If am diabetic, how can I keep my feet from getting damaged?
Hi, I'm diabetic and recently my toe was infected I was pt on medication for ten days how do I stay healthy I REALLY don't understand how my feet get damaged I want to change my whole lifestyle don't know were to start, I take solgar sugar fee vitamins and ester c daily.
Expert Answer
The best way to care for diabetes is getting the right information in order to make changes that will have the most impact on your health and and ongoing support to maintain consistency in the actions you take.
Diabetes is a very personal disease, yet science gives us specific recommendations that have been proven to have the best results. In order to strike a balance in finding what information is timely and relevant to incorporate into your life (and not get overwhelmed by it all), partner with your physician and certified diabetes educator (CDE). [You can find a local CDE by calling 1-800-TEAMUP4.]
Your CDE will guide you through healthy eating tips that without taking away from the joy that surrounds mealtime. Your doctor will prescribe diabetes medication to help your lower your glucose ("blood sugar"). And once your toe is healed, you can benefit from regular physical activity that will burn glucose naturally.
High glucose levels, typically combined with a small break in foot skin, cause most diabetic foot problems. Keeping your feet clean and protected, applying lotion daily to the heels (but not in between the toes), and wearing proper shoes are critical to preventing foot problems.
It is never too late to get your diabetes health back on track. Take one action at a time. From your head to your toes, from eating to exercising to checking glucose, you play the most important role in changing your lifestyle. You will increase your chance at success if you bring in the experts to help you on your journey.