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About this time of summer, I want to say a few words about the joys of going barefoot. And I promise, this will be the last newsletter (for a while at least), about FEET!!

It is hot out; there is no disputing that. But there is a certain freedom and pleasure in being so unencumbered by clothing and shoes. Memories of last winter are still (sort of) fresh in my mind, so I am trying to remain in a mental state of cool enjoyment, relishing in the freedom of being barefoot and pregnant. (Whoops. No. I didn't mean that. It just slipped out!! I am notpregnant)!! But I am eating right to stay cool, and letting my entire body, including my feet, breathe in fresh air and ocean water as much as possible.

And wouldn't you know it. I found an article this week that speaks about minimizing footwear when exercising / running. The article points out a few important considerations, one's that I spoke of the past two weeks. It says: that the popular "running shoes" were designed to lesson the shock when the feet hit the ground. But studies suggest that they may actually increase impact injuries because the cushioning interferes with our ability to sense the force at which our feet strike the ground, how long we stand, etc. Not good!! The elevated heel of most running shoes also induces a rear foot strike, increasing impact, even more. When you run, walk, jog, rebound, etc. in a more natural state of footwear, your feet strike the ground with lower collision force. The study found that a return to going barefoot could reduce impact related injuries, and build stronger foot, ankle, and leg muscles, while alsoimproving agility and balance.

Shoe manufacturers have already begun to embrace this idea with the "barefoot shoe". Look for them. Nike etc. are now creating shoes that re-create the barefoot experience, realizing that it is not always safe, nor advisable to go truly barefoot just anywhere. Sometimes shoes are necessary. But please shift your focus to natural shoes that are contoured to your correct and natural foot print. We here at Wholly Macro only advise indulging in the pleasures and benefits of going barefoot in safe clean natural spaces. And thankfully the leading shoe manufacturers are now really into this concept as well, making glove like shoes with thin enough soles to let your feet feel the ground.

Just this week I had to help a lady out of the ocean. The beach I go to has a sort of steep incline, and also has a lot of rocks and shells. She couldn't get up the incline, and the rocks were hurting her feet. My advice to her as I helped her was, "Don't look down to try to avoid the rocks. Let your feet find their own way. Let them feel the rock and find the sand around the rock. Trust your feet". She had been watching me body scrub with the sand, and then I landed my "rock advice" on her. I'm sure she thought I was crazy, or at least seriously eccentric, and perhaps I am, but I got her out of the ocean safely, and taught her a thing or two about her feet too!

This brings to mind a few friends of mine from years ago. One was a runner. A serious long distance marathon runner. She had no toenails. The impact of her feet hitting the ground repeatedly jarred her toenails loose until they literally fell of. She said, and I have confirmed, that it is a common condition with runners. Another was a doctor I worked with in the hospital. He would walk, jog, and run to the hospital at night to make rounds. And he would give himself injections of steroids to dull the pain in his sore and swollen feet (and knees). Then he would walk / jog home!

Wearing high tech "running shoes" to minimize foot pain, allowing you to abuse your feet and cushion your feet from feeling the true impact of your activities, is somewhat similar to my doctor friend injecting his knees with steroids to numb his own pain, the pain that even his high tech shoes couldn't numb. Or like my runner friend who wore thick cushioned shoes to protect her nail less toes so that she could keep running. It puts your body out of touch with your feet, and it puts your feet, the very part of your body that is meant to be in contact with the earth, out of touch completely. My feet really do miss that primal contact with the earth when bound in shoes for too long. Similarly, poor quality un-natural shoes such as high heels, do the same. If you wear the shoes, and they hurt your feet, even if only for a short period of time, doing this repeatedly is sure to cause foot problems somewhere down the line.

You will find me walking barefoot on the beach as often as possible. Walking barefoot in my yard as much as possible. And "jogging" barefoot on my rebounder as much as possible too. It is all such fun, and such a natural way to take advantage of the summer while staying fit. And I think I will look into a pair of barefoot shoes to wear when I am in places where going truly barefoot doesn't feel clean and / or safe.

In health to you as always.

Gayle and Jaime

Gayle and Jaime / Wholly Macro