Taking care of your feet is always important, but perhaps one of the most serious conditions related to your foot health is diabetes. What is diabetes? Diabetes is a condition where your blood sugar or glucose levels are too high. This can cause nerve damage and lead to infections and, possibly, limb amputation. Because of this it is very important to let your podiatrist know you have diabetes and regularly check your feet.

Symptoms of diabetes include constant thirst, constant hunger, repetitive need to urinate, fatigue, moodiness, sudden loss of weight, blurred vision, slow healing sores and numbness in hands or feet.

If you have any of these symptoms contact your podiatrist so they can quickly determine if you have diabetes or something else.

Risk factors for diabetes include:

Family history – can be passed from family member to family member
Obesity – the more overweight you are, the more resistant your body is to sugar correcting insulin
Inactivity – less activity slows the effects of insulin and hinders fat burning
Age – the older you are, the greater the risk of developing diabetes
High blood pressure – over 140/90 the greater the risk

Try the following to help prevent diabetes:

Eat healthy – eat foods lower in fat and calories and high in fiber
Lose weight – will help you metabolize insulin and sugar
Get more exercise – ride a bike, walk, swim or other cardiovascular activities for approximately 30 minutes a day
Regularly check your feet – more normal conditions like calluses, corns, ingrown toenails and bunions can become infected due to nerve damage
DO NOT smoke – hinders blood flow and wound healing

If you’ve already developed diabetes, see your podiatrist to help you determine which if the following is best for you:

Monitor your blood sugar level -your doctor will show you how to measure and report your blood sugar levels
Insulin therapy – you may need to take insulin shots to balance your sugar levels
Oral medicines – designed to help the pancreas produce insulin
Transplant – get a new pancreas
Amputation – if too much nerve damage is suffered and gangrene sets in, a limb may have to be amputated

If you have diabetes or believe you are developing it or have any other concerns about your feet, make an appointment with Dr. Anant Joshi of Advanced Footcare of NJ LLC . Call us at (973) 256-0002. We are located at 1031 McBride Avenue, Suite D-105, Woodland Park, NJ, 07424. You can also contact us at our email advancedfootcare1031@outlook .com.