Category Health

Shoes are in! Technology is out?! Wait, lets ‘smoosh’ that a bit. Technology is in shoes?!!

This weekend, with a visit to Hanig’s, I picked up some shoes with inherent technology.

The first of these shoes, is the Earth Shoe “Lazer-K”

While on the surface it looks like a regular shoe, it has some interesting technology components.
The primary of which is the ‘negative heel technology’ forcing you into a 3.7degree angle at all times.

Why is the angle 3.7 degrees?

Designed by a Danish yoga master, the 3.7 degrees of Kalso® Negative Heel Technology™ simulates the angle of one’s feet during the Tadasana pose performed in yoga. At this angle, one’s toes are positioned higher than one’s heels, directing primary cushioning to the most weight-bearing part of the foot – the heel pad. This angle further shifts one’s body weight back over the heels, moving you into a more natural, empowered position. This becomes the proper body position to trigger an array of whole-body benefits. It’s a rather small change that makes a sizable difference.

So, what exactly does this mean for the average person? If you don’t get a regular work out, but you do walk from place to place, this will force you into a better posture, give you’re lower back a bit of a workout and your calves. … And whatever else the picture says, but from my perspective… my calves hurt like I’ve been working them out! So I win all around.

Oh, did I mention these are vegan shoes? whoa! :)

They’re extremely comfortable, very easy to work with, slip on and off – and they do get you into a better posture which I’m sure most of us (especially in technology) suffer from.

Once you’re feeling good walking up hills, now it’s time to get out into the wild and run free with our barefoot self!

I am now the proud owner of the Sprint and the KSO!

These “shoes” created and sold by Vibram are the “Vibram FiveFingers” line, which are ideal for getting extremely close to being barefoot without your fears of glass, gravel, feces and other things getting in the way.

The first of these two shoes, the Sprint:

This is a very comfortable shoe, with amazing grip and great ground sensitivity. After putting this on, I had the freedom to run around as I would while barefoot but not having the same restrictions my currently sensitive feet have (stepping on gravel not a problem, woodchips didn’t phase me, etc) and at the same time I could chase after my son in a jungle gym/park with such speed and grace that he didn’t like my shoes giving me that ability! Once I hit the bars, I could climb up with such traction and ability I wasn’t even phased by the activity!

These shoes are particularly cool as they’re open-top and have an adjustable heel section so I can fit it as needed whether I’m out running or chasing my son or dogs!

However, taking this a step further is my other cool shoe the KSO:

This shoe is called the “KSO” or “Keep Stuff Out” for a very obvious reason. It shares all of the benefits of the previous shoe but happens to give you a more ‘shoe like’ look and feel in that it does keep things out. Yet at the same time it is not taking away from your grip, traction and feet upon the surfaces you step upon. First night we got these, I went out for a run. I didn’t run very far or very long, but I did run very fast and very free, and that was one of the first signs of good things to come.

Personally I enjoy going around barefoot, it’s freeing, liberating, requires less shoes, fairly easy to be done; yet there are real risks out there which often times are difficult to overcome. Perhaps over time these risks of glass, gravel and other types of things can be easier to step upon but until that time comes, these shoes give you some of that value, benefit and structure without sacraficing much.

These are as comfortable as a slipper, or well – As comfortable as being barefoot with a hint of knowing protection!

In the case of both of these shoes, I didn’t just happen to stumble upon them and go “Whoa, wow?!” No, like most things, I did extensive research, peer review and a number of activities to ensure that this was something which would be beneficial, useful, and something I can use long-term.

Between working to correct my posture with the Earth shoes, and providing me the ability to get reliable feedback and luxury of being able to move as-close-to-barefoot as possible. These shoes will definitely be used!

Recently a series ran on SkyOne entitled “Paul McKenna will make you thin”. For those of you who do not know Paul McKenna, he’s a world (or atleast UK Renowned Hypnotist). This 4 episode series was what could be characterized as the largest social experiment in weight loss to date. Though unlike the Atkins diet or similar crazy fads, it is not about loss, it is about gain. It is about doing what you want, eating whatever you’d like, and still losing weight.

It started with a breakdown of “4 Golden Rules” which if followed will lead to weight loss.

#1 – Eat when you’re hungry.

Don’t starve yourself. If you’re hungry? Eat. When you don’t eat, your body goes into starvation mode which tells it to slow down your metabolism (slowing calorie burning) and it also begins to store your fat. These are all typical signs of things which occur during a famine. Thus starving yourself when you’re hungry is a sure way to gain weight, and not lose it; but more importantly, gain fat which you want to lose.

#2 – Eat what you want. (Not what you think you should eat).

All those fad diets out there have one restriction or another, “Oh, you can eat a steak but you can’t touch a roll”, “Don’t eat any sugar, it’ll be the death of you”. What makes this terrible is the most certain way to get someone to do something is to tell them not to, or that they cannot. Eating what you want doesn’t give you any guilt, only freedom. You want to eat a cake? go for it. Eat whatever you like, whenever you’re hungry.

#3 – Eat Consciously – Enjoy each mouthful.

This will be the hardest thing you’ll ever have done. Take the foods you’re interested in, the foods you want to eat, the ones you love and eat them; Just slowly. Not so slowly in that you feel like you’re being bound in any way, but as you take a forkful of food and stick it in your mouth: Put your fork down. With your fork down, really taste your food, this is not a contest. You eat food to nourish your body and enjoy yourself, so take that time to truly enjoy yourself. While you take the time to actually enjoy your food you may find that you enjoy actually tastes better, and some other foods may equally not taste so much better.

#4 – Stop when you think you are full.

If you’ve followed step three, during that time you’ve really been able to listen to your body and how you feel. In the past I imagine you’d get to a meal and start chowing it down as fast as you can as if it were your last meal or you had never seen food before, and before you know it you’re stuffed, overstuffed. If you begin to eat consciously you may become aware that you are full before you know it, and when you reach that point : STOP! Your body is well aware of how it operates, it maintains your everday body functions including the digestion of the foods you enjoy, take the time to listen to what it is telling you because it’s well aware of what is going on.

Now that you’ve found a way to eat, which if you adapt will in itself help things out and work, you should start losing weight immediately, right? Well, almost.

Next on the agenda is a way to handle cravings. Sure eat what you want, but what if all you want is chocolate? pies, cakes, chocolate bars. While that’s something you know you consciously want, you’d be ignoring what sort of things your body wants, and eating chocolate 100% of the time may not be the best. But you love chocolate, or coffee, or greasy fried foods which you know are bringing about ultimately bad results for you – What can you possibly do?!

Paul introduced a technique developed by Dr. Roger Callahan called TFT – Thought Field Therapy.

This technique involves the tapping of pressure points on your body while you concentrate on the food which you happen to crave. The procedure can be performed as follows: (Perform the following a few times over several minutes)

#1 – (Close your eyes) and Focus on your food (or any craving in general) that you happen to have.

#2 – Take two fingers (index/middle) of either hand, tap above either eye about 10 times.

#3 – Now tap under your eye

#4 – Now tap under the collarbone

#5 – Be sure to keep thinking about the craving, and now tap under your armpit.

#6 – With your other hand in front of you, tap the back of it between the knuckles of your ring and little finger.

#7 – Open your eyes, and then close them. Keep tapping, open your eyes, look down to the right and then to the left. Keep tapping, roll your eyes 360 degrees clockwise and then 360 degrees counterclockwise. Keep thinking about the food, and keep tapping.

Now open your eyes and think about your craving. Is it just as strong as it was before? If you followed the steps properly your craving should have decreased. I personally did this for a craving I had for pickles. The level of ‘craving’ I had for pickles was the mere thought of pickles would cause my tongue to salivate. (Quite a conditioned response). Now when I think about pickles, it’s just “eh”. So I can guarantee it does work successfully, as can I imagine the hundreds of thousands of others whom have done it as well.

That is all for now. For more details on the techniques mentioned and detailed methods for them. Visit the following links. If you follow the steps inscribed, I guarantee you’ll feel better and become thinner.

http://www.skyone.co.uk/mckenna/
The four golden rules to losing weight
http://www.skyone.co.uk/mckenna/goldenrules/default.htm

Tapping explained.
http://www.skyone.co.uk/mckenna/tapping/

~ Christopher Kusek