Barefoot people live longer

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THERE’S something to be said for taking the road less travelled, if only in small ways,
A US study a few years ago found that people who regularly kick off their shoes under their tables or desks live about three years longer than those who don’t.
Monks of all varieties often go barefoot. Some say it makes them more aware of the earth and of the holiness around them.

One sociology study concluded that the seven billion or so people on the planet fall into two general categories.
In one category are those who see life as a perplexing game and just cope with it. The others know that human beings best experience life through some faith.
If we see ourselves empowered by the divinity that is around us, we will know that nothing can stand in our way. We don’t have to be perfect or pretty or rich to be loved.
Soren Kirkegaard said: “If I were to wish for anything, I should not wish for wealth and power, but for the passionate sense of what might be, for the eye which, forever young and ardent, sees the possible. Pleasure disappoints; possibility never. And what wine is so sparkling, what so fragrant, what so intoxicating as what is possible?’’

34 thoughts on “Barefoot people live longer”

  1. When I lived in Thailand, I spent much of the time in bare feet, since it is considered dirty to wear outer footwear inside private dwellings. Also, two workplaces, a school and a magazine, required workers to remove shoes at the door. We could wear slippers inside if we wanted. I got used to this and found it difficult to wear shoes all the time when I returned to Australia.

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  2. Well that generalisation certainly stands to reason in the case of barefooted newborns.

    But other than that I really think you need to get out more, young fella, instead of overdosing on ‘surveys’ and ‘studies’ . Addictions, legal or not, tend to put one at risk of looking a bit silly..

    For example (assuming that by “faith” you mean a religious-type delusion) this absurdly false juxtaposition:- “In one category are those who see life as a perplexing game and just cope with it. The others know that human beings best experience life through some faith.”

    I don’t need to survey 7,000,000,000 people to “conclude” that those two ‘categories’ are the same ‘perplexed’ people,,,,(a bit like some regimes which have the same two regiments and 9 tanks marching around and around the block to ‘prove’ their endless military might!).

    As a matter if idle curiosity, how many of those 7,000,000,000 people did they ‘survey’ in order to reach their “conclusion”? I’d wager they didn’t survey too many successful businessmen, tradesmen, politicians or other ‘public-servants’, etc (the ‘doers’), most of whom are too busy being successful to be either perplexed or bothered about experiencing life through “some faith”.

    ….and I’d also lay long odds that they didn’t ask too many children either.
    Kids know that the best way to “experience life” is via application of the unrestrained ‘Suck-It-And-See’ principle: not being bogged down by ’empowerment by the dogmatic divinity that is around us’.
    Ask our Evie ~ blessed be her contribution to our capacity for ‘experiencing life’, in absolute defiance of the “divinity around her 🙂

    On the upside, ” We don’t have to be perfect or pretty or rich to be loved.” is true…if we have a dog.
    …or a wombat……or a grasp on reality.

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    • ….and anyway, Jesus and his gang ‘experienced life’ whilst wearing footwear, which , according to scripture, HE never removed, (Though the disciples did. Once.) 🙂

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      • So how exactly did the woman who washed His feet do so? Cherry Picking Scripture again Dabbles?

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  3. Really? Talk to a podiatrist and see their advice for diabetics and other people who have foot problems. Apparently these people suffer a loss of sensation in their feet and walking barefoot can result in heel cracking and dirt getting inside the cracks causing all sorts of mischief… and all without the person feeling any sensation of problems.

    Given the increase of diabetes the study you quoted is a waste of time. Perhaps controlling overeating, lack of exercise, etc might be a better way of living longer.

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  4. According to a new book called Earthing by Martin Zucker, you were experiencing the flow of the earth’s electric energy connecting to your physical body, which has been scientifically proven to promote healing and create a deep sense of well-being within us. Grounding is simple and it is free. You simply connect your bare feet directly to the earth and enjoy the organic healing benefits.

    Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-healing-benefits-of-walking-barefoot.html#ixzz2jdExXo65

    It is customary in Judaism and some Christian denominations to go barefoot while mourning.[12] Some Christian churches practice barefoot pilgrimage traditions, such as the ascent of Croagh Patrick in Ireland at night while barefoot (although the nighttime part is no longer encouraged).[14]

    In many religions, it is common to remove shoes when entering a place considered holy. For example, in the Book of Exodus, Moses was instructed to remove his shoes before approaching the burning bush:
    “ Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy ground (Exodus 3:5).

    Christian congregations of men and women that go entirely barefoot or wear sandals include the Discalced, like the Discalced Carmelites (1568), the Feuillants (Cistercians, 1575), the Trinitarians (1594), the Mercedarians (1604), and the Passionists.[18]

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  6. A young thinker in my ‘flock’ has suggested that if Jesus knew he was going to die … isn’t that suicide? And what if Ghandi had died during a fast? Isn’t that suicide?

    The things kids think of …

    Over to you ….

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    • I tried the 40 day fast over lent once many years ago, and realised that when I went to pick up my nephew from school and I didn’t actually have the strength to turn the wheel of the car around and my eyesight was blurry that maybe I wasn’t made out for this fasting thing. I only managed a half a day.

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      • Now that’s an interesting concept:- “I have a very melodramatic body (tee hee)”.

        Does it ever do Shakespeare?
        ….you know:- “To be or not to be?”

        Incidentally, do you realise that chocolate can be eaten while fasting?
        It’s true! Any qualified dietician will tell you chocolate has no nutritional value whatever. 😉

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      • PhillipGeorge,
        Well, welcome home old mate. Sadly things here have been not quite so exciting since you deserted us the other month. And then they got decidedly dull when we lost the good ‘Prophet’ as well. A few of us have tried to stir the pot on odd occasions lately, but nothing on-going has ensued.
        Cheers, Rian. (still the same old dissenter!)

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      • Now Dabbles old friend,
        I tend to side with you very often, but really!!! I’m afraid the latest in dietetics do not support your notion about chocolate carrying no nutrition. I sadly fear that you have not read anything on the issue for some 20 years perhaps? My own very conservative doctor even just the other week acknowledged that Chocolate is very nutritious. Especially dark chocolate that has not been modified with milk or too much sugar.

        Check the matter out, please,
        Rian.

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      • ’twill be my pleasure, Rian, to run the suggested trial in as comprehensive manner as possible.
        But tell me, should I only test out the Very Conservative chocolates or attempt to collate the more Liberal ones as well?

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  7. What the Chinese are doing is wrong but who is going to tell them that and not be a hypocrite ? There is no country now that stand as a beacon for others.

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  10. As a kid I was always barefoot and always stepped on bees. As an adult it’s boots in the winter and thongs in the summer. More convenience, comfort, warmth and cooling rather than fashion. If ever I forget to put my shoes on when walking in the backyard I spend half the time hopping after stepping on small stones that hurt. What’s the point? To look natural? lol

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    • What about bindi’s Kathleen?

      Did you ever have the pleasure of stepping on those? Not to mention squishing ripe mulberries and chicken poop between your toes. Oh, and mud, glorious mud and jumping in rain puddles on a hot, steamy day? And then we grow up into a society that demands we wear shoes……and clothes, where it is an offence now to even let your babies and toddlers go without clothes at the beach because of the chance that a pedophile might be watching and taking photos. Are we truly civilized now? I think not.

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      • I don’t know what a bindi is.

        I’ve done the chicken poop stomp. Not pleasant.
        I jumped in rain puddles, with shoes 🙂
        Grass and sand are the only things I like to step on without shoes.

        I remember being required to be barefoot for dance class on an old wooden floor board and as would be expected ended up with a nice sized splinter (more like a plank) nice and snug under a thick layer of skin. Had the big injection that hit the bone of my heel and then came the scissors.

        Yes, noice being barefoot.

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