Now that the weather is warm, it seems totally natural to kick off your shoes and walk barefoot in the park. Well, it seemed like a good idea to me, too, until I read the New York Times.

Their research on the subject reveals that slipping those flip flops off can expose you to the following, among other ills:

• Tetanus if you step on rusty metal
• Pseudomonas bacteria, the fungus that causes athlete’s foot
• The virus that causes plantar warts.

Dr. Jessica Sessions, a pediatrician at the William F. Ryan Community Health Center in Manhattan, says in the article that while she hates to be a spoilsport, she nonetheless recommends that people wear shoes outdoors. “At least if [those contaminants are] on your shoe, you take your shoes off at the door,” she said. “If it’s on your feet, you bring it all into the apartment.”

Yikes! If you do want to expose your tootsies, bring a blanket to spread on the grass first.

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