Walking Barefoot: benefits in Health and Beauty

Walking barefoot is one of the most toning exercises for the body.  Just take a look at this drawing.  How many nerve endings are in your feet, and how many organs benefit from each barefoot walk or every time you stimulate these energy points?

Walking barefoot is a practice that has become increasingly more lost through the use of footwear, and if you practice you, you will notice how your body benefits in every way from it.

The feet contain important nerve endings, which are used in alternative therapies like reflexology, acupuncture, foot acupressure, bioenergetics, etc., for healing and re-establishing energy flow throughout the body.  This removes repressed emotions that were blocked or unrecognized, that the body externalizes as illness, anxiety, anger, etc.

Walking barefoot has different properties, such as:

1. It promotes greater oxygenation throughout the body because it stimulates blood flow.
2. Promotes fat and toxin elimination, or the elimination of bad moods from the body.
3. Softens stress, depressive and neurotic states because it strengthens the nervous system.
4. Activates good nutrition distribution throughout the body, helps the feet be stronger and to have greater vein resistance, along with preventing varicose veins.
5. Each time you press these points in your feet, the organs connected with these endings become energized and stimulated, helping better kidney, liver, intestines, stomach, spleen, etc.  It also helps heal illnesses related to low energy or energy obstruction, making it circulate through energy channels called meridians.
6. Reflexology is one of the most effective alternative practices in regards to diseases.  This therapy consists of pressing the feet at certain points to decongest energy that is stuck and no longer flowing, which causes illnesses and an altered nervous system.  Walking is a natural way to exercise the feet, while at the same time helping energy to vitalize and heal the body.

How should I walk barefoot?

You should practice at least an hour a day, but considering society’s high demands, we recommend walking barefoot for at least 15 minutes.  To do so, you’ll need to find an area in which you can walk, such as:

1. A garden at home.  Avoid parks or community gardens, opt for areas with grass that animals, like dogs and cats, haven’t been.
2. If you’re close to a river or if you have the opportunity to go out camping one weekend, this is a perfect opportunity.  Walking in the water or on moist land is wonderful for the body.
3. If you have a beach nearby, do not hesitate to take as many walks as you can.  Walking on sand is one of the most beneficial health therapies around.  If you walk close to the waves, not only will your feet and body benefit from it, but your legs will get stronger as well.  This prevents cellulite, varicose veins, and flaccid thighs or buttocks.
4. If you can find some sort of stone pavement, moisten your legs a bit and try to walk along them, keeping your balance.  You should shower the rocks with cold water, and be careful not to slip.  Keep you balance by holding onto a handrail, or help your child walk on the rocks.  You’ll see just how beneficial these results are.

And if I don’t have a park, or beach, or river nearby?

Don’t get down about it.  Find two or three lemons and place them on your feet.  Then, rub the sole of your feet with the lemons, trying to put pressure on them, but without standing on them.  It’s best to rub your feet over them lemons when you’re sitting down.  This massage could help replace the barefoot walk, while you find a good place to walk.

Another way to massage your feet while you’re looking for a good place to walk barefoot, is to use special massage sandals on your feet.  You can find them in several stores.  These sandals should provide a general foot massage, which will stimulate important points in your feet.

Benefits of barefoot walking

On cold stones: fights headaches, poor circulation, neck pain, cough, cold feet and hands, etc.

Walking on snow: it’s not impossible, you can walk on freshly fallen snow for 2 to 3 minutes.  This walk will help enormously in stimulating blood circulation, spreading oxygen and nutrients throughout your entire body.

Walking on the beach: this will help strengthen your legs, prevent cellulite, flaccid skin, tone your glutes and thighs, prevents varicose veins, and will make your legs beautiful.  To do so, apply sunblock if you’re going to a hot beach, along with a hat, and carry a bottle of water to enjoy the walk.  Do this exercise in the first hours of the morning to prevent harmful sun rays after noon.

Walking on moist grass: this strengthening exercise is recommended for all ages.  The moister and the fresher teh grass, the better!  This walk will help absorb the energy of the Earth.  You will absorb minerals from the land, which will promote circulation throughout your entire body and will strengthen your heart and nervous system.  It is very useful for elderly individuals and children, as well as pregnant women.  To do this walk, opt for dewy grass in the morning or the afternoon, at which time you should water the garden with cold water.  Take your shoes off and go for a long, slow walk, enjoying the nature that surrounds you.

Walking in water: this will improve blood circulation, tone your legs (especially if you’re in the ocean), soften feet, prevents callouses, fight athletes foot, fungus, infections and cuts.  To do so, take your shoes off in a lake, river or whichever ocean is closest.  Walk in the water for as long as possible.  Try to do this walk in areas away from large cities.

Scrub your feet with lemons: this stimulates acupressure points in the feet and helps heal illnesses, lowers tension in the body, helps you relax and fight muscle pains, headaches, joint pain in the feet, etc.  Perfect for people with arthritis.

All of these walk will help your feet capture the sun, so they don’t turn yellow, orange, or stained.  This prevents them from smelling bad and keeps them soft and strong.  These walks will also make your skin look rejuvenated and healthier.

Revised by: Dra. Loredana Lunadei on 12/30/2017

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