What is ‘grounding’ exactly, and can a boot help? Veronica Peerless puts Barefootvivo’s Pilgrim boot to the best and describes what happened. <\/p>
There\u2019s nothing I like more on a summer<\/a>\u2019s day to walk barefoot on my lawn<\/a> \u2013 not only does it feel nice to feel the grass and daisies between my toes, but it\u2019s said to be good for wellbeing<\/a>, too. Walking (or lying) on grass (or sand, mud, soil or rock) is said to promote \u2018grounding\u2019, or \u2018earthing\u2019. Direct physical contact with the earth can reconnect our bodies to the planet\u2019s negative electrical charge, balancing the excess of positive ions in our bodies that come from modern living.<\/p> This all sounds a little woo-woo, but a decade of research<\/a> into grounding suggests that there is something in this. It\u2019s claimed that the benefits of grounding could include decreased inflammation and pain, reduced stress and improved sleep and circulation.<\/p> You may also like:<\/strong><\/p> I\u2019ve no idea, really, if grounding helps me, but it\u2019s part of an arsenal of practices that I use following a bout of ill health a few years ago. In the UK climate, opportunities for walking barefoot on grass are few and far between, however \u2013 and this soggy summer<\/a> has been particularly disappointing in that respect. So I was interested to try out the new Pilgrim boot from Vivobarefoot<\/a>, which features unique conductive technology to aid grounding.<\/p> All Vivobarefoot footwear is wide, thin and flexible, and designed to be as close to walking barefoot as possible. The new Pilgrim boot goes one step further \u2013 it has three conductive layers underfoot (a rubber outsole for stability and initial contact, a thin silver webbing for optimal conductive contact, and a leather strobel layer stitched with silver thread) to create a pathway for electrons to flow between the body and the earth’s surface.<\/p> This was my first time wearing Vivobarefoot shoes, and they took some getting used to. For starters, they\u2019re a rather glaring orange leather and have a very wide toe area, which looks a bit \u2018circus performer\u2019. Not surprisingly, the first time I wore the boots, it really did feel like there was very little between my feet and the ground. While this didn\u2019t feel unpleasant, it didn\u2019t feel particularly pleasant either, especially when walking in the parts of the garden that aren\u2019t grass. <\/p> I initially tried wearing the boots without socks but found that they were rubbing my ankles, so I swiftly put on some thin socks (the boots can be worn with or without socks made from natural fibres). I spent a few hours in the garden that day, feeling a bit irritated by the lack of comfort, and then \u2013 very unusually for me \u2013 slept like a log that night.<\/p> A few weeks on, I\u2019m now addicted to the boots. I\u2019ve been wearing them not only in the garden but on country walks, and I\u2019ve road tested them on long, stony walks in deepest France. I love the connection to the ground beneath my feet – I can feel every clump of grass, tree root and stone, and the different textures of earth. It adds another dimension to my time outside, making me more mindful of the world around me. My regular shoes now feel odd by comparison.<\/p> Some people can feel when they\u2019re grounded, but I\u2019m not sure that I can. While there\u2019s no substitute for the delicious feeling of walking barefoot on a lawn, I\u2019ll be sticking with my Pilgrims when I\u2019m gardening (and walking). If I can improve my wellbeing every time I go outside without even trying, then why not?<\/p> Buy Women’s Vivobarefoot Pilgrim boots from Vivobarefoot (\u00a3180.00)<\/a><\/p>