The Unbelievable Healing Power of Being Barefoot
Science-backed evidence for grounding
Back in 2017, I was living in a small Shepherd’s hut in the Highlands of Scotland — in the middle of nowhere. It was unconventional, but it’s how I wanted to live. Every now and then I would go hiking in the mountains. I’d do this without boots, shoes or sandals. I’d go barefoot. The people I encountered on the summits gave me quizzical looks and asked me probing questions.
At night, I slept on a bed that was covered with strips of metal fabric that were connected by cable to a grounding rod that stuck out of the earth. This was more unconventional still. But I did these things for a reason:
I was experiencing something. And it was life-changing.
To an outsider, these behaviors probably sound strange and nonsensical. Even now, when I’m at a park or any place in nature, I seem to be an outlier: The only person who wants to ditch the shoes and make direct contact with the earth.
So am I just some clichéd hippy with nonconformist sensibilities? Could I really be a few paranoid thoughts away from donning a tinfoil hat? Or is there a method to my madness? And perhaps one that’s backed up by scientific evidence?
