Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: feetback on 08/03/2005 20:34:57
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Hi everyone,
I am an electrical engineer who has been investigating the effects of shoes on degenerative diseases--a laughable, but plausible, connection. Through unifying historical, statistical, and physical evidence, my research demonstrates that footwear is actually a cause of disease in humans. The basic idea is that shoes cause poor posture, and it is poor posture that influences the body's internal functioning. As a brief introduction, consider the following three points:
1. United States compared to Japan:
The long-lived Japanese practice the custom of removing shoes when in the home, at offices or restaurants, replacing them with slippers, socks, or bare feet. In the United States, however, shoes are required everywhere, and many people end up wearing them constantly, even in the comfort of their own homes. Many degenerative diseases occur less often in Japan, including heart disease, breast, prostate and colon cancers, asthma, diabetes, and especially obesity.
2. Women compared to men:
Women's footwear is more physically deforming to the feet because of higher heels, pointier toes, and smaller sizes, but any shoe might have a more deforming effect on the lighter build of a woman's body. Accordingly, women in the United States seem to suffer from some degenerative diseases more often than men. The list includes autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, and even Alzheimer's disease.
3. Footwear changes in recent decades:
The materials and styles used in footwear manufacturing have changed significantly since the 1970's, with thicker, heavier plastics, rather than lighter, flexible leather. The modern sneaker, which has an exceptionally thick and inflexible sole, typifies these recent footwear changes. Asthma, diabetes, and obesity are among the conditions that have increased in prevalence, greatly affecting much younger ages than in the past.
Chiropodist Dr. Simon J. Wikler pioneered efforts to understand the influences of shoes in the 1950's, yet his work was neglected during the subsequent drug- and diet-based approaches to medicine. However, the prolific footwear historian and podiatrist Dr. William A. Rossi clearly demonstrated throughout his publications that shoes influence the posture of the human body. Therefore, using the posture-based approaches to medicine of the distinguished orthopedist Dr. Joel E. Goldthwait, I have expanded Dr. Wikler's insightful work to include a variety of illnesses and conditions whose cause remains unknown.
You may find my full thesis regarding shoes and disease on the Internet at:
http://www.shoebusters.com
My outlined treatment involves removing the cause; regularly applying a contrast bath--or more descriptively, an alternate cold-hot footbath--to maintain flexibility in the feet; barefoot walking to maintain strength in the feet, resorting to wide-toed, soft-soled moccasins if necessary; and getting plenty of rest.
Thank you very much for any questions or discussion.
James Semmel
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I agree with some of your points about shoes promoting bad posture and themselves being bad for feet under certain circumstances (stilettos), but I am really struggling to link footwear to Alzheimer's - sorry !
That means that someone with a bilateral lower limb amputation should be spared senile dementia, which is definitely not the case !
Chris
"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
- Groucho Marx
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Chris,
Thanks for your reply. (What makes you think that removing such a vital body part would spare somebody a problem?)
The link with Alzheimer's is certainly unusual, but still plausible. As I mentioned, women suffer from Alzheimer's more often than men, and their footwear is more deforming to the feet. Even the first clinical case, presenting to Dr. Alois Alzheimer in 1901, was a woman called "Auguste D." who was born on May 16, 1850, during the last year that shoes were made completely by hand. The second clinical case of what became known as Alzheimer's disease was a man, "Johann F." born on March 8, 1853, just about a year or so after Isaac Singer's invention of the sewing machine. Both "Auguste D." and "Johann F." were among the first children growing up in the modern manufactured shoe era.
Thus, we have strong statistical and historical evidence that shoes are involved in Alzheimer's disease. However, coincidence does not imply causality, and a physical reason is absolutely necessary.
Well, it seems to me that the feet play a vital role in balancing the upper body. It is easier to balance the body in a lower-heeled shoe. You can verify this by hanging out at any busy street corner and observing the women in high stiletto heels, but if you want to find out for yourself, then simply try their shoes--in private, of course! :-)
I propose that when the feet are disabled in shoes, the brain must compensate to balance the skeleton against the force of gravity. The unnatural load on the brain necessarily reduces its normal capacity for tasks such as memory. Chronic physical distress from uncomfortable footwear must also influence emotions--an equally important consideration in Alzheimer's disease.
james
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Hi James,
I have seen your theory posted elsewhere, though I don't think you have viewed those sites for a while. Can you tell me how your theory covers the following points?
* Some forms of early-onset AD have been shown to be heritable. Does this mean that certain people are genetically predisposed to become ill if they wear shoes?
* How does the footware theory explain the presence of the pathological signs of typical AD (e.g. amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles), which are the mechanism via which the disease destroys and damages neurons?
* I would agree that some studies have shown that the incidence and prevalence of AD is lower in Japanese than in white Caucasians, this is not the case in all studies and the best estimates are that 1.5mn Japanese suffer from AD. Out of a population of 127mn, that equates to 1.18% prevalence, whereas the US Census Bureau and Alzheimer's Association estimate variously that 4.0-4.5mn US citizens have AD out of a population of 290mn. Taking the more widely quoted 4mn figure, that's a prevalence of 1.38%. Certainly, that is a statistically significant difference.
However, surely some of this difference must be accounted for by the lower aluminium and fluoride contents in Japanese water (both considered aggravating factors in AD), as well as the fact that the average Japanese consumes a far higher quantity of sea food (and hence the neuro-protective essential fatty acids found in oily fish) than the average American.
Cheers.
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Hi James,
I have seen your theory posted elsewhere, though I don't think you have viewed those sites for a while. Can you tell me how your theory covers the following points?
* Some forms of early-onset AD have been shown to be heritable. Does this mean that certain people are genetically predisposed to become ill if they wear shoes?
* How does the footware theory explain the presence of the pathological signs of typical AD (e.g. amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles), which are the mechanism via which the disease destroys and damages neurons?
* I would agree that some studies have shown that the incidence and prevalence of AD is lower in Japanese than in white Caucasians, this is not the case in all studies and the best estimates are that 1.5mn Japanese suffer from AD. Out of a population of 127mn, that equates to 1.18% prevalence, whereas the US Census Bureau and Alzheimer's Association estimate variously that 4.0-4.5mn US citizens have AD out of a population of 290mn. Taking the more widely quoted 4mn figure, that's a prevalence of 1.38%. Certainly, that is a statistically significant difference.
However, surely some of this difference must be accounted for by the lower aluminium and fluoride contents in Japanese water (both considered aggravating factors in AD), as well as the fact that the average Japanese consumes a far higher quantity of sea food (and hence the neuro-protective essential fatty acids found in oily fish) than the average American.
Cheers.
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Mice can be genetically programmed to develop an Alzheimer's-like pathology yet, to my knowledge, they are not known to wear shoes.
Horses, on the other hand, have been wearing shoes for thousands of years, but no one has noted a surge in horse Alzheimer's to date.
Chris
"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
- Groucho Marx
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Mike,
Good questions that you have brought up. I can only offer you my opinions and educated guesses, but I'm sure you already knew that.
The inherited nature of any disease, let alone Alzheimer's, may find its genesis in anatomic body type, which is an extremely important factor concerning postural diseases. Some people are tall and skinny, and others are short and stocky, while many are intermediate. The attachment points for various muscles and positioning of internal organs also varies from person to person. Most importantly, the shape of the toes varies among families, and the upper body structure is ultimately reflected in the footprint. All of these factors are significant in determining the exact site of disease when the mechanics of the body become poor.
I cannot answer your second question, regarding the exact internal details within the brain. There are many possibilities with faulty body mechanics, not the least of which are circulatory disturbances and hormonal imbalances.
Most researchers are zoomed way in to the cellular and biochemical processes you seek to understand. Even Dr. Alois Alzheimer himself was using a microscope a century ago to study the brain's pathology. Zooming out and looking at the entire structure--not just an isolated part of it--I see the human body as a unique, biomechanical machine that is susceptible to the force of gravity 24x7. From this view, it becomes evident that the types of surfaces we walk upon, sit upon, and recline upon are fundamental influences in the organic functioning of the body. The factors you mention, such as aluminum and seafood, may thus be irrelevant.
Accordingly, rather than focusing on the chemical and cellular, I suggest considering the gait, posture and other such features of any AD patient. Moreover, Dr. Alzheimer's notes of his first clinical case, "Auguste D.", contain a significant anatomical clue that deserves careful scrutiny. We can discuss these points further if you are interested in continuing this thread.
Thank you very much,
james
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HI Chris, I can remember a song containing "A little mouse with clogs on, where on the stair right there" in old amsterdam so I guess you might have to reconsider this last post :)[:D]
quote:
Originally posted by chris
Mice can be genetically programmed to develop an Alzheimer's-like pathology yet, to my knowledge, they are not known to wear shoes.
Horses, on the other hand, have been wearing shoes for thousands of years, but no one has noted a surge in horse Alzheimer's to date.
Chris
"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
- Groucho Marx
Death is natures way of telling us to slow down.
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Damn.
I'll stand by my comment about horses though !
Chris
"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
- Groucho Marx