Barefoot walking

Many people in ancient times, such as the Egyptians, Indians and Greeks, did not see the need for shoes and most of the time they went barefoot. The Egyptians and Indians made more decorative shoes, such as sandals , which practically did not provide for any protection of the foot. Athletes of the ancient Olympic Games competed barefoot and naked. Even the gods and heroes were mostly depicted barefoot, the heavily armed and armored hoplites fought barefoot, and Alexander the Great conquered his vast empire with a barefoot army.

The Romans, who eventually conquered the Greeks and accepted many aspects of their culture, did not accept the Greek perception of shoes and clothes. Clothing in ancient Rome was seen as a sign of power, and shoes were seen as the need to live in a civilized world, although slaves and beggars usually walked barefoot. The same tendency was reflected in the Bible - during the weddings of this period, the father gives his heir a pair of shoes to symbolize the transfer of power.

Artisans, soldiers and people of the lower classes of Ancient Egypt walked barefoot, and Egyptians belonging to the upper classes wore sandals, which, however, were always removed in the presence or in the king’s palace ^{[2] [3]} .

In the Roman Empire, according to the testimony of Titus Libya, noble patricians went barefoot in order to seduce Roman husbands ^{[4] [5] [6]} .

In the 13th century, monastic orders appeared in Europe, requiring their members to go barefoot ^[7] . And in the 16th century, the Order of Barefoot Carmelites was founded in France , which were to go without shoes throughout their lives ^[8] .

It is said that the Duke of Alba, a rather gloomy fanatic who had a hand in the invention of the favorite tool of the Inquisition of the “ Spanish boot ”, inspired the invention of the invention of the barefoot dance of his mistress Francesca Alhambra ^[9]

An active supporter of the descent was Josephine Beauharnais, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte . Upon the return of Napoleon from Egypt, Josephine often appeared at receptions with decorations on her toes, and with such decorations shoes can not be worn.

At the turn of the 20th century, barefoot fashion embraced women who embarked on the warpath with a "philistine ideology of well-being" and began to fight with men for equality. Women not only changed into men's clothes, wore trousers and vests, but also dropped shoes.

There were cases of intentional walking barefoot simply in order to attract attention. At different times, Evita Peron , Isadora Duncan (a specific manner of dance, it was even called the “Great Sandal”), Jacqueline Kennedy (wandered around the White House lawn, then scandalous photos) did the same thing .

You can afford to walk barefoot simply because your legs are beautiful. For this reason, for example, Marlene Dietrich did not miss a chance to get rid of shoes in public. As her biographer Dolphus writes, “... Marlen, knowing about her impeccable legs, often returned with shoes in her hands” ^[9] . Barefoot young Norwegian singer Angelina Jordan always performs on the concert stage, she even wrote a book to explain her motives.

Walking barefoot these days is not a very common occurrence, especially in developing and hot countries. The only open-air place where most walk barefoot is sandy beaches.

But barefoot and running barefoot in special shoes are rapidly developing, while the contact of the foot with the ground is imitated, but it protects against cuts. Despite the different appearance, and even similarity with sneakers, there is a common - the absence of shock absorbers in the sole and heel. An advanced series looks original - each finger in a separate compartment, like a glove. There are several options: the most complete imitation of bare feet in “ barefoot shoes ” ( English barefoot shoes ), and the more “thick-soled” version of “minimalist shoes” ( English minimalist shoes ). Obviously, socks reinforced with Kevlar belong to the first group ^[10] , but gloves-socks can be an addition to barefoot shoes in winter. ^{[11] [12]}

Russia

A few decades ago, barefoot walking in Russia was common in cities and especially in villages. In illustrations for Russian folk tales, characters are often depicted barefoot, especially children. In rural areas, almost the entire population from April to October did without shoes, which contributed to hardening and the development of a special smooth gait ^[13]

In modern Russia, barefoot walking is not very common. Nevertheless, in the cities there are many “barfumers” ^[14] . There are known examples of “barfooters” -one and groups in Moscow ^{[15] [16]} , St. Petersburg ^{[17] [18] [19]} , Kazan ^[20] , Yalutorovsk ( Tyumen region ) ^[21] . Bare walking is very actively developing among the inhabitants of Novosibirsk ^[22] , who have the Barefoot in Russia website and their VKontakte group “NOSOSIBIRSK BARNEGOGIES” . In Russia, there are no officially registered groups of barefoot lovers. According to unofficial data, about 50 lovers of walking barefoot around the city live in St. Petersburg, and several hundred in Moscow.

In Russia, there are numerous groups in social networks for communication between walkers without shoes. Russian barefoot activists have brought together the experience of many lovers of barefoot walks into a kind of instruction - “Walking barefoot as a lifestyle. The Barefoot Memo ” Today, the “ Barefoot Memo ” is the most comprehensive set of practical recommendations on barefoot.

Also, Russian gypsies , like gypsies of other ethnic groups, often go barefoot.

Public places

Subway

Today, being on the territory of the Moscow metro without shoes is prohibited. In the Rules for the use of the Moscow Metro of 1935, when the subway was just opened, there was no ban on bare feet ^[23] . It was not in the Rules of 1958 ^[24] . It appeared later as a reaction of the authorities to the emergence in Moscow of the hippies with which the Soviet government fought. Subsequently, the ban on walking barefoot in the subway was lifted, and in the 1977 Rules it is not ^[25] , as in the 1986 Rules ^[26] . This ban appears in the 1994 Rules ^[27] , but in January 2003 the Moscow City Duma adopted in the first reading a new version of the Administrative Responsibility Act for Metro Offenses, again excluding the ban on walking the metro barefoot from the Rules ^[28] . However, the Rules for Using the Moscow Metro in 2008 again contain a clause prohibiting being at stations without shoes (clause 2.11.6) ^[29] . The Petersburg metro also has such a ban (clause 9.4 of the Rules for using the St. Petersburg Metro ^[30] ).

For people who walk without shoes all the time, the ban on barefoot in the subway creates considerable difficulties in moving around the city. Therefore, the boskhohods created VKontakte their group Barefoot in the subway , in which they exchange news on this urgent topic for them.

An attempt by the Novosibirsk mayor's office and Novosibirsk deputies to introduce a ban on bare feet in the local metro was unsuccessful: in November 2010, barefoot activists made the authorities refuse to impose this ban ^{[31] [32]}

A poll of the Trud newspaper showed that Muscovites would refuse to wear shoes on hot days, including in the subway ^[33]

In the summer of 2013, a group of Muscovites turned to the metropolitan mayor and the metro leadership with a request to lift the ban on bare feet ^[34] . The experience of the Novosibirsk Metro has shown that this will not violate safety precautions in the metro: in Novosibirsk for a long time there has not been and there is not a single injury associated with bare feet. The current-carrying rail is hidden under the braid on the canvas, and all the metal parts of the station economy are reliably protected from any energy impact. According to TU GOST No. 3317-22, the size of the gap between the comb and the escalator step does not exceed 1.5 mm. Putting into it any part of the human body is technically impossible. If something is still threatening barefoot people, then it is enough to develop safety recommendations for them. But the leadership of the Moscow metro refused ^[35] .

Especially on escalators are floors of long clothes, shoes with thin stiletto heels, untied shoelaces, etc., however, today's Rules do not prohibit people with these factors from using the subway. By lifting the ban on bare feet or replacing it with a warning recommendation, the metro will not be responsible for the actions of barefoot passengers, as it is not responsible for passengers with stilettos, in long clothes or with unbound laces.

The thesis that under the conditions of passenger traffic existing on the Moscow Metro, the feet of a walking-walking citizen can be seriously injured, are unfounded: today, summer shoes are so open that they do not protect the foot. To trample feet, shod, for example, in flip flops, can be as easy as barefoot.

Many people get tired of uncomfortable shoes in the heat and take off their shoes, including women in high heels, becoming involuntary violators.

If being in the subway without shoes is really dangerous, then the Moscow Metro’s politician permits to conduct various barefoot events at the stations, for example, “Yoga night in the subway” at the Novoslobodskaya station on November 28-29, 2015 ^{[36] [37]} (this event, together with the Embassy of India in the Russian Federation, was organized by the Moscow Metro itself). as well as giving permission for barefoot photo shoots and issuing its corporate calendars with nude and barefoot women at stations and structures of the Moscow Metro ^[38] .

According to human rights activists, the ban does not comply with the norms of Russian and international legislation. Yevgeny Ikhlov, an expert in the Movement for Human Rights, believes that boskhody can appeal to the Moscow City Court. In an interview with Izvestia, the human rights activist noted: “They can protect their interests on the basis that walking without shoes does not threaten the health of other passengers and, by law, is not a challenge to public morality” ^[39]

There are no prohibitions on barefoot in other public places, including shopping centers with escalators, in Russian law.

Often, walkers, in order not to draw attention to their bare feet, wear “bare sandals” in public places, giving the impression that there are shoes on their feet ^[40]

Oceania

This is especially clearly seen on the example of Oceania ( Polynesia , etc.), as in the Hawaiian Islands household barefootness is minimized, the probability of accidentally meeting a barefoot person on the street is very small. However, national or pseudo-national dances there are performed only by barefoot dancers, for the sake of preserving the local flavor of the show, they are held on a specially equipped venue or on stage. On other islands, barefoot go more, but that universal barefoot that existed during the time of Paul Gauguin , or even the youth of Thor Heyerdahl , is gone.

India and neighboring countries

India, more than other countries, was famous for the barefoot lifestyle of the vast majority of the population. And now you can hear a remark like "everyone walks barefoot and in loincloths." In fact, this information is out of date for at least forty years and now India walks barefoot for about 30 percent. So, in the cities of northern and central India barefoot passers-by on the streets are almost never found. If they are, they are either children, or sadhus , or just marginalized . In South Indian cities, people walk barefoot, but usually barefoot is no more than 20% of the total number of passers-by.

The clothes of the Madras are somewhat different from the one you find in Bombay, Lucknow or Delhi. Men wear dhoti in the form of a kind of light skirt. Women often neglect short blouses, draping only in saris. Shoes are by no means an obligatory part of the clothes of even wealthy citizens.

- L. Shaposhnikova “Across South India”, information as of 1958.

Now much has changed, for example, women began to wear short blouses (“choli”), and now they drape in one sari on their naked bodies, except in villages, and even then very rarely. This quote suggests that now in Chennai (formerly Madras ) walk exactly those very wealthy citizens who for some reason like this, and the insolvent, previously forced to walk barefoot, have long been shod. On the same basis, it can be assumed that in Indian society there are still some traditions of walking barefoot, which relate not only to the religious sphere, but also influence everyday life, and it was thanks to them that bare feet were not taboo , as it happened throughout “ civilized world, ”as soon as the need to save on shoes disappeared.

As for rural India, they go barefoot almost everywhere, the only question is how much. So, barefoot people come across even in the foothills, as well as in Nepal and in the mountains, the Himalayas , although there are few of them.

In the south, the number of barefoot villagers can, in some places, reach up to 50%, but up to 90% it does not reach anywhere. For example, on tea plantations in Kerala (south), most workers are barefoot. In Assam, barefoot and shod about the same amount, and in Darjeeling all shod, and in closed shoes. As for Sri Lanka , there are even more barefoot there than in the south of India, which is probably due to a hotter climate. The same applies to Bangladesh , but here, most likely, the reason is a lower standard of living. ^[41]

Latin America

Once, until about the middle of the 60s of the XX century, in the countries of South Asia , Africa , and also Latin America , not to mention the various islands of the southern seas, people walked mostly barefoot. Now, this is largely a thing of the past, thanks to the appearance of cheap shoes made of various leather substitutes , and especially rubber beach slippers . Thus, at present, in countries that are traditionally considered barefoot, most of them are shod with slippers. Now in the cities of this region usually do not go barefoot. In rural areas, barefoot are found, but they are already in a clear minority. Even Indians from the Amazon jungle come across rubber slippers. However, oddly enough, the traditions of walking barefoot are preserved to some extent among Indians living in the Andes (mainly among women). Barefoot Indian women come across even on city streets in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia . One of such peoples - Aymara , there was a custom according to which all women walked barefoot, men - as it should. It is possible that the described phenomenon is the remains of this custom. ^[41]

North America

North America , especially the United States, is notable for the fact that there is widespread walking in shoes inside residential premises. This is especially true for the southwestern states of the United States, in which a dry, relatively warm climate limits the amount of street dirt, which, in turn, motivates the tradition of taking off shoes in Europe and Asia. This also applies to other countries with warm, dry climates, such as Australia . These circumstances ideally contribute to the taboo against walking barefoot.

On the other hand, the southwestern states of the United States are home to hippies and “surfers,” in whom barefoot walking, including in public places (such as shops), is standard.

Africa

In most African countries, barefoot today also does not flourish, although barefoot still walk: in cities it is not enough, in the countryside more. This applies to Ethiopia , where before the Second World War, even the elite did not disdain to shine barefoot, and to Cape Verde (Cape Verde Islands). In South Africa , they noticed that walking barefoot is more common among whites (on farms) than among blacks.

There are now places where a barefoot lifestyle is booming. This is the island of Madagascar . Unlike continental Africa, people there walk barefoot with might and main, both in rural areas and in cities, not excluding the capital. The number of barefoot sometimes even exceeds 50%. True, this is most likely due to a low standard of living: Madagascar, even among African countries, is poor, but on the other hand, there are quite a lot of well-dressed barefoot people who come across barefoot in glasses and on bicycles, which are clearly more expensive than rubber slippers. So, perhaps, it is far from just poverty. ^[41]

Australia and New Zealand

Both there and there, an adult can appear without shoes on the street, in a shopping center and other public places, without the risk of impressing a mentally inadequate person. According to some estimates, the number of barefoot on the streets of Australian cities can reach up to 20%, that is, it goes along with the South Indian cities. However, it is not customary to appear barefoot in the business center of the city there. Interestingly, barefoot in the city are usually white. For natives this is not typical.

Traveling and long walks barefoot

On natural soils (and after a little training and on any surface) barefoot walking is possible. In the USA , some countries of Europe , as well as in Russia, there are groups of barefoot travelers ^{[42] [43] [44] [45]} who organize barefoot walks and other events.

In Germany, there are barefoot parks that are designed specifically for barefoot walking ^[46] . Routes are built in such a way that visitors have the opportunity to try different types of soils, paths and artificial surfaces.

Today in Germany there are 38 such parks. Barefoot parks also exist in Belgium ^[47] and in Holland .

It is believed that the growth of barefoot travel and sporting events began after the publication of the book The Barefoot Hiker ^[48] in 1993 in the USA whose author, Richard Frazine, outlined in a popular form the reasons for his unusual hobby. This book for many has become an indispensable tool for barefoot walking.

Barefoot

Barefoot by definition are beach volleyball , beach soccer , beach handball and other beach sports . They host the Asian Beach Games .

In sports such as long-distance running, most athletes run in shoes, but there have been cases of running for marathons without shoes ^{[49] [50]} : Abebe Bikila ( Ethiopia ), Gaston Rulants ( Belgium ), Zola Budd ( South Africa ).

In recent years, alternative Olympic games have been held at the ancient Olympic stadium in Nemea ( Greece ), which took place according to a scenario similar to the ancient one ^[51] . Athletes performed in tunics and always barefoot.

Proponents of barefoot running believe that running without shoes is the most natural and physiological type of running, and the use of running shoes with depreciation of the heel for running changes the technique of running and can lead to various injuries ^{[52] [53]} . It is significant that many Western shoe manufacturers are gradually switching to the production of shoes, which allows imitating the barefoot running technique ^[54] .

When running in shoes, a man stretches his step and lands on his heel, rolling onto his foot, hitting the ground with all the weight of his body. The shock wave propagates to the knees, hips and above, injuring the joints. In this regard, doctors with heavy weight do not recommend running, bearing in mind that a person will run in shoes. In other words, shoes increase injuries, but not reduce them, so running barefoot is more useful than running in shoes.

First you need to learn how to walk confidently barefoot, without thinking about how to put your foot on. When running barefoot, the foot should not be put on the heel, as we are used to in shoes, but on the toe, so running barefoot requires gradual getting used to. At first, one does not have to strive to overcome long distances.

Running in the snow additionally loads the toes, whose skin in the cold becomes especially sensitive, less elastic and easily injured. Freshly or compacted snow cannot scratch the feet, but pebbles, branches and other debris are capable of this. Bruised legs, if running in winter, can lead to frostbite.

When running, the skin is compressed more strongly, which worsens blood flow and in winter leads to rapid freezing.

Barefoot lifestyle

Some people even in developed countries like to go barefoot, but only a few dare to break the taboo against going barefoot in public. They consider their lifestyle to be completely harmless to those around them and they want only tolerance for their views from those around them.

According to some proponents of barefoot, an unhealthy addiction to shoes often turns into shoe fetishism ^{[55] [56]} , fashionable shoes ^[57] having a high heel, a massive platform, spikes, metal details and almost certainly patent leather became a separate direction ^{[58] ]} .

Since 1994, there has been a Society for Barefoot Lifestyle , which brings together lovers of barefoot life from around the world. In addition to him, in many countries many clubs and associations of lovers of walking barefoot have been created.

Piety Sign

In many religions, you need to take off shoes when visiting holy places. Muslims are obligated to take off their shoes before prayer and before entering the mosque, but they do this to maintain purity. Some Christian churches have barefoot pilgrimage traditions. In Hinduism, barefoot walking is a sign of respect for sacred animals and a ban on the wearing of leather goods .

According to Kabbalah , a Jew who walks barefoot harms his soul. It is said in the Talmud (Shabbat, 129a): “Let a man sell the last thing he has, but buy shoes for his feet.” But where holiness reigns, shoes must be removed. Therefore, the koens served in the Temple barefoot. And now, in preparation for the ceremony of blessing the people, the Coens take off their shoes ^[59] .

This duality is everywhere. On the one hand - the humility of a man before God (Francis of Assisi), a wife before her husband. On the other hand, humiliation: the Assyrians captured the captives of Israel barefoot through the desert (Isaiah, chapter 20), and Jeremiah (13:22) addressed the Israeli people with the following angry words: “For your many iniquities, your hem has been opened, your heels have been exposed.”

In Christianity, barefoot people do not form an independent order, but represent only the highest degree of ascetic life in various monastic orders , for example, among the Franciscans , Augustinians , mercenaries , camaldula , Carmelites , etc.

Currently, there is also a barefoot church ^[60] .

Gypsy barefoot walking

In the old days, gypsies, unlike gypsy men, walking without shoes was a custom. Like ragged, worn clothing, bare feet are a means to soften a stranger and beg for alms from him ^[61] . Gypsy children walk barefoot for the same purpose.

In a gypsy environment, a married woman was traditionally considered “nasty” below the waist (“pakelimos” ^[62] ), so shoes and a skirt were desecrating objects. The man who touched them was considered defiled, which caused serious social consequences for him. Therefore, so that a husband or father-in-law does not accidentally touch women's shoes or slippers, it was easier for a woman not to have shoes. This forced women to go barefoot from early spring to frost. In the USSR, before the decree of October 20, 1956 on the prohibition of nomadism, there were tabors in which women were supposed to be barefoot even in winter.

In European culture, women's legs are considered beautiful, and a barefoot woman is perceived as more natural, graceful, romantic and close to nature. But for the gypsies who came out of India, the bare feet of women is a household and professional necessity that has nothing to do with aesthetics. For gypsy men, an attractive female face is the beauty of which gypsy folklore celebrates.

• In Russia, it was customary to walk barefoot on the day of Ivan Kupala .
• It was also believed that if you walk barefoot on the ground on Easter morning in the morning before 12:00, until next spring a person will have no diseases ^[63] .

Some Russian barefoots celebrate August 5, the day of remembrance of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God , uniting all lovers of walking without shoes. On the mountain, where the Pochaev Lavra is now located, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the monks. On the stone on which She stood, there remained an imprint of Her bare right foot, from which light emanated. Later, numerous miracles and healings began from the Pochaev image ^[64] .

Barefoot Driving

In the US, there is no law prohibiting barefoot driving.

In Germany, the law does not explicitly prohibit barefoot driving.

In Belgium, traffic rules do not explicitly prohibit barefoot driving, however, article 8.3 requires the driver to “always be able to maneuver”. The federal police view this article as a prohibition on barefoot driving, which could be an aggravating circumstance in the event of an accident. ^[65]

In Russia , traffic rules do not contain an article prohibiting barefoot driving.

In Hong Kong, the law requires drivers to be shod with authorized shoes. Driving barefoot or in sandals is not allowed.

No Shoes, no shirt ...

In the USA, many often believe that OSHA rules ^[66] prohibit people from shopping, restaurants , etc. without shoes or a shirt. In fact, this law applies only to employees of these institutions and guarantees them the provision of necessary work clothing. Officially, there are no laws prohibiting visits to such establishments barefoot. ^[67] A private entrepreneur, however, may refuse service to a bloated or naked person. In some cities, the requirement for certain clothing and shoes in public places may also be introduced.

Barefoot Walking and Health

Doctors recommend walking barefoot for better health. With a barefoot walk:

- the body is tempered

- the nervous system is strengthened

- harmful static electricity leaves the body

- flat feet corrected

- improves blood circulation, increases the elasticity of blood vessels, which is the prevention of varicose veins

- blood circulation in the legs is stimulated, and therefore in the whole body

- the soles where the active points are located are massaged, when exposed to which many diseases are treated

- the feet become healthy, supple, beautiful and tanned

- legs begin to breathe, diaper rash disappears between the fingers

- significantly increases the risk of picking up a fungal infection or parasites

- in the heat, bare feet remove excess heat from the body and become not so hot. Barefoot people in the heat are more energetic and cheerful compared to shod ones.

- due to the departure of excess heat in the summer, thermoregulation of the body develops, and in winter the legs get better

- hardening bare feet trains the immune system

- the shape of the feet improves, since the shoes still deform the foot

- there will never be corns on the feet arising from the rubbing of the feet with shoes

- Due to a variety of tactile influences, the nervous system is stimulated. Nerve impulses from the sole are transmitted to nerve cells throughout the body, which has a beneficial effect on the development of mental activity.

Barefoot peoples are unfamiliar with flat feet, ingrown nails, with bumps on the joints of the thumbs.

Walking barefoot is one of the main means of preventing and treating inflammation of the joints of the foot. With inflammation of the joints of the foot, disorders occur in the bone, cartilage, ligamentous, tendon and muscle tissues (arthrosis). The development of osteoarthritis of the toes contributes to the wearing of uncomfortable and narrow shoes (especially in women), which leads to insufficient blood supply to some parts of the foot, increases the load on it and deforms the musculoskeletal system.

These factors can lead to edema, joint inflammation and arthritis. If the joint is inflamed, then other parts of the foot take on the entire load when walking, which can also provoke their inflammation. Inflammation of the joints of the toes is very common among people over the age of 50 years.

Effective methods of treating the disease are massages, exercise and manual therapy. Walking without shoes is an excellent natural massage and moderate physical activity on the foot, increasing the elasticity of its ligaments and muscles.

Bare walking is the prevention of hyperhidrosis - excessive sweating of the feet : when walking barefoot, a normal water-salt balance is maintained, since excess sweat goes through the soles. And sweat contains salts unnecessary to the body.

With excessive sweating of the feet, rub aromatic oils of cypress, tea tree and orange into them.

Bare feet are always dry, do not sweat and do not emit an unpleasant odor. The skin of the feet becomes strong and resistant to infection by any infection.

Walking barefoot is the best treatment for clubfoot and any foot deformities. This is especially true for women whose legs are often mutilated with heels (in particular, hallux valgus deformation of the toe - the so-called "bumps" on the legs).

Walking barefoot activates neuromuscular processes, improves oxidative processes in the body, contributing to tissue oxygen saturation, prevention of heart attack, stroke, hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.

A person who likes to walk without shoes always has a good mood and a feeling of health throughout his body. Many lovers of walking barefoot say that when they take off their shoes they "take off" their bad mood, fatigue, aggression, and irritability.

Dosed walking barefoot contributes to the treatment of cardiovascular disease. One of the causes of angina pectoris, hypertension and myocardial infarction are negative emotions. When walking barefoot in the central nervous system, stable foci of positive emotions are formed, which is an indirect means of preventing these diseases.

Walking on uneven surfaces contributes to:

- active formation of the arch of the foot

- strengthening the arch support muscles and ankle joint

- improvement of lymphatic and blood circulation

- impact on the reflex zones on the feet

- development of coordination of movements and attentiveness

- treatment of longitudinal and transverse flat feet

- prevention of flat feet

- normalization of all internal organs in general

Unlike other techniques, barefoot has no prohibitions and restrictions , since x barefoot dressing is a type of self-massage , useful for healthy and diseased organs ^[68] .

In advanced years, the human brain decreases in volume due to a lack of oxygen and poor blood circulation. Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh have offered nearly 300 older volunteers aged 58-69 to walk barefoot daily for at least one mile at any time and at any speed convenient for them. At the end of the experiment, the examination showed that the testes' cardiovascular system carries enough oxygen to the brain, and the risk of developing senile sclerosis or Alzheimer's has significantly decreased . Half of the participants got rid of chronic hypertension ^[69] .

Colds

According to proponents of walking barefoot, in the modern world, the statement about the increased sensitivity of the legs (feet), in particular, to cooling, is reduced to absurdity. Constant wearing shoes, in their opinion, creates abnormal greenhouse conditions for the feet, making them more vulnerable to overcooling, thereby increasing the risk of colds.

Barefoot's attitude to the teachings of Porfiry Ivanov

Barefoot lovers are not followers of this teaching.

Although Porfiry Ivanov walked barefoot, his teaching “Baby” (12 commandments) boils down to quitting smoking and alcohol, short-term fasting, gentle treatment of people, hardening, healing the body by the forces of nature, and short-term (up to several minutes a day) standing barefoot on the ground or in the snow. Ivanov has no talk of regular, prolonged, and all the more constant walking barefoot.

Barefoot Walking for Women

Modern medicine refutes the view that women (girls) should not walk barefoot due to problems with childbearing, and indicates the importance of hardening for both girls and boys. Girls are not recommended to sit for a long time in the cold, but this does not apply to cooling the feet.

Feeling feminine is easiest barefoot.

Some women who constantly or often walk without shoes are surprised: how can a woman dream of a feminine image while she has pantyhose or stockings on her feet with shoes, winter boots and other shoe trash? They believe that shoes for a woman, in fact, are wrong and gone.

Studies show that almost two-thirds of women wear shoes one or more sizes smaller than necessary. The result of such squeezing of the foot is a deployed thumb, a raised second finger, which also deforms, becoming hammer-like or claw-like.

Ingrown toenails and lowering of the arch of the foot are often added to these acquired deformities. From the top is a complex mechanical design, and each of its defects becomes the cause of the next deviation. There is a chain reaction of the development of problems .

In wet weather and winter, women are advised to paint their nails with black or dark purple varnish to hide the dirt clogged under the nails

Light tones of varnish are recommended for use with tanned legs. It is better to use opaque or matte varnish. Transparent, translucent, pearl and iridescent rainbow tones of varnish, when contaminated, worsen the appearance of the leg, giving it a sloppy appearance, and in such cases the nails look neglected.

In cool weather, women are advised to wear black leggings .

It is especially useful for women to walk barefoot, using every opportunity. In summer, barefoot climbing should become a habit , but even 15-20 minutes of barefoot walking a day will give a positive result. In addition to improving the condition of internal organs due to stimulation of the active zones on the foot, a woman will improve posture, gait and well-being .

Men to barefoot women, as a rule, are treated with courtesy and sincere interest ^[70] .

Barefoot Walking and Sex

It is noted that erotic associations from walking barefoot in women are stronger than in men . Perhaps this also explains the fact that women, compared to men, take off their shoes more often and more willingly.

If possible, constant bare footing favorably affects female libido and is the best cure for frigidity , providing, especially on uneven surfaces, an effective foot massage.

Доказано, что в первобытных обществах и во многих тропических странах, где хождение босиком является нормой, фригидность и импотенция встречаются реже, чем в т. н. «цивилизованных» странах.

При хождении босиком, особенно зимой, горячая кровь поступает к ногам из туловища, омывая по пути органы малого таза. Это способствует лечению некоторых мочеполовых заболеваний, а также стимулирует функции половых органов .

Босые подошвы за счёт стимуляции кровообращения повышают сексуальность . Неслучайно в гаремах восточных стран обязательным требованием к женщинам была их босоногость для повышения их сексуальной активности.

Американский врач Дейв Янкер (Dave Juncker), исследовавший влияние босоногости на сексуальность, полагает, что курорты способствуют развитию мимолетных любовных романов потому, что отдыхающие постоянно ходят босиком . Вследствие этого люди всё время находятся в скрытом возбуждении, приводящем к лёгкому флирту, нередко перерастающему в курортный роман ^[71] .

• Босоногие (монахи)
• Босиком по мостовой
• Бег босиком
• Босо-обувь
• Натуризм
• Foot fetish
• Колтон Харрис-Мур , также известный, как «Босоногий бандит»

• Aparin V.E., Krylov V.V. On the benefits of walking barefoot // Science and Life: Journal. - 1982. - April ( No. 4 ). - S. 77-80 .
• Aparin V.E., Krylov V.V., Krylova Z.E. Once again about the benefits of walking barefoot. - M .: Physical education and sport, 1984. - 40 p.