Living the Shoeless Life

A Duke University student goes barefoot on campus for an afternoon and learns to embrace her bare tootsies.

As I drove to campus I knew what I was doing was wrong-at least on some level. And when I emerged from the Bryan Center parking garage I was visibly insecure. By the time I reached the Chapel, however, I began to embrace the experience of not wearing shoes. For it truly was an experience. I took a liking to the smooth stone leading me to the academic quad and found the dewed grass both a source of comfort and invigoration for my un-calloused, vulnerable feet. In a way I felt freer. As for the looks I received... they were a cross between confusion and judgment.

Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked

Barefootin'

When I was a teenager, I read somewhere that walking barefoot in the early morning dewy grass was a great stress-reliever. I started going outdoors barefoot all the time, and continue to do so today, and I never wear shoes (or much else) indoors. It's not surprising that many people consider going barefoot tantamount to a religion.

Chvatal makes mention of the ”underground barefoot running community,“ but it's a community with increasing visibility. Not long ago, runners without shoes were a novelty (remember 1984's 5,000-meter phenom Zola Budd from South Africa?). Today, barefoot runners are present in most marathons and are popping up in longer endurance runs.

Perhaps even more ambitious are hard-core barefoot hikers, who take on all sorts of rugged terrain minus sturdy, protective boots. Various Web sites are devoted to the subject, and there's even a book — The Barefoot Hiker by Richard Frazine, cited as gospel by barefoot aficionados.

It also turns out that going barefoot is probably very good for your health.

Reflexology, according to Kevin Kunz, co-author of Complete Reflexology for Life, ”is the technique of applying pressure to specific reflex points on the hands and feet to stimulate the body's own healing powers.“

Reflexology suggests that certain parts of your feet and hands are directly connected to specific parts of your body. For instance, the lower third of your toes are hot-wired to your brain, your arch and heels to your lower back, the bottom center of your big toe to your pituitary gland. Manipulate the appropriate part of your foot, and you can address a range of woes.

There are several studies out warning about the dangers of wearing shoes. One of the most recent ones shows that wearing flip-flops "can lead to serious sole, heel and ankle problems".

There appears to be no downside to going barefoot (when practical). If going barefoot is so good for you, imagine how happy you'll be if you take off everything.

Tags: nudism, naturism, nudist, nudists, naturist, naturists, nudity, nudes, bare, au naturel, nude, naked