Diabetes and Your Feet:

Avoid serious foot problems that can potentially lead to a toe, foot or leg amputation. Keeping your blood glucose in good control and taking care of your feet EVERY DAY can help your feet stay healthy and happy.

 

What Damage Can Diabetes Do?

The damage diabetes does to nerves and circulation puts people at risk for serious problems with their feet or lower legs. The following can happen:

  • Diabetic nerve damage (also known as neuropathy) to the foot can cause an injury which may not cause any pain.
  • With no pain to warn of the injury, the foot can become badly infected before the problem is discovered.
  • High blood sugar causes poor blood flow and the body is less able to fight the infection and heal the injury.
  • In very serious cases, it may be necessary to surgically remove the foot or the limb.

 

How to Prevent Serious Problems With Your Feet:

1) Take care of your diabetes

2) Check feet every day

3) Wash your feet every day

4) Dry your feet gently. Remember between the toes too! Keep the skin soft and smooth. Special feet creams are available for very dry skin.

5) Be careful with corns and calluses

6) Trim your toenails when needed

7) Wear shoes, or slippers and socks at all times

8) Protect your feet from hot and cold

9) Keep the blood flowing to your feet

10) Be more active

*Remember to visit your podiatrist regularly:

 

How To Trim Your Nails:

  • Trim your toenails with clippers after you wash and dry your feet.
  • Trim toenails straight across and smooth them with an emery board or nail file.
  • Don't cut into the corners of the toenail.
  • If you can't see well, if your toenails are thick or yellowed, or if your nails curve and grow into the skin, have a podiatrist trim your toenails.

About Corns and Calluses:

  • If you have corns and calluses, check with your podiatrist about the best way to care for them.
  • If your podiatrist tells you to, use a pumice stone to smooth corns and calluses after bathing or showering. A pumice stone is a type of rock used to smooth the skin. Rub gently, only in one direction, to avoid tearing the skin.
  • Do not cut corns and calluses. Don't use razor blades, corn plasters, or liquid corn and callus removers -- they can damage your skin.

Avoid Foot Wounds and Pain:

  • Wear shoes, or slippers and socks at all times. Do not walk barefoot -- not even indoors -- because it is easy to step on something and hurt your feet.
  • Always wear socks, stockings, or nylons with your shoes to help avoid blisters and sores.
  • Choose clean, lightly padded socks that fit well. Socks that have no seams are best.
  • Check the insides of your shoes before you put them on to be sure the lining is smooth and that there are no objects in them.
  • Wear shoes that fit well and protect your feet.

* Remember to visit your podiatrist regularly

 

Foot Reminders:

  • DON'T use drying medicine such as Iodine or Medicated Corn Pads
  • DON'T go barefoot
  • DON'T wear tight shoes
  • DON'T ignore foot or leg problems

 

Did You Know?

Nerve damage can cause you to lose feeling in your feet. You may not feel a pebble inside your sock that is causing a sore. You may not feel a blister caused by poorly fitting shoes but simple foot injuries such as these can cause serious ulcers which may lead to amputation if left untreated.

 

Get Started Now:

  • Begin taking good care of your feet today
  • Set a time every day to check your feet
  • Note the date of your next visit to the podiatrist

 

Health Tip #:001

Benefiting From A Daily Dosage of Aspirin??

May 9, 2007 - A study reported by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the effectiveness of a daily dosage of baby aspirin (81 milligrams) to prevent cardiovascular disease is just as effective as adult aspirin (325 milligrams). Also, a daily dosage of baby aspirin is much less likely to cause the most common adverse side affects - bleeding, primarily gastrointestinal bleeding.

Researchers concluded that to minimize side effects, every effort should be made to minimize long-term dosage of aspirin, and they pointed out that the optimal regimen for reducing cardiovascular risk for each individual patient is yet to be determined. Until that time, they recommended that all adults who take daily aspirin for this purpose take no more than the lower dosage.

Better Living Now is a proud supporter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation:


© 2007 by Vanderbilt University

Reference: American Diabetes Association:

Reference: American Diabetes Association:



There are 23.6 million children and adults in the US with diabetes -- 5.7 million people are undiagnosed and 57 million have a condition called pre-diabetes.

Take this test to see if you are at risk for having or developing type 2 diabetes.