Ancient Indian Wisdom

1 How many of you remember your parents or grandparents telling you that walking barefoot on earth is beneficial for you?

Here are two surprising papers on this (one from 2011 and the other from 2019.

Integrative and lifestyle medicine strategies should include Earthing (grounding): Review of research evidence and clinical observations (Nov 2019) and The neuromodulative role of earthing (Jul 2011)

Clearly an area worthy of further research.

#2 Remember the admonition to leave your shoes outside ?

Well, turns our there are very good reasons. A brief excerpt from the “Leave your shoes outside, these scientists say”:

The matter building up inside your home includes not just dust and dirt from people and pets shedding hair and skin. About a third of it is from outside, either blown in or tramped in on those offensive shoe bottoms.

Some of the microorganisms present on shoes and floors are drug-resistant pathogens, including hospital-associated infectious agents (germs) that are difficult to treat.

Add in cancer-causing toxins from asphalt road residue and endocrine-disrupting lawn chemicals, and you might view the filth on your shoes in a new light.

….Our work has involved the measurement and assessment of exposure to a range of harmful substances found inside homes including:

• antibiotic-resistant genes (genes that make bacteria resistant to antibiotics)
• disinfectant chemicals in the home environment
• microplastics
• the perfluorinated chemicals (also known as PFAS or “forever chemicals,” because of their tendency to remain in the body and not break down) used ubiquitously in a multitude of industrial, domestic and food packaging products
• radioactive elements.

etc. etc. (read the article in full).