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Download the Press Release |
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Americans are chronic shoe-wearers. We buy shoes for infants who can’t yet walk. We wear shoes almost constantly, certainly in public spaces, and often within the comfortable walls of our own homes. If we’d like, we can purchase shoes for just about any occasion or purpose imaginable, in a vast array of styles, colors, materials, and prices. Well, of course. We need shoes. We need them for warmth and for protection. We wear shoes to be fashionable and because it’s expected. It’s just what we do. And what’s wrong with that? The Barefoot Book explores this question and provides a surprising answer. What’s wrong is that chronic shoe wearing is negatively affecting our health and especially the health of our feet. Most of us have experienced pain and blisters caused by wearing an ill-fitting shoe. In some cases, it’s only a matter of minutes before we realize the damage our shoes are causing to our feet. The long-term consequences of chronic shoe wearing are more difficult to connect but are abundant nonetheless. According to anatomy professor Daniel Howell, the warm, moist environment of a shoe-clad foot makes a perfect condition for fungus and bacteria to grow. Poorly fitting shoes cause or exacerbate a host of foot issues from hammer-toes, bunions, and ingrown toenails to fallen arches and Hallux valgus. And high heeled shoes are the worst culprits of all with chronic use damaging the knees, spine, and posture. In fact, continuous wearing of shoes – any shoes – is a problem. Howell explains how shoes redistribute weight, alter joints, weaken foot muscles, decrease foot flexibility, and eliminate sensory feedback from the sole and shock absorption of the arch. This leaves feet weak, fragile, and even more dependent on shoes. Although shoes are meant to protect our feet, they can sometimes cause more problems than they prevent. This is especially true for women, who tend to wear the most unnatural types of shoes, such as high heels. In fact, high heels are likely to blame for the fact that women outnumber men in rates of foot problems by four to one. If shoes are causing such problems, the solution is obvious: take them off. (Or at least, take them off more often.) Ease out of shoes while sitting at the desk at work. Take the dog on a barefoot walk. Declare the house a barefoot-only zone. Spend an entire weekend without shoes. If we dare, commit to a fully barefoot lifestyle. Simply let our feet breathe. To help readers on the journey to a more barefoot lifestyle, Howell dispels some of the myths about going barefoot. Thus, readers can rest assured that the health department does not require shoes in public places, it’s not illegal to drive barefoot, and in most circumstances, going barefoot is not dangerous. Howell admits it isn’t practical for all of us to embrace a barefoot lifestyle all of the time; that isn’t the goal of The Barefoot Book. What he would like to see is more people going barefoot in more places, more often. He’d like us to experience healthier feet and fewer trips to the podiatrist’s office, to develop feet that are strong, flexible, and comfortable. After learning about the dangers of chronic shoe wearing and the health benefits of going barefoot (or after a long day in uncomfortable shoes), readers will likely agree. |
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Copyright © 2010. All Rights Reserved. |
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Our Facebook Fan Page winner: Kevin N. of Arlington, TX. Congratulations Kevin! |
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“The Barefoot Book is the perfect companion to learn why your feet were meant to be free. Learn how your feet work, why your shoes don’t work, and how we have grown to believe all the wrong things about our feet. This book will help you rediscover your own feet and guide you through all the joys and benefits of baring your own soles.” — Al Gauthier, www.livingbarefoot.info
“This book is fascinating, and I highly recommend it to anyone who’s interested in improving their health through barefoot activity.” — Dr. Michael Nirenberg (America’s Podiatrist)
“It’s been said that before one can be liberated one must first know they are imprisoned. Dr. Daniel Howell effectively lays out his case against the overuse of shoes in our Western society, giving compelling proof that less is definitely better when it comes to footwear. His use of both testimonials and scientific data reinforces the idea that barefoot living frees body, soul and spirit in a way that a “shod” existence cannot equal. Howell’s simple yet informative approach provides a step-by-step method to “lose the shoes” and adopt a more natural way of living. Much of what Dr. Howell speaks about has been part of our lives for many years as barefoot enthusiasts. However, he has masterfully compiled a compendium of tribal information in The Barefoot Book that touches on all areas of barefoot living. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who desires to make their lives a bit simpler by “freeing their soles” in this hectic world in which we live.” — Barefoot Rick Roeber, barefoot marathoner Publisher of The Bare Soul weekly devotional |
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