AF&A Blog

There are so many topics to address when it comes to talking about diabetes. Living with diabetes, provides daily challenges and many changes to the routines you have developed over the years. Early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is often first managed with changes to diet and exercise. Hopefully the word ‘diet’ doesn’t elicit images of tasteless cardboard like food (we will dispel this idea in the future). ‘Exercise’ shouldn’t conjure images of hours on the treadmill, repetitive weight lifting, or being covered in sweat. Small changes to your daily activities can add some of the exercise you need to best manage your diabetes. Here are a few ideas from your friends at AFAS:

· Raking leaves: While you should take caution if you have any kind of lung or heart condition, raking the leaves in your yard can really get your blood flowing. The action of raking includes muscles in your back, arms, chest, and legs. By using these muscles, your body can better process the glucose in your blood and more efficiently use the insulin you produce.

· Parking in the back: You may have heard this one a few times before, but instead of parking right up front, opt for one of the many open spaces in the back. This, of course, requires that you have a little extra time. Instead of looping around the parking lot to find a space closer to the entrance of your work or shopping center of choice, grab one of the many empty spaces in the back of the lot and get a little extra walking in everyday. Walking is one of the best and simple exercises you can do to boost your health.

· Take the stairs: If you work on the 20^th floor of the office building, hoofing it up the stairs in your business attire probably won’t do. Now taking it to the 18^th floor and walking a couple flights of stairs will provide some added activity without sweat beading up on your forehead.

Remember that living a healthy lifestyle, no matter how long or severe your diabetes is, can only help you better manage your blood sugars. This November be aware of your diabetes or help a friend or family member to be aware of theirs. There is a wealth of information from the American Diabetes Association^®, family doctor, podiatrist, dietitian and other health care providers to help you best manage this challenging disease.

Until next time, watch your blood sugars and keep those feet happy and healthy Austin!

If you’re a frequent visitor to our website, you may have noticed a free book offer link in the left had margins. We here at AF&A are always trying to improve the health and well being of our patients. Keeping the old adage ‘an ounce of prevent is worth a pound of cure’, we do our very best to educate you about proper foot care and ways to avoid injury. We hope that information provided in the books by Dr. Thomajan will help you to be pro-active in your own health.

Running is a fun and easy activity that requires little equipment. Whether enjoying the occasional jog or are thinking about starting exercise program, you should always take care to avoid injury. Dr. Thomajan’s book talks about some common injuries and precautions you can take to Keep Running.

Diabetes affects your whole body. Your feet, unfortunately, take the brunt of increased weight and vascular problems that often occur during the course of this chronic disease. Anyone who is living with diabetes needs to be extremely diligent and pro-active in their foot health. A good place to start is requesting Dr. Thomajan’s book.

Visit the AFAS homepage and click on the icon. You will be directed to a form to fill out after clicking the link. After choosing one of the two books and entering the remainder of the information sit back and wait for your book to arrive by mail. Until next time, keep those feet happy and healthy Austin!

Blisters on your feet are a common injury, especially for the athlete. A foot blister results when frictional forces cause layers of your skin to separate and fill with fluid. Shoe and foot types, increased moisture, and increased activity can all increase chances of this happening. Since we all need to stay fit, similar to any athlete, tricks for preventing a problem like this are useful for all of us.

Making sure that you have the proper shoe fit is the first thing you can do to avoid blisters. Blisters on your toes can often be avoided by checking that there is a thumbs width of distance between the tip of your shoe and your longest toe. Walking around in your shoes should allow you to notice any problem areas that may be associated with your foot ‘type’. If there is no apparent problem with the shoe other than making a particular part of your foot uncomfortable, you should talk to Dr. Thomajan about a custom orthotic. This may help your foot to function better and avoid future blisters.

It is important to examine your insoles as well. They may simply be ‘worn out’ and replacing them with new, more protective insert, may eliminate the problem. Moisture also increases the chances of blister formation. By wearing socks that wick away sweat or using proper drying agents, you can help decrease your risk of blister formation. Lastly, slowly working up to extended activities can not only help your feet adjust and prevent blisters, but can also prevent a wealth of other acute injuries.

Until next time, keep those feet healthy and stay happy Austin!