Issue #5: Why you need to be barefoot

Hey Radical Health Seekers 👋 

Coming up in this edition of the Radical Health Newsletter: 

• 3 reasons NOT to join us for Animal-Based 30…
• Why you should free your feet immediately
• How to embrace barefoot living while avoiding dog doo…
• And a lesson from grizzly bears.

But first…

On the menu at Heart & Soil

Ground beef w/cheese… raw liver… fruit and honey…

Delicious, nutritious and so simple!

3 reasons NOT to sign up for Animal-Based 30

1. You’re already thriving in every way possible (congratulations!)

2. You’re undertaking important research on the International Space Station (let us know, we’ll fly you up a bottle of our desiccated organs!)

3. You’re dating a hot vegan.

But seriously.

Who doesn’t want to eat ribeyes AND feel amazing at the same time?

Because that’s what will happen when you join us for Animal-Based 30.

👞 Time to free your feet

For most of your life you’ve been putting your feet in a prison. And we don’t mean the minimum security kind with a recreation yard.

We mean more like solitary confinement (appropriately called the “SHU” by prison inmates).

And the thing about your feet is that they are highly sophisticated and complex machines.

They are your natural shock absorbers. They store up elastic energy so that you can run and jump.

And they are your primary touch point for all sensory perception coming from our environment.

Lets not forget that until relatively recently, we walked all over the world on nothing but our bare feet and got on just fine.

And the first shoes were no more than animal skins wrapped around our feet to protect against snakes and sharp stones.

But modern shoes with their cushioned soles, contoured support systems, unnaturally narrow toe caps, and elevated heels are a completely different kettle of fish.

And like overprotective parents who wrap their kids in bubblewrap, it’s time we gave our feet a little more freedom to explore this wonderful world and express their natural instincts!

The main reason to free your feet and go barefoot is because it just feels good.

Nuff said!

But if you still need convincing, then read on…

Sensory Awareness

Your feet have 200,000 nerve endings and are a primary touchpoint for all sensory connections with your environment.

But if you’ve been regularly wearing shoes, then this connection is likely as dull as a hammer.

Go barefoot to unlock these new sensations and bring yourself closer to your original wild human self!

Grass, sand, concrete, leaves and water, if you’re not going barefoot, you’re cutting off an entire line of information!

Improved posture and less injuries

Modern shoes weaken the arches and critical stabilizer muscles in your feet. They also cause your Achilles tendons and calf muscles to atrophy and shorten. The raised heel of modern shoes also shifts your body weight forward, messing up your posture.

This leads to a chain reaction of compensatory flaws. Like a tucked pelvis, curved spine, and forward-hunched shoulders that are the most obvious signs of poor posture.

🦶 How to start

Step 1 – Do barefoot at home

Grounding

Modern shoes with their rubber soles insulate us from the earth’s electrical charge.

We are the only animal to do this. All other animals (with the exception of birds) are connected to the earth 24/7.

Going barefoot reconnects us with the earth’s electrical charge, and is known as grounding or earthing.

The theory is that positive electrons in the form of free radicals accumulate in our bodies and cause inflammation.

And because the earth has a slightly negative charge, grounding neutralizes these positive electrons.

Studies show that grounding can have positive effects on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

This is the simplest way to start. Just stop wearing shoes and socks when you are at home!

Progress to your garden, neighborhood or nearest park for added grounding sensory benefits (don’t avoid the rocks, sand and leaves, but do mind the dog doo doo 💩).

Step 2 – Start barefoot walking outside

Try this on foot-friendly surfaces like grass, clean pavements or sand. It will activate and strengthen the muscles, joints and tendons in your feet. Start slow and progress to gentle running!

Step 3 – Take up a barefoot-friendly sport

There are tons of sports that provide the opportunity for you to free the feet! Some of our favorites include spike ball, martial arts, beach volleyball and slacklining.

Step 4 – Swap your regular shoes for barefoot shoes

It’s not possible nor do we want to completely eliminate shoes from our lives. But the good news is there are plenty of barefoot style shoes now available to wear.

These minimalist shoes allow your feet to express their natural form as much as possible, while still offering some protection. They typically have wide toe boxes, minimal soles and zero heel drops… awesome!

Final thoughts on going barefoot…

People will tell you that going barefoot is a trend, but we say wearing shoes is the real trend. And it’s hard to imagine a purer way to connect with our inner wild selves than to stroll around barefoot.

However, there are some moments when wearing shoes is definitely a good idea.

For example, you’ll probably want to wear them if you’ve got a job interview…

(although you can totally show up for a job interview at Heart & Soil barefoot 😀)

And even though driving barefoot is allowed in all states in the US, it’s probably a good idea to wear shoes while riding your motorcycle 🏍️

🌅 Lessons from the wild

Did you know that scientists have observed bears in the wild sitting still for long periods of time, doing absolutely nothing except staring at scenic vistas like sunsets, lakes and mountains?

There is very little explanation as to what purpose this behaviour has, except that bears seem to find such scenes aesthetically pleasing and “beautiful”.

Appreciate more beauty.

That’s all from us this week! Get outside today and free your feet!

The Heart & Soil Crew