Foot Care for the Diabetic by ROBYN KNAPP

Proper foot care is very important for people who are diabetic. People spend a great amount of time on their feet. Knowledge of proper foot care can save the diabetic individual from many future complications that can arise from foot care neglect, such as open wounds, infection, and loss of toe nails, poor circulation, peripheral neuropathy, septicemia and gangrene. Diabetes causes poor circulation, which in turn causes the diabetic individual a loss of sensation. The feet are the farthest away from the heart and are therefore the most susceptible to complications from injury.

Using common sense and taking some simple precautions will go a long way to promoting healthy feet. Here is a list of some of some healthy tips for diabetics regarding their foot care.

* Water should be tested with the person's hand, and should be tepid not hot. Due to peripheral neuropathy, it is possible to use water that is too hot and can cause injury to the tissue.

* Use soap that is gentle on the skin, such as Ivory® or Dove®. Antibacterial soaps can be harsh on the skin, cause allergic reactions in some people.

* Instead of clipping the toe nails, use an emery board. Clipping the toe nails can lead to breaking the skin or ingrown toe nails.

* See a podiatrist on a regular basis, at least monthly. The podiatrist can clip the toe nails and determine if there are any areas of concern.

* Wear foot coverings at all times. Going barefoot can lead to unexpected injury from foreign objects as well as bacterial infection. Sandals that are open toed should be avoided. Always try to cover the entire foot. Use slippers while in the home.

Be sure to have comfortable shoes. Choose shoes that are a half size bigger and wide enough to accommodate cotton socks. Leather shoes are better than vinyl man made materials. The type of activity that someone engages in usually dictates the type of shoes to be worn. Comfort should be their priority. A diabetic may choose not to wear socks with their tennis shoes while engaging in an activity. If they are wearing shoes made of vinyl or leather, their feet will sweat profusely. Sweat from feet, especially in a slightly anaerobic environment (without oxygen) can become acidic, rather than alkaline. The acid sweat can irritate the skin and excoriate areas where there are sores beginning to form.

* Always use cotton socks. Cotton absorbs sweat more than any other material. Avoid nylon socks if possible.

* Avoid shoes that have high heels. High heels will push the toes forward and can easily cause ingrown toe nails and loss of feeling.

* Try to elevate the feet during the day. Schedule daily rest periods. When elevating the feet, try to keep the feet higher than the heart. This position allows blood to flow easier and enhances circulation.

* Avoid perfumed lotions on the feet. If dryness is a problem, use alcohol and perfumed free lotions. Be sure to thoroughly massage all of lotion into the foot, or dry off excess lotion.

* Dry feet thoroughly after each washing and air out feet if possible during the day.

* Avoid standing for long periods of time. Blood has a tendency to pool in the foot and ankle area, making it harder to circulate back to the heart.

* Avoid activities that can cause injury to the foot, such as soccer and football. If those games cannot be avoided, then choose good foot protection.

Using proper foot care sense with good hygiene can make living with diabetes easier and prevent unnecessary complications that could affect the quality of ones life.

References:

1. http://www.diabetes.org/ 2. http://www.diabetes-exercise.org 3.http://www.diabetesnet.com/diabetes_resources/ 4. http://www.ChildrensDiabetesFdn.org 5. Dudek, Susan G., Nutrition Essentials for Nursing Practice, 5th ed., Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, copyright 2006

About the Author

Pass the Nursing Entrance Test the first time with our guide at Nurses Learning Center. Written by a Professor of Education for nurses, the guide has over 600 pages with details answers to every question.

How to Establish a Fun and Healthy Diabetes Diet by John Grant

A diabetic diet is a healthy diet that everyone needs daily and something that can be fun to plan out instead of being dreaded. It is common misconception that once a person is diabetic they are compelled to be on a strict complicated diet regimen of eating special foods. A diabetic diet is more centered towards establishing a more healthy diet that is aimed to control the blood sugar level of a diabetic person.

It would be most appropriate to have diabetes diagnosed by a competent doctor who will most likely refer their diabetic patients to a licensed dietitian who will help a diabetic person plan out their diabetic diet.

The diabetic diet needed by diabetic individuals is mainly centered towards planning a healthy nutrition intake that will help promote a normal blood sugar level in the body. There are certain nutrition guidelines that are needed for a diabetic diet and a dietitian can certainly help an individual plan out a good diet plan based to the food preferences of the person and their lifestyle.

A diabetic diet is always a part of the treatment program for diabetic persons. Health practitioners always emphasize the need of vegetables, whole grains and fruits to be a part of a person's diabetic diet.

One does not need to go through a restrictive diet but rather observe to eat healthy foods that are low in calories and fats and are naturally rich in vitamins and nutrients. In fact this diet is considered to be ideal for everyone even for non-diabetic individuals.

When planning for a healthy diabetic diet there are three major things to keep in mind. First is to eat foods rich in starches of at least six servings daily. Breads, starchy vegetables and cereals are example of starchy foods that can maintain the blood sugar level needed daily by the body.

Second is to eat vegetables and fruits everyday since these groups of foods are rich in fiber that helps reduce the glucose absorption from the intestine. This would mean preventing immediate deprivation of the body from sugar which is broken down to glucose and to be absorbed by the intestines.

Third will be eating sweet foods and sugars in moderation where the recommended intake of these will be once or twice a week the most when included in a diabetic diet.

As part of a diabetic diet, fatty foods and foods high in calories must be avoided. For a diabetic diet to be more highly effective it must be complemented with a healthy lifestyle and exercise.

When trying to keep on a consistent diabetic diet there are ways to keep a diabetic person better learn how to cope with their diet more palatably by learning to alternate the kind of fruits on their diet according to the season when it is available.

Eating fresh fruits are better than preserved ones and one fun way of loving your diabetic diet would be to try planting your favorite fruits and vegetables on your own backyard. A diabetic diet is not something to be dreaded. It is in fact a healthy diet that everyone regularly needs.

About the Author

John Grant is a the author for a diet fads site where he is writing articles about diabetic diets.

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