, that’s a whole other soapbox we won’t even get into here. I’ll just let that simmer for a bit and let you think about it.

Shoes can be expensive too.

So, why is it that shoes are so important to us? When did you begin learning that shoes made the man/woman? Why do shoes make you who you are? I mean really think about it for a minute. Are the shoes you are wearing really make you who you are today? Do those shoes make you successful or unsuccessful? People are working from home more and more these days, which tells me those shoes you were wearing has absolutely nothing to do with your success.

When we are small children, do we ever really think about our shoes? No, we are taught to do so by our parents, our family members, society, commercials, and the shoe companies start it all. Why? For the profit of course. So, we listen to these commercials, these advertisements, these companies that could care less about us and care only about the money their company can make. Why are we so intent on listening to people that only want our money and don’t care about our well-being? Think about that for a few minutes.

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Barefoot Running:

Ok, so there are tons of people out there that believe that barefoot running can harm your feet, while others are adamant about going barefoot while running. Well, the truth is, everyone is right on this one. If you change it up too quickly you can do harm. Taking things slow and allowing the muscles to strengthen can be very beneficial. The problem is that people often try to take things too fast and end up with an injury. Just like most things in life, take it slow…. As I tell my kids, “Slow down Panda.” If you just slow your pace, be a little patient, and give things a chance to adapt you will have fewer injuries and be stronger in the end.

Barefoot Running:

Barefoot running involves forefoot or midfoot striking, which minimizes the impact of your body colliding with a surface. Striking the ground with your heel first, on the other hand, falls in line with running in regular shoes.

Previous research has shown that striking on your heels might mean hitting the ground with three times more weight than barefoot running. Furthermore, Daniel Lieberman, a Harvard University professor known for his research on barefoot running, has found that forefoot-striking runners have lower risks of repetitive stress injuries, and that going barefoot is more energy efficient.

Michael Warburton of Sportsscience declares that thirty minutes of daily barefoot locomotion is a recommended starting point to allow thickening of the sole of the foot and the adaptation of muscles and ligaments (Robbins et al., 1993). Begin by walking barefoot at every reasonable opportunity then progress to jogging, gradually increasing the intensity and duration (Yessis 2000, p.124). After 3-4 weeks, the plantar skin eventually becomes robust and allows longer periods of barefoot running at higher average velocities (Robbins et al., 1993). To facilitate adaptation, perform progressive strengthening exercises for the foot and ankle, including foot inversion, toe flexion, and walking on the balls of the feet. Barefoot locomotion on uneven surfaces will also help stimulate the plantar surface and provide increased sensory feedback (Yessis 2000, p.125).

Running in shoes appears to increase the risk of ankle sprains, either by decreasing awareness of foot position or by increasing the twisting torque on the ankle during a stumble.

• Running in shoes appears to increase the risk of plantar fasciitis and other chronic injuries of the lower limb by modifying the transfer of shock to muscles and supporting structures.

• Running in bare feet reduces oxygen consumption

• Research is needed to establish why runners choose not to run barefoot. Concern about puncture wounds, bruising, thermal injury, and overuse injury during the adaptation period are possibilities.

• Running shoes play an important protective role on some courses, in extreme weather conditions, and with certain pathologies of the lower limb.

Ankle sprains are the most frequently reported acute sports injury, and 90-95% of these are inversion injuries causing partial or complete rupture of the anterior talofibular ligament and occasionally of the calcaneofibular ligament (Robbins et al., 1995; Stacoff et al., 1996). It is claimed that footwear increases the risk of such sprains, either by decreasing awareness of foot position provided by feedback from plantar cutaneous mechanoreceptors in direct contact with the ground (Robbins et al., 1995), or by increasing the leverage arm and consequently the twisting torque around the sub-talar joint during a stumble (Stacoff et al., 1996).

The Tarahumara, are an indigenous people of Mexico whose long-distance running ability is legendary. In the early 1990s they shook the American ultramarathon scene when they entered some of the toughest 100-mile foot races in the Rocky Mountains and set new course records. I mean these people literally run 100-mile races for fun, barefoot and in the mountains. I think that’s pushing it a bit for me, but each to their own. LOL

Ok, so now you have a better understanding of the science behind the benefits of being barefoot and especially barefoot running. In the next article, we will look at some other benefits of going barefoot and grounding with the earth and nature. Often people think of “grounding” as some “New Age” thing or something. The fact of the matter is, the practice of grounding with the earth is thousands of years old. In fact, I wouldn’t even call it a practice, I would call it a need, a requirement for our health, a natural way of living that we have gotten away from over the years.

We will discuss what grounding is and the health benefits of grounding in the next article. For now, take off your shoes, take a walk in nature and enjoy the feeling of the earth and grass beneath your feet. Then, read the next article to find out about the healing it has brought to your body. I also recommend watching the movie The Grounding Movie on Gaia. Or follow the provided link and watch it now on YouTube if you don’t have Gaia yet. No time to watch the full movie for a little over an hour? You can watch the quick Trailer for it until you have more time. I think you’ll find it quite inspiring and in the next article, you’ll find a ton of similarities. I was personally amazed at the similarities between the movie with the scientific articles I researched. Maybe that’s why I liked the movie so much. Now, take off your shoes and go for a stroll. Have a great day!

Oil Pulling

Well I suppose many of you have heard about oil pulling; if you haven’t, hopefully you’ll learn something new. Oil pulling is a very healthy addition to your daily oral care.

Ok so I tried oil pulling. I used a tablespoon of coconut oil as suggested. I couldn’t do it. It felt weird in my mouth and actually made me gag. Then I tried olive oil. Yuck same reaction. I had read about all the benefits and my holistic doctor suggested it as well; however, I was just simply unable to do it. Not ready to give up on the idea I decided to tweek it by making my own toothpaste. First, I followed some instructions I found and made it with coconut oil and baking soda. Ok, that really didn’t work out. Apparently, my bathroom doesn’t stay warm enough and the coconut oil solidified again, and it was difficult to get out of the jar. So, I decided to add some ingredients. I added a tablespoon of olive oil, emptied a few capsules of charcoal, and about 5 drops of peppermint essential oil. Let me tell you this concoction works amazingly. My teeth are cleaner and brighter. In fact, there is no tarter build up on my teeth. After a few weeks my teeth looked like I had just had a teeth cleaning at the dentist. It feels amazing tastes just fine and is healthier than using that fluoride toothpaste. And here’s the kicker. If you swish the toothpaste in your mouth you are also oil pulling. It’s a win-win situation. I’m saving money and living a healthier life. If you want to give it a try here’s the recipe I used.

Toothpaste Recipe

• 2 heaping Tablespoons Organic Coconut oil

• 1 Tablespoon of olive oil

• 2 heaping Tablespoons Baking Soda

• 5 drops of peppermint essential oil

• 1-2 capsules activated charcoal

Now this will turn your teeth as black as night but don’t worry it rinses right off. Now you’ll also need a washcloth to wipe your face because it is very likely that you might get some on your skin. No worries, it also wipes off easily.

NOTE: Oh yeah, be very careful if you use the activated charcoal because it will stain fabrics and grout. Just make sure you protect any clothing, counters, and floors when using this toothpaste.

Hope you enjoy this recipe, I know I sure do.

Now for the “learning something new” portion.

What is Oil Pulling?

Oil pulling (rooted in Ayurvedic medicine) cleans and detoxifies the teeth and gums in a natural way.  It destroys the unhealthy bacteria growing inside our mouths and comes with a bonus; it whitens the teeth naturally without destroying the enamel. In fact, it helps the enamel and can break down tarter build-up. no more painful dental cleaning.  It has also been found to improve gum health and prevent gum disease.

Basically, you would swish the oil; usually, Coconut, Olive, Sunflower, or Sesame seed oil in the mouth for up to 20 minutes to improve oral health. My personal favorites are coconut and olive oil as I personally feel they have the highest bacterial fighting agents in them. In fact, I rate them right up there with oregano and garlic oil; however, that is another topic.

Benefits of Oil Pulling

The research may be minimal, but I can tell you from personal experience that I have rather enjoyed the benefits from oil pulling. Who can debate against no tarter build-up, whiter teeth, healthy gums, and “healing” of cavities?

I have completed many years of medical study and research (some in college and some on my own) and know that poor oral hygiene can have serious consequences. Bacteria and infection can enter the blood stream and/or the lungs through the mouth.

How to Oil Pull

Here is where the general instructions and myself differ. All instructions I have found say to take a few teaspoons or a tablespoon of coconut oil and “chew” the oil until it melts for about 20 minutes. Well it doesn’t take the oil 20 minutes to melt, it only takes a about a minute or less. Then spit it out into a trash can because the coconut oil will solidify in the pipes. You should do this each morning or several times a day depending on your current condition. If you have an infection or periodontal disease you could do this throughout the day. For general purposes only once in the morning is sufficient. According to the research conducted by Anand et al. sesame seed oil was effective in reducing bacteria. Rinse with warm salt water or just plain water and brush your teeth as you normally would.

Happy Pulling!

Now, if you are going to use my recipe for the toothpaste here is some information on the benefits of including the charcoal, peppermint oil, and baking soda.

Activated charcoal for teeth?

traps toxins and harmful chemicals in the body. We used it a lot in the emergency room to treat poisoning and drug overdoses instead of gastric lavage (stomach pumping) in most all cases. Apparently when you drink it, it tastes awful because in many cases the patient would vomit. Not to mention the fact that they all said, “This taste horrible”. I personally never had to drink the stuff, so I’ll just take their word for it. Taken in pill form it can reduce bloating and gas, lower cholesterol, and prevent hangovers. It is safe to use during pregnancy

So, how does this charcoal stuff work?

Activated charcoal is very porous and all those bad toxins and chemicals get trapped in its pores. The basic physics of it all is that activated charcoal holds a negative charge that attracts positively charged toxins and gas that creates a bond. Think of it like double sided tape. Oh yeah and BTW this is not the same as the charcoal you use in your barbeque grill.

How does it Whiten Teeth?

The activated charcoal changes the pH balance in your mouth and absorbs the plaque and all that stuff that causes stains on your teeth like coffee, tea, wine, or berries. As an additional bonus it can help prevent cavities and gum disease.

Note: If you have crowns, caps or porcelain veneers, it’s possible that activated charcoal will stain them. However, I have caps and my mother has porcelain veneers and neither one of us have noticed any staining, and I've been using this for months. This method is suppose to reduce sensitivity; however, if your teeth become sensitive, please quit using it.

Benefits of baking soda for teeth

Baking soda also has teeth whitening, plaque removal properties, and balances the pH in your mouth; which contributes to healthy prevention of tooth decay and gum disease.

Peppermint Essential Oil for teeth?

Peppermint oil has antiseptic properties that destroy germs in your mouth. It also helps eliminate bad breath and leaves your mouth feeling fresh and clean. It has also been used as a pain reliever. The cool part is that it contains tons of healthy minerals and nutrients like magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, folate, copper, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and even omega 3 fatty acids.

So, there you have it. That’s why I love my toothpaste recipe and why I no longer need to go to the dentist for regular cleaning. The toothpaste does it all and WOW the money I save! Who could ask for more?