The phrase about barefoot childhood is familiar to most of us. Many people associate walking barefoot with poverty, asociality, discomfort, and the possibility of injury. Therefore, even during a summer vacation in nature, we do not take off our shoes, depriving ourselves of the pleasure of feeling the coolness of thick grass, the softness and warmth of sand heated by the sun, and the tingling of twigs fallen from the trees. It is necessary to gradually abandon the stereotypes imposed on us in order to spend our vacation beneficially for the body and gain new pleasant sensations.
Let's talk first about the benefits of walking without shoes. As you know, there are many biologically active points and zones on the surface of the feet. Stimulating certain areas of the feet helps improve the functioning of internal organs, increase immunity, normalize mental status, etc. There are special techniques for massage and stimulation of these biologically active points. Walking barefoot allows you to activate all the mentioned zones, that is, it has a beneficial effect on our entire body.
Walking barefoot on sand or loose soil helps to get rid of flat feet (of course, if this activity is carried out regularly), reduces the load on the sole and arch of the foot, and reduces pain associated with muscle strain due to the irregular shape of the foot.
In addition, walking without shoes is an excellent hardening option for adults and children. Stimulating biologically active points by exposure to cold allows you to increase the tone of all tissues and strengthen the body's resistance to viral and bacterial diseases.
Some people are hesitant to take off their shoes because they are afraid of pain. Indeed, most urban residents have soft and delicate skin on their feet, accustomed to comfortable shoes, regular pedicures and care. And if you accidentally step on a dry branch or a stone with sharp edges, you are guaranteed, at a minimum, severe discomfort. But walking on soft grass or sand, on the contrary, will do you good. Your feet will quickly get used to new stimuli, and moving barefoot will become very pleasant. Watch your step carefully to avoid stepping on a sharp object. 
Modern medicine recognizes the fact that walking barefoot is very beneficial for health. Regular walks without shoes on the grass, earth, sand help prevent the development of serious diseases - stroke, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, hypertension, etc. In addition, the risk of developing acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections is significantly reduced due to the hardening effect of this procedure.
Using the experiment, a very interesting result was obtained: when lowering the feet into cold water (temperature about 12 degrees Celsius), a reflex decrease in the temperature of the inner surface of the nose is observed. But if the water temperature is about 4 degrees Celsius, the subject quickly develops the first signs of a cold (runny nose, sore throat, feeling unwell). The experiment didn't end there. It was further found that if you carry out water procedures every day at approximately the same time - immerse your feet in water with a temperature of 12 to 14 degrees Celsius for 10 - 15 minutes, after 3 weeks the temperature of the inner mucous membrane of the nose stops decreasing! And when the water temperature decreases, the “experimental” does not experience discomfort in the nasopharynx and does not get a cold.
What causes the hardening effect? The fact is that our life activity largely depends on innate and acquired reflexes. Repeated exposure to a certain irritant on skin receptors (in this case, cool water) promotes the formation of a conditioned reflex, leading to the rapid production of heat by the body. A similar effect is observed if you walk barefoot on grass covered with morning dew every day (at optimal air temperatures, of course). In this case, the hardening effect is more pronounced, since the effect of low temperature is combined with mechanical irritation of sensitive nerve endings and reflexogenic zones located on the feet.
If you regularly walk barefoot, the stratum corneum on your feet will gradually thicken. No, these are not the calluses and corns familiar to most of us, but an increase in the layer of horny cells. At the same time, your feet will remain flexible and attractive-looking. Thickening the skin is an additional way to avoid hypothermia and reduce the impact of external irritants on the body. Very soon you will practically lose sensitivity to cold and will be able to walk barefoot even in the snow.
Start healthy walking in the warm season to get used to the new sensations and gain excellent immunity before the cold weather. The first steps should be taken at home (this recommendation applies to young children and people with weakened immune resistance). Start right now - put away the slippers, do the cleaning - vacuum, wash the floors. Walk around the apartment for 10 - 15 minutes at least twice a day. 
You can combine this useful activity with daily gymnastics - include it in a set of your favorite exercises as a warm-up and final stage. Focus on new sensations, feel with the skin of your feet every unevenness of the floor, the softness of the carpet. If you are at all uncomfortable, wear thin socks or under-socks for the first time, then take them off. Gradually increase your walking time by a few minutes to build it up to an hour or more. Once you've adapted, go outside! Even if you don’t have the opportunity to go somewhere outdoors, you can walk barefoot on the lawn in the yard, playground, or park lawn. Of course, you should first inspect the area to avoid accidentally stepping on dangerous debris.
As mentioned above, it is very useful to walk without shoes on grass wet with dew (in the morning and evening). Walk on a wet lawn or forest clearing for 15 to 20 minutes, then put on dry socks (without drying your feet) and put on your shoes. Shoes should be comfortable, soft and closed (for example, moccasins made of genuine leather). Walk for another 10 minutes at a fast pace to warm up your feet. This is a very useful exercise - cooling and warming the skin of the feet stimulates reflexogenic zones, improves blood circulation and has a reflex effect on all organs and systems, ensuring their full functioning.
Don't force things! If you immediately go for a walk in the morning dew, there is a very high probability of developing an acute respiratory disease - your body may react inadequately to new sensations and local cooling of the feet. Be consistent and take your time. 
Alternate walking on the grass with walking on loose river or sea sand, wet stones (pebbles). This is an excellent option for reflexology - essentially acupressure, but performed not with your hands, but with the help of natural remedies. If you live near a body of water, your barefoot walk will be very beneficial. Walk on the sand along the water 2 - 3 times a day. The recommended duration is 15 minutes or longer. Switch from wet sand to dry sand and back - this way your feet will receive varied and very useful stimulation.
Is "live" sand unavailable? This is not a problem - you can organize a “health path” at your summer cottage or site near your home. You will need stones without sharp corners and edges (in extreme cases, ordinary expanded clay will do), coarse river sand. Lay out an uneven path, alternating strips of sand and stones. To enhance the healing effect, you can pour warm water over it. Now start walking barefoot, moving along the path at an average pace. In hot weather, you can replace warm water with cold water (but only if you already have hardening experience, otherwise a cold is very likely).
Is there no way to create a “health path”? Useful procedures are easy to carry out at home! Prepare approximately 2 kg of ordinary river or sea pebbles, place them in a flat basin and cover with cool water. The walking area is ready! To enhance the healing effect, you can add sea salt and decoctions of medicinal herbs to the water. If you have a child, consult your pediatrician, find out which hardening methods are right for you, and start walking barefoot with the whole family.
Do you really want to walk on the grass? Choose the flattest area and carefully inspect it, then the healing procedure will not bring you any trouble. Do not forget that if the skin is injured, it is necessary to wash the wound as quickly as possible and then disinfect it. In some cases, you will need a tetanus vaccination, which is given free of charge at all trauma centers.
(Photo: Warren Goldswain, Martin Novak, Darren Baker, shutterstock.com)
I think that many women will agree with me, sometimes your feet get so tired during the day in narrow high-heeled shoes that you want to throw these same shoes far, far away and walk home barefoot straight on the asphalt. It turns out that walking barefoot is very useful, but walking barefoot on hot and dirty asphalt is very harmful. And precisely in order to figure out what is good and what is bad, we will turn to specialists for help.
1. What's good
We all know that there are a lot of biologically active points and zones on the surface of the foot. It is known for certain that several thousand years ago, even during the time of the Egyptian pharaohs, foot massage was extremely popular (among the Egyptian pharaohs). They knew for sure that stimulating certain areas of the feet could improve the functioning of some internal organs, as well as help increase the body’s immunity and even reduce depression and stress. I’m not sure that the pharaohs lived in the same crazy rhythm as modern women, but if it helped them, then why not try for you and me?!
Walking barefoot allows you to activate many active zones on the foot and thus have a beneficial effect on the entire body as a whole.
Walking on soft grass relieves stress, has a positive effect on your psychological mood, and even gives you confidence in the future. Regular walks without shoes on warm earth and hot sand help prevent stroke, heart attack, angina pectoris and hypertension.
Doctors advise alternating walking on grass with walking on sand or pebbles. This is a great opportunity for acupressure performed with the help of nature itself. Walking on wet grass is especially useful, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s dew, recent rain, or an artificially watered lawn in your garden. This very beneficial exercise for the body will not only improve blood circulation, but also have a positive effect on all organs and systems of the body as a whole.
Modern orthopedists claim that 90% of the adult population has flat feet to a greater or lesser extent, i.e. foot deformity. Flat feet in itself is not a fatal diagnosis, but I know from myself that my legs get incredibly tired during the day, in the evening extremely painful cramps arise in the calves and in the foot itself, and sometimes reflex pains appear in the heart area. Agree, it’s not very pleasant. To correct the situation, it is extremely useful to walk barefoot on embossed soil, which causes the muscles that hold the arch of the foot to reflexively contract, thereby strengthening them. Coarse sand, smooth pebbles, even fir cones will do. If it is not possible to walk barefoot outside the city, you can set up a wellness area at home - fill a basin with a wide bottom with clean sand or pebbles (you can even buy special smooth pebbles for an aquarium), pour warm water and “walk” in the basin, every evening for 20 minutes Of course, such surroundings make you smile, but it’s good for your health and your legs will rest. Walking barefoot in water (at room temperature) has a wonderful effect on the body; this procedure hardens the entire body, activates blood circulation, improves the functioning of the bladder, kidneys and nervous system. Surprisingly, this simple exercise relieves headaches, makes breathing easier and improves sleep.
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It’s great if you can afford to take a walk before bed along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea or a quiet and calm river, but if you, like me, are a “citizen of a metropolis,” then you can walk on water in an ordinary bathtub in your apartment. I agree, it doesn’t look very romantic, but the effect is amazing. And if you lower the water temperature by a degree every three days, then in addition to the miracle results described above, you can also increase the body’s resistance to colds. It has been noticed that people who have been hardened for more than a year become immune to the flu, and even during seasonal epidemics such lucky people wanted to sneeze on all the viruses and bacilli combined.
2. What's bad
Well, as usual, “if everything is fine with you, it means you don’t know something,” this same statement is quite acceptable for the health-improving technique of walking barefoot. There are several taboos about walking barefoot that should not be broken under any circumstances:
It is better not to walk barefoot in clearings with very tall and thick grass, firstly: such places are loved by ticks and other miracle insects, and secondly: there is a great danger of accidentally stepping on a broken bottle or a rusty nail.
You cannot immediately throw yourself barefoot onto frozen ground or snow; such a rash act will cause severe stress for the body, which will result in diseases of the kidneys, throat and nose. Another option is frostbite on the feet or toes. In order to walk barefoot in the snow for medicinal purposes, quite a long and thoughtful preparation is required.
It is strongly recommended not to walk on tiles or porcelain tiles without shoes; this undoubtedly beautiful, but cold floor will contribute to hypothermia of the foot and, as a result, will provoke diseases of the pelvic organs and genitourinary system.
It is better not to walk barefoot on the surface of large stones for a long time; now we are talking about natural stones, as, according to the philosophy of Feng Shui, they “pull” life energy out of a person.
Synthetic carpets, linoleum, everything that can accumulate static electricity also has a bad effect on human bioenergy. Therefore, walking barefoot on linoleum at home is much worse than walking on the same linoleum at home in slippers. Keep this in mind. The most ideal surfaces for walking barefoot are parquet, cork floors, or carpets made from natural materials.
“When a person stands barefoot on living earth, it is the same thing when a mother holds an infant in her arms. Invisible energies envelop such a person, penetrate and warm all his cells. And this energy is maternal, for the Earth is truly a MOTHER.
A person, walking barefoot on the earth, connects with the entire Universe, it begins to feel him.
Illnesses, if present, can leave a person, and even the psyche changes - a person feels calmer, more confident. The character changes: a person becomes more balanced and gentle, kinder, he will commit fewer bad deeds, he will be able to see deeper the meaning of his life; If he had to do bad deeds, he will no longer be able to do them.
– What is morning dew and how is it useful?
– Dew is the living energy of the Earth and space, which is released by grass as a living organism that lives in this cosmic space. The grass has all the energies of the cosmos, because it has a connection with the planets. Dew is very useful. Dew cures skin diseases, but not all and not always. Rolling in the dew in the morning has a beneficial effect on the entire body and on the subtle body of a person, and after that you can swim in the water.
- What happens if a child walks barefoot? - A child steps barefoot on Mother Earth - such touches bring happiness and joy to the Earth, she sings through this little child her song of cosmic existence and her wisdom. Walk, little child, with your bare feet on Mother Earth! Just as a mother gives everything to her child, so the Earth gives everything she can to her children, namely: health to the body and mind. The body of such a person, who has already grown into an adult, will calmly react to the environment, for example, to strong temperature changes - his body will turn on its hidden capabilities and in the most extreme situations such a person will survive and not even get sick. And this is nothing more than the invisible connection of the Earth with man, and this is called love, and this is harmony.
A child who walks barefoot on Mother Earth from an early age can be kind, and it is kindness that will allow him to be honest. Such a person will not be able to deceive, but will be able to give, but will not allow anyone to destroy life - that is, the planet, nature, water, air, his parents, his children.”
What does alternative medicine say?
The vast majority of people, unfortunately, have forgotten the wonderful custom of their ancestors - walking barefoot. But this is a sure way to harden and maintain the health of the whole body. Walking barefoot gives strength, strengthens the immune system, and helps get rid of many diseases. Summer days are a great opportunity to walk barefoot in the countryside, in the forest, on the beach to stock up on health for the long winter.
Ancient Chinese healers wrote about the benefits of walking barefoot 5 thousand years ago. They made the greatest medical discovery - they identified more than 1000 biologically active (acupuncture) points on the human body and identified the connection between these points and reflexogenic zones on the sole of a person with all his organs. When exposed to acupuncture points with needles, thorns or sharp stones, they were able to cure almost all diseases. Modern physiologists have confirmed that the sole of the human foot is the most powerful reflexogenic zone, that is, the area where sensitive nerve endings - receptors - are located, the irritation of which causes certain reflexes. There are more such receptors on 1 square centimeter of skin on the sole than on any other part of the body. When walking barefoot, their activity increases.
The positive effect of barefoot walking on mental and physical abilities was noted by the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates and the Roman philosopher Seneca. The ancient Greek writer Plutarch testified that Socrates constantly walked barefoot and taught his students to do so “in order to sharpen their thoughts.” The Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca also, on principle, never wore shoes.
Among our compatriots, A.V. Suvorov was a great supporter of hardening with the help of barefooting, who retained his vigor and ability to work until a very old age.
Barefooting as a means of treating a number of diseases was first proposed at the end of the 19th century by the German Catholic priest and naturopathic doctor Sebastian Kneipp, who wrote the book “My Water Cure.” In it, he gives numerous examples of curing various diseases by walking barefoot on dewy grass, cold water, wet stones, and on newly fallen snow. In Russia, active followers of Kneipp’s teachings were L.N. Tolstoy, who loved to take morning walks barefoot on the dewy grass of the park in Yasnaya Polyana, and the outstanding physiologist I.P. Pavlov.
Do you want to experience the joy of life? Take off your shoes!
Remember how, as a child, you delightedly splashed barefoot through puddles, ran on wet grass and warm paths? To many modern parents, this natural childish desire seems indecent and unhygienic, and they nip it in the bud, categorically reprimanding the child: “You’ll catch a cold!” You’ll hurt your legs!”
Meanwhile, scientists have proven that walking barefoot is an effective hardening agent that significantly reduces the risk of developing acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections. Walking barefoot, promoting the activation of neuromuscular and oxidative processes, as well as the normalization and stabilization of blood pressure, helps prevent the development of serious diseases - stroke, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, hypertension and many other diseases.
Walking barefoot allows you to prevent and treat various types of foot deformities. In India, Vietnam, Indonesia and other countries where climatic conditions make it possible to walk barefoot all year round, there are much fewer problems with orthopedic pathology.
Walking barefoot has another advantage. It is known that when moving or coming into contact with the external environment (especially synthetic clothing), electrical charges accumulate on the human body. To remove them, a living organism, like a machine, requires grounding, but shoes prevent this. The accumulation of electrical charges leads to chronic fatigue, insomnia, and neuroses. If the foot is in direct contact with the ground, the charges freely go into the ground.
Why is it good to go barefoot?
When walking barefoot, maintaining the rhythm of this most natural form of physical activity is of great importance. In order to maintain body balance when walking, a person unconsciously moves forward first his right leg and left arm, and then, in the same rhythm, his left leg and right arm. This crossover excites electrical activity in the brain, which has a harmonizing effect on the nervous system. For this reason, it is more useful not just to sit without shoes, with your feet touching the ground, but to walk. Walking provides aerobic, that is, oxygen, exchange, which is important for the functioning of the cardiovascular system, increases the heart rate and breathing.
Thanks to walking barefoot, a person discovers forgotten pleasant sensations and helps to harmonize his connection with nature.
Upon contact with the ground, a foot massage occurs, promoting intense blood circulation, erasing dead areas and calluses on the skin, as well as a beneficial effect on nerve endings.
Stimulating certain areas of the feet helps improve the functioning of internal organs, enhance immunity, and strengthen the nervous system.
Walking barefoot helps strengthen the ligaments, bones and muscles of the foot, and in children - their proper formation, which is an excellent prevention and treatment of flat feet, as well as any orthopedic disorders. Regular walking barefoot on sand or loose soil reduces the load on the sole and arch of the foot, and reduces pain associated with muscle strain due to irregular foot shape.
Walking barefoot helps improve the elasticity of the blood vessels of the lower extremities and blood circulation in the legs. This is especially useful for women who spend long periods of time wearing high heels.
Long and regular walking barefoot develops beautiful posture and graceful gait. In addition, hardened feet warm up faster in the cold in winter and cool down more easily in the summer heat. The heat is much easier to bear if you walk without shoes, since excess heat is removed from the body through the feet.
By practicing barefoot walking, you naturally take care of the health of your feet. Bare feet are always dry, do not sweat and do not emit an unpleasant odor. The skin of the feet becomes stronger and less susceptible to the risk of infection from any infection, including fungal infections, since the fungus develops only in a moist and loose environment.
Finally, walking barefoot helps to get rid of psychological complexes, because... contributes to the formation of the habit of doing what you want, what you like, and not what is approved by the strict guardians of etiquette.
Walking barefoot, of course, is not a panacea, but using it as part of a general hygienic regimen can have a noticeable positive effect on health.
Who should not walk barefoot?
Walking barefoot is contraindicated in case of diabetes, gout, rheumatism, chronic kidney disease, inflammatory diseases, cracked skin of the feet, as well as fungal diseases.
“I wish I could run barefoot through the dew!..”
Different types of surfaces have different effects on nerve endings. Hot sand, asphalt, mown grass, small pebbles, pine needles or cones, snow or ice have a strong stimulating effect. And warm sand, road dust, soft grass, a fleecy carpet are soothing. Neutral-temperature asphalt and uneven ground, wet or dewy grass, and wooden floors moderately excite the nervous system.
When walking barefoot, it is recommended to change the type of surface you walk on during one workout. Considering the natural reaction of the body, it is useful to walk on grass or freshly cut stubble after warm sand, and finish the workout on an earthen path or on a road covered with soft dust. In winter in urban conditions, you can combine walking on the floor, then on concrete stairs and, finally, on snow and ice.
If you live near a body of water, alternate walking on the grass with walking on loose river or sea sand, wet stones (pebbles), move from wet sand to dry sand and back again, thanks to this your feet will receive varied and very effective stimulation.
It is very useful to walk without shoes on grass wet with dew in the mornings and evenings. After walking on a wet lawn or forest clearing for 15 to 20 minutes without wiping your feet, put on dry socks and put on your shoes. Shoes should be comfortable, soft and closed (for example, moccasins made of genuine leather). Walk for another 10 minutes at a fast pace to warm up your feet. Cooling and subsequent warming of the skin of the feet stimulates reflexogenic zones, improves blood circulation and has a beneficial effect on all organs and systems, ensuring their full functioning.
Searching for new sensations
At home
Those who decide to put barefoot walking into practice should start small. The first steps should be taken at home, first on the carpet or rug, then on the floor (this recommendation especially applies to small children and people with weak immune systems). Vacuum, wash the floors, take off your slippers and walk around the apartment for 10 - 15 minutes at least twice a day.
For walking barefoot, you can make a kind of home “mini-beach”. To do this, make a box measuring 50x80 cm with a height of 15 cm or use a suitable strong box. Fill the box with a washed and dried mixture of coarse sand, river pebbles and large pebbles. If these materials are not available, use chestnuts, acorns, a mixture of beans and peas, etc. You can do it differently. Prepare in advance about 2 kg of ordinary river or sea pebbles, place them in a flat basin, and fill them with cool water. To enhance the healing effect, you can add sea salt and decoctions of medicinal herbs to the water. Walk along your “mini-beach” for 10-15 minutes every day, and you will forget about many diseases. Encourage your loved ones, including children, to walk barefoot on it.
For Buddhist monks, one of the types of hardening is walking barefoot along the rocky bottom of a cold mountain stream, along which they take 108 steps. At home, a stream can completely replace a bath. To do this, place a flexible hose in the bathtub away from the drain and run water through it. A cold stream as deep as a finger begins to run along the bottom, along which you need to splash with your bare feet 108 times. After cooling, you should not rub your feet, but just get them wet so that they warm up on their own. This “exercise for the lazy” not only invigorates, but also gets rid of static electricity that accumulates in the body of city dwellers.
...and in the fresh air
With the onset of warm days, regardless of the weather, try to walk barefoot in the green area of your locality. First, walk on soft grass and warm sand, then you can move on to flat ground, and only then should you master colder and uneven surfaces (pebbles, rocky and forest paths, etc.).
The risk of getting an infection when walking barefoot is low, unless, of course, there are cuts or other damage to the skin. Dermatologists say: fungal diseases are more dangerous for pampered feet that constantly sweat in shoes. The likelihood of injury when walking barefoot should not be exaggerated.
You need to start the practice of barefoot walking for 10 minutes, gradually increasing the duration of training to 30 minutes. Having become an experienced “barefoot”, in winter you can run in the snow for 2-3 minutes.
The easiest way is to start walking barefoot in your summer cottage. The dacha lifestyle itself presupposes a fairly free attitude towards clothing. Some wear old, torn jeans, others go barefoot. In addition, in the countryside you can walk barefoot all the time.
Moving around the site barefoot, you inevitably walk on different surfaces (earth, sand, grass, paving slabs, asphalt, gravel), training your feet. Don’t miss the opportunity to walk on these same surfaces after the rain, remembering your barefoot childhood. Don't be afraid to splash around in puddles or even stir up mud (but be careful not to slip!). Try walking on the soft warm road dust and mowing the lawn barefoot, you will probably experience a pleasant sensation and at the same time strengthen your body's defenses.
On a summer cottage or area near the house, you can make a kind of “health path” by laying out alternating strips of sand, pebbles without sharp corners (in extreme cases, ordinary expanded clay), earth, pine needles, and tiles in the form of an uneven path. Before walking on it barefoot, you can water it with water to enhance the healing effect.
Rules for going barefoot
Those wishing to engage in barefoot walking for medicinal purposes must follow the general rule for all types of physical training: gradualism, systematicity and continuity.
Any training should be treated without fanaticism. Therefore, even if you go barefoot, don’t force things! If you immediately go “for a walk in the morning dew,” there is a high probability of developing an acute respiratory disease, since your body’s reaction to new sensations and cooling of the feet may be inadequate.
Start walking barefoot in the warm season to get used to the new sensations and strengthen your body's defenses before the cold weather.
Walking barefoot requires compliance with certain hygiene rules. After walking barefoot, be sure to wash your feet with water at room temperature, soap and a brush. In the evening, it is recommended to massage your feet and calves and lubricate your feet with a nourishing, softening cream. At first, corns may appear on the soles and cracks on the heels. However, with proper foot hygiene, this can be avoided.
It is useful to combine barefoot walks with daily cold and hot foot baths. Contrast baths enhance the hardening effect.
Walking along the paths in our parks and forests is sometimes unsafe, as you can run into fragments from bottles. Therefore, you should always have a pencil of brilliant green or hydrogen peroxide and a bactericidal patch with you in case of a cut on your foot. Well, you don’t have to walk very fast to see the path you’re walking on.
You should not walk without shoes in the dark or on fallen leaves.
Who are barefooters?
Some people enjoy the feeling of contact with the ground and other surfaces so much that they try to walk barefoot wherever possible, and do not wear shoes even in cold weather. A subculture of barefooting has developed around this phenomenon, whose representatives call themselves barefooters, that is, “barefooted.” Barefooters strive to spend as little time as possible in shoes (ideally, never wear them).
The progenitor of this movement was Jane Fonda. On her initiative, the official holiday “Walking Barefoot” was established in the United States. For lovers of barefooting, which has recently become very fashionable, the West has even come up with special parks with paths with different surfaces: convex and smooth, sandy, stone, wooden. There are especially many such parks in Germany; they also exist in Holland and Belgium. In the USA and Europe, special restaurants have already appeared where barefoot people are allowed in without any problems.
One of the barefooters, for example, gives several arguments in favor of walking barefoot: “The sense of balance improves, blood circulation is activated, and more energy appears. For example, I once had problems with my knees, which I don’t even remember today. And in general, it’s very pleasant to feel with your feet something that you can’t feel in your shoes!” It’s hard to disagree with this, but there are also negative aspects to this method of healing: in urban conditions, there is a high probability of injuring your feet and causing infection in the wounds.
Without suggesting that you join the ranks of barefooters, we advise you to still think about whether you should always wear shoes where you can safely walk barefoot.
As summer continues, try going barefoot every chance you get! Do not deprive yourself of the pleasure of feeling the coolness of thick grass, the softness and warmth of sand heated by the sun, the tingling of twigs fallen from the trees. And remember the words of the famous Sebastian Kneipp: “Every barefoot step is an extra minute of life”
From the book by A. Savrasov “Belovodye - White Vedas”
Running barefoot on grass, sand and stones is good for health; it provides an intense massage of the arches of the feet, which has a beneficial effect on the health of the feet and overall well-being. The secret of how to properly walk on stones with health benefits will help you get rid of a number of diseases.
Walking on stones
Pebbles stimulate our feet much more actively. Such beaches are considered incredibly beneficial for those who develop flat feet. This procedure can be done not only on the seashore, but also at home.
On the body of each person there are approximately 1000 points that are biologically active and activate the work of one or another organ. The whole body is interconnected, and the human feet are the most reflexogenic zone, where a huge number of nerve endings and receptors are located. For example, walking on pebbles, especially warm ones, heated by the sun's rays.
Walking barefoot on rocks helps:
- strengthening and activating blood circulation in the legs;
— strengthening the muscles and bones located in the foot area;
- preventing the development of flat feet;
- increasing the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels;
- development of beautiful posture;
— cleansing dead skin on the feet and renewing the cellular composition;
— stimulation of the nervous system;
- stress relief;
- eliminating fatigue and lethargy;
— restoration of strength after grueling physical activity.
Teach your kids to step carefully on a special massage mat if you have a trip to the sea with a pebble beach. This way the baby will not be afraid of new sensations that may have seemed painful to him the first time.
Doctors recommend such walks for people suffering from poor posture. Warm stones and pebbles are indicated for people with kidney problems. Regular repetition of the procedure improves brain function, increases alertness and memory. You will see how your general well-being improves, insomnia and depression disappear. All this is possible thanks to the stimulation of nerve endings in the feet.
How to walk on stones
The sea is far away, but you can’t walk the streets barefoot. You can arrange a mini-beach at home. To do this you will need pebbles; you can replace them with chestnuts, acorns or peas and beans.
Prepare a bowl of water: fill it so that your feet are ankle-deep in water. By the way, you can improve the result and carry out the procedure with greater benefit if you use sea water or water with the addition of sea salt. You can add decoctions or infusions of medicinal herbs to enhance the therapeutic and preventive effect.
Place stones or other material of your choice at the bottom of the container. Stand in the water, feel how your feet relax and how the nerve receptors are stimulated. You need to spend at least 15 minutes on such a mini-beach, and then, with regular repetition, you can forget about illnesses and bad moods. It is recommended to carry out the procedure in the evening, after a working day, but not just before bed. Walking on stones not only has health benefits, but also slightly invigorates, which is not appropriate before a night's rest.
But in the morning, on the contrary, it’s just the right time to cheer up. Prepare yourself a basin with stones in advance in the evening, filling it with water. Immersing your feet in cold water, and even on stones, will fill you with incredible energy and give you vigor for the whole day. You can place a container of water right next to the washbasin. While you wash your face and brush your teeth, the pebbles massage your feet. A few minutes - and you are ready for a new day!
Somehow I came across an article about the increasingly popular barefoot subculture. This is about those people who walk without shoes wherever they want: at home, on the street, in public places where it is not prohibited. From the point of view of modern ethics, this activity is ambiguous. But what if we put morality aside and ask ourselves about the benefits of walking barefoot? Or harm? You will find the answers below.
Is it possible to walk barefoot?
This question is by no means idle. There are many myths and superstitions that discourage walking without shoes. For purely practical reasons, the vast majority of us leave the house with shoes on. And only those same barefooters (from the English barefooting - barefoot) do the opposite, despite the aggressive conditions of the urban environment.
As for the benefits of walking barefoot around the house, opinions are mixed. On the one hand, we are urged to return “back to nature”, give freedom to our feet, at least in our own apartment, and give up slippers and other unnecessary things. On the other hand, we are told that such behavior is unreasonable, as it is fraught with colds, foot diseases, etc.
What do the experts think?
Orthopedic scientists and physical therapy specialists have conducted a number of experiments proving the positive effect of walking without shoes, especially with flat feet and its consequences (bunions, heel spurs, corns). But! It is important to walk on uneven surfaces and not on flat surfaces. Only in this case the musculo-ligamentous apparatus of the foot is properly used.
Why is it important? Our foot, despite its small size, has a complex structure. Its main function is depreciation And body hold. In an ideal position, three points bear the entire load when walking, running and standing - the first and fifth metatarsal bones (located under the big toe and little finger) and the heel bone. The remaining bones are involved in the creation of two arches - the transverse and longitudinal arches.
It is the muscles, ligaments and tendons that are responsible for maintaining the arches, the height of which plays an important role in the normal functioning of the foot.
Weak muscles are not able to hold the metatarsal bones and tarsus; under the weight of our body, the transverse arch begins to fall, and the longitudinal arch begins to rise. As a result, the foot collapses, flat feet develop, the load on the spine changes, and the activity of internal organs is disrupted. Of course, all this does not happen overnight. The sooner you take action, the greater the chances of avoiding negative changes.
How to walk barefoot correctly
Walking on textured and loose surfaces is ideal for training and strengthening the ligaments and muscles of the foot. This could be a seashore with pebbles and sand, paths in the forest, grass in a meadow, etc.
Such regular walks will be enough to stop the further development of flat feet: the muscles are actively involved in work, blood supply improves, ligaments are strengthened and the layer of the epidermis thickens, which also reduces the risk of fungal diseases. If you also add other measures:
- warm baths before bed,
- wearing correct shoes and orthotics,
- physiotherapy, for example mud therapy,
then the effect will be lasting and you will forget about the pain syndrome.
It may be painful for the average city dweller to walk barefoot at first, but gradually a habit will develop. You should start at a comfortable temperature and for a few minutes, gradually increasing the charging time. In addition, basic precautions should be taken: avoid glass, excessively sharp stones, as well as snakes and ticks.
Hardening
Everyone knows that good training is the key to good health. It is very important to approach this issue carefully so as not to cause harm. Special schemes have been developed on how to start correctly and what methods to use. Many adherents consider walking barefoot on the ground or grass as a hardening option. At dosed And controlled By cooling your feet, you can develop in your body the habit of ignoring lower temperatures and resistance to diseases.
After consistent training, you can start walking on water and even snow without shoes. This helps improve the functioning of the immune system, increase resistance to stress, and improve the functioning of many internal organs. You should start with a few steps, monitor your feelings, gradually increasing the duration of the procedures day by day.
Should I go barefoot at home?
As we have already found out, in order to train the muscles of the foot, you need a surface that is as close as possible to natural reliefs: with unevenness, rolls, with elements of instability and moderate hardness. Flat floors, carpets, linoleum, and parquet do not meet these conditions.
On the contrary, walking barefoot on the floor at home is harmful. Firstly, a simply cold floor can cause a cold. Secondly, the arch of the foot spreads out on a flat surface and this only makes flat feet worse. Therefore, comfortable, lightweight slippers should be used as indoor shoes.
If it is not possible to walk barefoot down the street, this does not mean that you cannot recreate the natural terrain in your apartment. You can purchase special massage mats with imitation pebbles. Use chestnuts or natural pebbles placed in a wide basin and walk on them. 15 minutes a day of this massage will significantly improve your well-being.
Now you know that walking barefoot is not only harmful, but also useful, the main thing is to follow simple rules and precautions. As with any prevention, regularity and moderation are important here. Take care of your feet, and this care will return to you a hundredfold!
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