Lifestyle Challenge: Shoes Off!

Do you take off your shoes as soon as you enter your house? Some of us have done this our entire lives, while it’s a completely foreign concept to others.

This week we’re going to make our homes “street-shoe-free” zones. There are several good reasons to do this!

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First, did you know your shoes pick up toxins everywhere you go - from the toxic chemicals contained on parking lot asphalt to the nasty bacteria found in public restrooms? Let’s not forget the animal poop that’s been on the sidewalks and grass we walk on!

According to one study, an average of 421,000 units of bacteria are found on the outside of our shoes, including E. coli and coliform (note: that bacteria is also found INSIDE shoes, too, in smaller concentrations).

👉The study, which was conducted by the University of Arizona in conjunction with the Rockport Shoe Company, also found that those same shoes left behind bacteria on home floors 95 to 99% of the time. Yuck!

On the plus side, taking a break from wearing shoes is actually GOOD for the health of your feet.

Shoes can restrict the natural movement of the muscles in your feet as you walk. Going barefoot (or just wearing socks) can help build the strength and flexibility of your feet!

Another bonus: not wearing your shoes in the house also makes it much easier to keep your floors cleaner longer.

Are you up for joining us for this challenge this week? Let me know in a comment below!  

Also- be sure to snap a pic of your shoes by your front door as evidence!  👞👟👠👡👢

Reference: https://www.ciriscience.org/a_96-Study-Reveals-High-Bacteria-Levels-on-Footwear