It is important for Diabetics to practice good foot care by learning how to recognize problems with their feet before the problems become serious. With a good foot care routine at home, and controlled blood sugar levels, diabetics will be able to avoid problems with their feet.
Diabetes is a disease that can cause nerve damage to eyes, kidneys, feet and blood vessels. When diabetics do not control their blood sugar levels then they cannot feel their feet and this can lead to more serious problem because when they lose feeling in their feet and diabetics simply cannot feel sores, cuts, abrasions, blisters and areas where the skin has been damaged. Even with the advancement of foot care treatments a diabetic’s best prevention of life-threatening problems is good control of their Blood Sugar Levels.
When a diabetic’s Blood Sugar stays to high it will cause damages to the point that even a very insignificant looking wound will not heal properly, allowing infection to develop and without healthy blood vessels to deliver the antibiotics, the infection will develop into gangrene. There is really only one treatment for gangrene and that is amputation of the diabetic’s foot or their leg. If the amputation does not stop the infection and it reaches the bloodstream then it becomes life threatening.
The best prevention that a diabetic has is the advice of The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons they offer these suggestions: (author’s comments have been italicized)
1. Wash your feet daily with soap and water, and carefully dry them afterward. Use a dry towel to rub away dried skin.
2. Use a rich moisturizer on your feet, but don’t apply it between the toes. There are excellent diabetic foot moisturizers in the diabetes center at most drugstores.
3. Keep toenails trimmed, but cut them straight across. Clipping the corners can lead to ingrown nails. Push back cuticles with dry towel.
4. Avoid using antiseptics, sharp tools or heating pads on the feet. This also includes electric blankets.
5. Keep feet warm and dry with cozy socks. There are whole product lines of socks for diabetics in most drugstores.
6. Prevent circulatory problems by avoiding smoking. And don’t sit with your legs crossed.
If you ever have problems with your feet it is important to write down information like; what happened to your foot, how long ago did you notice the wound and most important is to have either a record or a good knowledge of your Blood Sugar Level’s highs and lows.
Use the above six tips in your diabetes health care program, and have your feet checked once a year by your doctor.
Foot Care for Diabetics
Diabetics Need Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats and Fiber
Our bodies use the carbohydrates, proteins, fats and fiber that we eat and breaks them down as fuel. Diabetics need all four in their daily diets to maintain a healthy body.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are broke down and turned into fuel called glucose and this fuel is distributed throughout the body to help the heart, lungs, eyes, legs, arms, feet, hands do their job without complications.
Carbohydrates are used by our bodies to create energy and we use that energy to work and play. They include starches, sugars and dairy that are found in the foods we eat Carbohydrate do affect each Diabetic differently, I find that potatoes, corn and peas really make my blood sugar levels go extremely high so, I eat them on special occasion and never together in the same meal.
There are two types of carbohydrates, they are Simple-Carbohydrates that when eaten convert to sugar quickly and can spike blood sugar levels quite rapidly and with the same speed drop your blood sugar levels making you crave more carbohydrates only to continue the cycle, and Complex-Carbohydrates, that will convert into sugars more slowly, level off and slowly be used for fuel by our bodies, and this will allow your blood sugar levels to slowly drop.
Proteins
Protein is important for the development of healthy muscles and strong bones. Proteins are made up of many different amino acids, but the human body needs 22 amino acids to stay healthy, 13 of these amino acids the human body can create on its own, the other 9 amino acids can be found in the foods we eat.
There are two food groups that we can get those 9 amino acids in, grains/beans/vegetables and meat/dairy. We have no problems getting amino acids in the meat and dairy that we eat, however if you are a vegan/vegetarian or just someone who has cut back on eating meats then you need to do a little food combining by eating a variety of protein-filled foods to get a perfect balance of amino acids.
Fats
Fats do not exclusively make you fat! We do need fats in limited amounts to help our bodies absorb vitamins and fats help our bodies to use carbohydrates and proteins more efficiently. You do need fats, but not all fats are the “good-for-you” types of fat.
Good fats are found in Vegetable Oils; olive, sunflower seeds, avocados, sesame, soybeans, Fish; salmon, tuna, mackerel, Nuts and Seeds. Not so Good fats are found in Animal meats and product like butter, cream, cheeses and milk.
Fiber
Everyone needs to be eating more fiber rich foods. It is the fiber in our diet that allows the bowels to function properly, protecting our intestines from problems like colon cancer.
It is important to eat fiber rich foods like fruits, vegetables, oats, oatmeal, and legumes. Including foods with soluble fibers in your diet can aid in the lowering of blood cholesterol levels.
