For years I always wore socks and slippers indoors, it would have seemed uncivilised not to. Then one day I was talking to a friend who was telling me how she hated having anything on her feet, and went barefoot at every opportunity. What she said started me thinking and I got it into my head to give it a try for myself. I found it felt great; sort of freeing.
It was summer when I did away with my socks and threw my slippers in the bottom of the wardrobe. I liked it so much that I began to worry what might happen when winter came. My hands and feet are terrible in cold weather; my fingers and toes go numb when I open the fridge door for longer than usual, so I wasn’t at all sure I would be able to keep it up when the temperature started to fall. I needn’t have worried, when winter came I was fine.
Apart from feeling good, being barefoot has got practical benefits. My athletes foot has all but cleared up, and would probably have gone completely if I didn’t have to wear shoes during the day. I also find that it’s much easier to tell when my floor needs sweeping.
I highly recommend going naked from the ankles down.
I spend a lot of my time barefoot, in my late teens and 20s almost entirely barefoot except at work. As I type this I am barefoot, my doctor advises against it as my heels are solid skin and can crack which is quite painful at times. I have taken to rubbing Sorbolene in each day which tends to prevent this cracking.
The things that were an advantage in youth seem to turn to disadvantage as one ages.
Apparently there are some hippy dudes who run marathons and other stuff barefoot. They reckon that the human foot has everything it needs to cushion and stabilise you while running…
Too much showering washes away your skins natural oils Bruce, only one shower per day should be sufficient. Although in hot climates just a shower with no detergents would probably be acceptable.
