Wearing heels shoes creates stress and strain on the hamstrings, knees, shoulders, neck, and back by forcing the pelvis to dip forward and the butt to rotate back.
If you think about walking in true high heels (if you're a guy, you'll have to use your imagination), you know that if you don't adjust how you stand, you'll fall forward, flat on your face. That's because high heels lean you forward. Just watch little kids playing dress-up in high heels. They lean forward (and often fall).
⇧ She needs support to balance on high heels.
To stay upright in high heels, you need to lean back. The way your body adapts to this lean is to hinge at the waist and kick your butt back. In anatomical terms, you're rotating your pelvis forward. This shifts your center of gravity back and keeps you from falling forward. It's also why some people think high heels make women look more shapely, because they have to adjust with their derrieres.
Now, whether it is a true high heel or a running or walking shoe doesn't make a difference: when your heel is higher than your forefoot, you need to adjust how you stand so you don't fall forward on your face. It's another telling argument for getting rid of all those hazardous high-heeled shoes.
For every inch your heels are up off the ground, you are tilting your pelvis forward at least 10 to 15 degrees. Stand up and try it. See what we mean?
This kind of change in our human anatomy. how we stand, is highly significant in terms of the body. And it is unnatural.
Your body works as a kinetic chain, or a series of movements, each one affecting the next. If you think of the body as a series of interconnected links in a chain, you must move one link before the next, and if one of them is out of position, it can disrupt the smoothness of the chain. When you rotate the pelvis forward to compensate for a high heel, for example, you cause several detrimental changes to how you stand and walk.
Just look at the arched back and pooched belly on the woman on the far right (C) in the diagram above.
First, your pelvis pulls on your back and hamstrings. If you've ever gotten tight hamstrings ( the muscles on the upper back of your thighs) while you walk, it's because of the tilt in your pelvis. More often than not, it pulls on your knees and lower back muscles, making them sore as you walk, stand, or move throughout the day or night, while on high heels.
Believe it or not, this also affects your upper back, shoulders, and neck, because as you lean forward, your back, shoulders, and neck are forced to do the work of holding you up. They become fatigued and strained.
In a sense, it is as if you've attached a weight to your neck by a string. As you lean forward it pulls on your neck, straining your entire neck, back, and shoulder throughout the day and night. If you could stand truly upright, the strain would go away. Unfortunately, so would your balance in a typical shoe.
It also causes you to lean forward, putting more pressure on your thighs, knees, and even feet. This awkward posture is sure to fatigue you. It will make you sorer as you walk. It also makes you less stable and more likely to fall. No wonder you want to intuitively kick off your shoes when you come home from work or the pain is unbearable.
⇧Note the even weight distribution throughout your foot while standing barefoot versus wearing a shoe with a heel. The greater the difference in weight distribution, the greater the chance of injury and feet deformity.⇩
One final point on posture : when you lean forward, you are squashing your poor feet in shoes. Leaning body forward puts extra pressure on your feet, which are trapped in shoes. Even in well-fitting shoe, if you're leaning forward, you are pushing your feet forward, smashing your toes right into the toe box of your shoes.
⇯A is heel to forefoot (X), ⇧B is forefoot to heel. (✔)
Chances are , unless you've been in sandals or barefoot walking/running your whole life so far, your feet are telling a tale. Take off your shoes, if your are wearing one pair now, and look at your toes. The big toes should not touch the second toe, and there should be spacing between the toes.
Injuries and misshapen toes have two (2) main sources:
a shoe that 's too tight and small for the foot and leaning forward and jamming your foot into the front of a shoe. Foot problems are NOT CAUSED by genetics, as some people think. You do not have to have bunions or squished toes.
Overtime, you can positively change the shape of your foot. The only thing you can blame on Mom and Dad is what they made you wear as an infant and how they influenced the type of shoes you wore as a child and perhaps even as an adult. Mom and Dad likely put you in the same type of shoes they wore.
How far your feet can go toward returning to normal depends on the amount of time and dedication you want to put into it, but you can get your feet looking and working better. And they will feel better too. Happy Feet.
We thought it was time to take you back to our first blog, when we first started The Earthing Store, and elaborate on why you might want to practice Earthing. There are many benefits to Grounding on a daily basis that we want to highlight but first let's make sure you understand what exactly is Earthing and why it has an effect on us nowadays.
Earthing is known as the activity of being in direct contact with the Earth in which its negative Grounding charge has the opportunity to neutralize and balance out the excess of positive electrons. These positive electrons come in the form of free radicals, that we acquire on a daily basis in our bodies through the use of personal devices, microwaves, radios etc. Free radicals are not bad for us but it is the excess of them that is the issue. The problem is that nowadays people have limited time contacting the bare Earth. Less time is spent in the garden on your hands and knees, running barefoot through the sprinkler or getting buried in the sand. So it is quite easy for an excess or build up of free radicals to occur in our bodies. The simple act of Grounding, by walking barefoot on the Earth, wearing Grounding shoes, or sleeping using a Earthing aid can open up a full range of benefits to you which is why some state that Earthing may be one of the most profound health discoveries ever.
Increases Energy Level
Those who practice Grounding on a regular basis claim they have an increase in their overall energy level. This may be from the reduction of free radicals in their system or from the therapeutic time spent in the fresh outside air, barefoot. Perhaps increased energy levels could also be from getting a good night's rest due to those who sleep Grounded.
Reduces Inflammation
Even small amounts of exposure to the Earth's healing power has shown to have a positive effect on inflammation. Thermographic imaging shows a heat map of inflammation in the body. The imaging of those found to practice Grounding results in significantly less heat patterns, compared to prior to Earthing. The electron transfer of Earthing directly reduces the inflammation immediately.
Lowers Chronic Pain And Affects Autoimmune Diseases
Because Earthing reduces inflammation it also alleviates chronic pain and has a positive impact on chronic diseases as well as autoimmune diseases because both stem from inflammation in the body.
Aids In Deeper Sleep
Earthing while sleeping causes your diurnal cortisol profiles to be normalized and allow you to enter into deep, restless sleep. Those who sleep Grounded claim they sleep through the night without disturbance or discomfort and feel rested when they wake up.
Slows Down The Aging Process
Our body's aging process is affected by free radicals. The accumulative damage to your body caused by free radicals results in this process to speed up so by practicing Earthing you can slow the aging process down by eliminating the excess of free radicals in your body.
Improves Blood Flow And Pressure
Free radicals in our bodies are a killer to antioxidants. If you practice Earthing then it's like giving your body more antioxidants and as a result has beneficial changes in your heart rate. Grounding thins your blood, making it less viscous which improves your blood flow and blood pressure.
Relieves Headaches
Headaches usually come in the form of pulsing or throbbing pain. The most natural way to battle against them is by Earthing. Because Grounding reduces inflammation, it also has a positive effect on eliminating or reducing headache and even migraine pain.
Speeds Up The Healing Process
While Earthing, the healing process speeds up because the Earth's electrons are negative, while the damaging free radicals are positive which are designed to surround the injured or damaged area of the body, so the electrons cancel each other out. In essence Grounding protects your body from its own repair process and its collateral damage.
Decreases Muscle Tension
Those who practice Grounding regularly, and find themselves with muscular pain and stiffness from strenuous or unfamiliar exercise, have been found to have fewer circulating neutrophils and lymphocytes cells. Less of these type cells indicates that the original damage resolved more quickly, collateral damage reduced, and the recovery process accelerated.
Lowers Stress Levels and Promotes Calmness
Practicing Earthing is known to balance cortisol levels which has a direct impact on your body's stress levels and results in lowering the body from "fight or flight" mode to one of calmness and stability. It does this through switching the nervous system from a sympathetic mode towards a parasympathetic state which makes the nervous system focus on homeostasis. That is, one of rest and digestion.
Lessens Menstrual And Hormonal Symptoms
Because cortisol levels are affected by Earthing, and are also directly tied to hormone levels, practicing Earthing can positively affect female hormonal symptoms as well as reduce menstrual discomfort.
Supports Adrenal Health
Earthing can eliminate adrenal fatigue which is more than just feeling tired. If your adrenal levels are low then your body and its organs cease to function at their full potential and you feel exhausted even if you've had adequate sleep. You'll find that if your adrenal levels are normalized through Earthing, your body will stop feeling like you're at rock bottom and your energy level will be significantly improved.
Offers Protection From EMFs
Grounding reduces the effects of electromagnetic frequencies (EMF’s) that people are surrounded with due to our modern world such as computers, power lines, machinery etc. It is inevitable that we are going to come in contact with EMFs and some people develop sensitivities to them so Grounding can help balance the negative effects of them.
Shortens Recovery Time From Injury Or Athletic Activity
Practicing Grounding after an injury allows negative electrons to migrate into your body and spread through your tissues. Any positive free radicals that have leaked into the healthy tissue of your body, around where the injury has occurred, will immediately be electrically neutralized.
Reduces Snoring
If you sleep Grounded you enter into a deeper sleep cycle and thus you breath deeper and better so snoring is lessened and even eliminated in some cases.
Eliminates Feeling of Jet Lag
People live with a built in body cycle referred to as circadian rhythm. This cycle receives external clues from our environment such as temperature, light etc. Fast, long-distance travelling disrupts our inner circadian rhythm. The condition of jet lag is the feeling your body goes through while your circadian rhythm readjusts once you've arrived at your new destination. Jet lag can last several days unless you've been practicing Grounding in some form. Earthing eliminates jet lag headaches, dizziness and tiredness.
Improves Pregnancy
Earthing can increases fertility by normalizing hormone levels. Pregnant women report having less mood swings as stress levels are lowered as well as emotional hormones are balanced. There are more cases reported where the mother claims her energy levels are higher and labour is faster because of Grounding on a regular basis. There is also less cases of new mother's with postpartum depression who regular contact the Earth.
Helps With Self Regulation
Earthing neutralizes free radicals that kids are bombarded with such as external stimuli that come in the form of stresses - eating fast foods, bullying, excessive screen time, poor sleep habits etc. Earthing allows children to self regulate and internally adjust and choose what he or she needs to do at a particular moment. Self Regulation allows the child to think and act more clearly with the best choice and option and then the ability act on it.
Lessens Depression and Anxiety
With Earthing relating directly to cortisol levels, those who practice it are less irritable and report to feel less depressed and less anxious.
Promotes Healthy Feet
Your feet will love the benefits of Grounding. You'll find that while walking barefoot or by wearing Earthing shoes, your feet will be free from corns, blisters and soreness even after being up on them all day.
We'd love to hear how Earthing has helped you and what areas of your life you have noticed the most improvement in. Some people attest that it took some time for them to start noticing the benefits of Earthing while others say they noticed results right away. Whatever the case was for you, we would love to hear it. Drop us a quick email and we'll add your story to our testimonial page. From The Earthing Store, we wish you happy Grounding this spring!
References
https://wellnessmama.com/5600/earthing-sleep/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4378297/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/29/james-oschman-on-earthing.aspx
http://earthingcanada.ca/earthing-as-a-means-to-treat-headaches/
http://www.foodrenegade.com/grounding-earthing-healed-adrenal-fatigue/
https://greendoorrelaxation.net/2015/08/05/does-earthing-help-with-jetlag/
People have a built in body cycle which works on what is called a circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm is your 24 hour internal biological clock that runs in the background of your brain. It cycles between sleepiness and alertness at regular time intervals which is also known as your sleep/wake cycle. Lightness, darkness, temperature change, sleep patterns and rapid long distance traveling (that crosses east-west or west-east) are all external clues from our environment that can disrupt our inner circadian rhythm.
Your circadian rhythm works best when you have regular sleep habits such as those who don't have chronic pain, young children to get up with in the night or do shift work. For example, those who go to bed at night and wake up in the morning around the same time from day to day have the best working circadian rhythm. When external stimuli change your internal clock such as daylight savings, a late night movie or dreaded jet lag, you can disrupt your circadian rhythm, which makes you feel tired, grumpy, and perhaps have difficulty paying attention or just plain out of sorts.
So the question is, can Earthing really help regulate your circadian rhythm and lessen the effects of jet lag? For some people the condition of jet lag can last several days until your system is fully adjusted to the new time zone. However when being in direct contact with the Earth, the effects and adjustment period to your new local time zone can be significantly reduced. Why is this so?
Grounding leads us to believe that it's much more than the light/dark cycle that effects our diverse bodily circadian rhythm, but a much greater physiological stability that has to do with the natural rhythms of the environment that are easily influenced by taking some time to touch the Earth. The Earth's energy coordinates our biological clock which regulates hormone flow in our bodies. When in contact with the Ground, the slow and gentle rhythm of the Earth's field of energy is essential for maintaining our circadian rhythm. The day/night or wake/sleep cortisol levels are normalized when touching the Earth. The Earth's energy potential fluctuates according to the position of the sun and moon so at any point on its surface, the circadian cycle will be different. The best way to normalize yourself to the area and time zone you are in, is to practice Earthing as soon as you arrive at your new destination or even if it's arriving back home after a trip. By immediately practicing Grounding you can get your biological cycle in sync with the new place you are in, reset yourself to local time and reduce or eliminate the various symptoms many experience from jet lag.
At The Earthing Store our easiest advice to practice Earthing once you arrive at your destination is to wear Earthing shoes while traveling. All you need is a quick 20 minutes to touch the Earth while wearing a pair of Grounding footwear and you can do this without any extra effort on your part. Find some grass or a sidewalk to walk to your parked car or to catch a bus as both will help reset your circadian rhythm even if only for a few minutes. If you are traveling in the night and plan to immediately go to your hotel you can always opt to sleep Grounded. Pack along a travel Earthing sleep aid such as a pillow case, recovery bag or throw. All of which will help you sleep better and reset your biological clock without taking up to much room in your suitcase.
What materials are conductive? It’s a good question to ask if you want to know how to practice earthing besides walking around outside in your bare feet. Take a look below at a list of both conductive and non-conductive materials to help you better plan how you will maximize your grounding time. It is our hope that after reviewing this list, you will better know what to wear, what to touch and where to stand to help you practice earthing throughout your day.
YES Conductive!
Leather
Leather is conductive so it is good to wear leather soled shoes. It is even more conductive when moist so if your feet sweat a little in your shoes, it’s a good thing. Leather shoes allow grounding after they have been worn long enough to absorb moisture from the environment. Conductivity of the leather increases with wear, as the shoes absorb more moisture over time.
Copper
Copper is conductive which is why some earthing shoes have copper dots or plates, in the soles, to allow you to connect to the earth while wearing them.
Skin
Skin is especially conductive, right in the middle of the ball of your foot, as it connects to your whole body. This is why earthing is most effective by electron transfer through your feet.
Metal
Metal materials will allow electron transfer to flow. Earthing devices often use silver or carbon as a conductive agent because they are strong and last over time.
Concrete
Concrete is moist and if poured directly onto the earth, can be used as a reasonable substitute to walking directly on the earth.
Beaches
Beaches are great for conductivity because everyone walks barefoot on the beach!
Water
Water is conductive and works quite well as our bodies are made up primarily of water, so it makes for a good connection.
Clothing
Clothing made of cotton, wool or any natural fibre is conductive. Make sure it’s not too thick and your skin will still be able to connect to the earth.
Socks
Socks are conductive as feet naturally sweat. Silver lined socks are especially great for connectivity.
Blankets
Blankets made of cotton, wool or any natural fibre will also allow earthing to take place.
Trees
Trees are living and connected to the earth so if you are touching a tree grounding can occur.
Vehicles
Vehicles can be considered conductive because they are made of metal so by using a conductive auto pad you can achieve earthing while driving.
Grass
Grass is especially conductive when it’s moist.
Dirt
Dirt is of course conductive as it is the earth! So go on and get dirty! Play in the mud, work in the garden. The messier the better!
NO Not Conductive!
Pavement
Pavement is not conductive so if you live in the city you’ve got to get to a nearby park!
Wood
Wood, once cut from the living tree, is no longer conductive so living in a stick frame house doesn’t allow you to practice earthing.
Plastic
Plastic is also not a suitable substance for earthing so flip flops, most deck furniture and many other items are not conductive.
Rubber
Rubber boots or soled shoes do not allow electrons to permeate through. There are specially made earthing shoes such as Pluggz that have black carbon and rubber targeted centre which are actually made to be conductive.
Sealer
Sealer or painted concrete are non-conductive as the electrons don’t pass through the sealer or paint very well.
Synthetic Materials
Any synthetic material will not be conductive which rules out most common footwear such as running shoes, dress shoes, work boots etc.
Insulated Materials
Any insulated materials such as foam, glass, porcelain work the complete opposite as conductors.
With a better idea of what materials are conductive, you can begin to practice earthing on purpose today. Start with a pair of Pluggz shoes or natural earthing moccasins. If you cannot change your footwear try grounding pads, blanket or earthing bedding. The Earthing Store has a complete line of copper dot plated footwear as well as leather soled moccasins that are designed with earthing in mind. We have sandals and shoes for men, women and children so visit one of our product pages today for a great deal on some earthing footwear. You won’t be disappointed as we have great selection, remarkable prices, friendly service and fast shipping.
Bibliography
• Koniver, Laura MD. The Top 3 Earthing FAQ’s. Intuition Physician, 15 Oct. 2012. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. http://www.intuition-physician.com/grounding-faqs/.
• Mercola, Joseph MD. Caution: Wearing These Can Sabotage Your Health. Mercola.com Take Control of Your Health. 29 Apr. 2012. Web. 29 Sept. 2014.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/04/29/james-oschman-on-earthing.aspx. Ober, Clint. Earthing FAQs. Unikey • Heatlh Quality Nutritional Supplements. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. http://www.unikeyhealth.com/Earthing_FAQs.
• Ober, Clint, Stephen T. Sinatra and Martin Zucker. Earthing. The Most Important Health Discovery Ever? Laguna Beach: Basic Health Publications, Inc., 2010. Print.
For a more traditional Earthing shoes, some choose to wear real leather moccasins as a way of avoiding wearing something with a carbon sole or plug. Want to learn more about how leather sole moccasins can work as Earthing shoes? More specifically, read on to find out how oil tan leather works ideally as a sole for an outdoor Grounding shoe.
When you wear natural leather sole shoes the moisture surrounding the leather from the ground and your feet makes the material conductive. This conductivity allows the Earth's electrons to flow through to your feet and neutralize the free radicals within your body. This phenomenon is known as Earthing. Most moccasins have a synthetic insole which prevents this transfer from occurring. However, genuine leather moccasins feature no synthetic materials, only real leather soles. Therefore natural moccasins are conductive and make the perfect, most comfortable Earthing shoes when walking on the Earth's surface.
Authentic, Grounding moccasins in particular, have an extremely thick, durable and tough, oil tan, chromexcel sole, which makes them more durable than most soft sole moccasin style slippers. Moccasins with an oil tan sole have been custom manufactured specifically for those feet that would like to practice Earthing and also benefit from real leather moccasins that will last a long time. All of our oil tan, Earthing moccasin shoes are made with two layers of leather, the outer layer being the thick and heavy grade, oil tan leather making them extra durable and perfect for enjoying Grounding outdoors. If ever our real leather moccasins seem a little stiff when you first wear them, the leather will soften and become more flexible and mould to your feet as you break them in.
We have a couple styles of oil tan Earthing moccasins for both men and women hand sewn by Canada's top moccasin vendors, Bastien Industries and Laurentian Chief. We carry only the best in Earthing footwear so we aim to offer you the best customer service with an overall exceptional online shopping experience. We have a safe and secure checkout with competitive pricing. Enjoy free shipping this summer on orders over $100. We care about helping you practice Grounding this summer so don't hesitate to try a pair of high quality, naturally oil tan leather moccasins, today.
The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.
I found this page very interesting , click here to continue reading.
Page 70, Barefoot Walking
We call it "the big G," as in God. However, the nomenclature of spirituality is not what's important. Call it whatever term best fits your belief system, but the universal power is all around us and support us with life-giving energy. To us, touching the earth helps us plug back into Source. It's as if while wearing shoes or being indoors all day we become unplugged from an energy source, and when we're touching the earth barefoot, we're plugged back in.
Here's the extra bonus : barefoot time and vitamin g are cumulative. The more time you spend barefoot, the better you feel. So go barefoot today, connect with the earth, and feel your stresses drain away, your body blood pressure drop/normal, your health increase, regain vitality, and your mind quiet . . . all by plugging in,
EXERCISE
Greeting Mother Earth
Dr. Warren Grossman, author of To Be Healed by the Earth, (click here to see his webite) believes the greater the awareness we have of the energy in the earth, the more it helps us. This exercise helps you grow your sensitivity to vitamin G.
Lie down with your back flat on the ground, with your arms spread outward and your palms facing down. If possible, lie directly on the ground, but if needed use a thin blanket made of natural material such as wool or cotton. To begin, start with your knees bent and your feet (soles) flat on the ground. Focus on your breathing as you try to sense the earth. It is typically a tngly or ticklish sensation.
1. Focus on your feet and their connection to the earth. What do you feel, or sense?
2. Next put your legs (knees) down and feel your calves connecting to the earth. What do you feel?
3. Move up your body and feel the earth. Next are hamstrings (back of your upper thighs).
4. Glutes (glutes maximus)
5. Hands.
6. Arms.
7. Entire back.
8. Sholders.
9. Neck.
10. Head.
EXERCISE
Plugging into Source
This meditation will help you recharge your mind, body and spirit. When you actively focus on plugging into the energy of the earth, you're teaching your body to plug in automatically. In this seated meditation, we'll focus on feeling the earth's energy entering through your fingertips.
Sit directly on the ground. Direct contact with the ground is preferred, but it's okay to sit on a towel or blanket made of natural materials, such as cotton or wool. Cross your legs and sit as tall as you can. As if you are playing the piano, place your hands in front of you with each fingertips independently touching the ground. Go to Page 70 to see photo and more notes.
Page 78 Barefoot Walking ............
Mud the New Anti-inflammatory
