| Welcome to the July
edition of Access Digest. This month our
theme is Diabetes and Your Feet.
Foot care is especially important for people with
diabetes. Some of the disease's effects increase
the risk of foot problems as well as the likelihood
of complications. We'll look at the kinds of foot
problems to watch out for and how to avoid them.
We'll also discuss Diabetic Neuropathy. We hope
you'll find these articles of interest.
Our featured recipe of the month is Turkey
Burgers and our Lifestyle Tip is Avoiding
Foot Problems.
As always, when you see
"Read More"
at the end of an article, or something that is
underlined, you can click on it to be linked
to another Web site where you'll find more information.
When you find a site that you may want to visit
again in the future, you can bookmark it.
Each month we receive
questions from our readers. We post some of the
more frequent questions and answers for everyone
to read. If you have questions or comments of
your own, please e-mail them to us at the end
of this issue.
We hope you enjoy this issue of our newsletter.
Thank you for choosing Access Diabetic
Supply as your choice for diabetic supplies.
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A Word to the Wise |
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Proper diabetic foot care
and attention can prevent most serious foot complications.
Diabetes can cause nerve damage (called peripheral
neuropathy) that reduces sensation in your feet.
If you have neuropathy, you can have an injury or
condition on your foot that requires medical care
without even knowing it. Small injuries may become
infected.
Diabetes may also affect blood flow in your legs
and feet, making it harder for cuts or sores to
heal. Then a small infection can become very serious.
Foot infection is the most common reason for hospitalization
of people with diabetes. Foot ulcers and non-healing
wounds are the primary causes of amputation in people
with diabetes. With proper foot care, however, it
is estimated that as many as half of these amputations
could be prevented.
Read More |
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Common Diabetic Foot Problems |
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Corns and calluses are thick layers
of skin caused by too much rubbing or pressure
on the same spot.
Blisters can form if shoes always rub
the same spot, or from wearing shoes that do
not fit or wearing shoes without socks.
Ingrown toenails occur when an edge of
the nail grows into the skin, which can then
get red and infected. Ingrown toenails can happen
if you cut into the corners of your toenails
when you trim them. This condition can also
be caused by wearing shoes that are too tight.
A bunion forms when the big toe slants
toward the small toes, and a bump forms at the
base of the big toe. This spot can get red,
sore, and infected. Bunions often run in the
family and can also be caused by wearing shoes
with pointed toes.
Plantar warts, which form on the bottom
of the feet, are caused by a virus. They tend
to go away without treatment.
Hammertoes form when a foot muscle gets
weak, shortening the tendons, which then retract
the toe, causing it to curl under the foot and
creating a bump at the joint on the top of the
toe. These areas can become sore, and hammertoes
can cause problems in walking and in finding
comfortable shoes.
Dry skin can become cracked, allowing
germs to enter.
Athlete's foot is caused by a fungus
that causes redness and cracking of the skin.
Read more
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What is Diabetic
Neuropathy? |
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| Diabetic neuropathy,
a complex deformity, can affect people with diabetes.
Sensory Peripheral Neuropathy: The most
common form of neuropathy affects multiple nerves
in the body, and can lead to severe foot problems
such as ulcers, infection, and bone and joint
deformities. In addition, sensory peripheral neuropathy
may result in
* Diminished sensation and the inability
to feel pain.
* Numbness or tingling in the feet.
* Abnormal pain, or pain for no reason
at all.
* Deep-seated pain and/ or an unusually
unpleasant increased sensitivity to pain.
* Difficulty regulating body temperature
and inability to distinguish between hot and cold
temperatures.
* Slower response time/ decreased
muscle strength.
Read More |
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Professional
Care for Foot Problems |
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| Your health care provider
should perform a complete foot exam at least annually
- more often if you already have foot problems.
Call or see your health care provider if you have
cuts or breaks in the skin, or have an ingrown
nail. Also, tell your health care provider if
your foot changes color, shape, or just feels
different (for example, becomes less sensitive
or hurts).
If you have corns or calluses, your health care
provider can trim them for you. Your health care
provider can also trim your toenails if you cannot
do so safely.
Because people with diabetes are more prone to
foot problems, a foot care specialist may be on
your health care team.
Read More |
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Healthy Living: Monthly Recipe & Lifestyle Changes |
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July Lifestyle Tip:
Avoiding Foot Problems
Keep your blood sugar
level as close to normal as possible. Also, follow
your doctor's advice on diet, exercise and medicine.
Here are some other ways to protect your feet:
Wash your feet every day with lukewarm (not hot)
water and mild soap.
Dry your feet well, especially between the toes.
Use a soft towel and pat gently; don't rub.
Keep the skin of your feet smooth by applying
a cream or lanolin lotion, especially on the heels.
If the skin is cracked, talk to your doctor about
how to treat it.
Keep your feet dry by dusting them with non-medicated
powder before putting on shoes, socks or stockings.
Check your feet every day. You may need a mirror
to look at the bottoms of your feet. Call your
doctor at the very first sign of redness, swelling,
pain that doesn't go away, or numbness or tingling
in any part of your foot.
Don't treat calluses, corns or bunions without
talking to your doctor first.
Cut toenails straight across to avoid ingrown
toenails. It might help to soak your toenails
in warm water to soften them before you cut them.
Don't let your feet get too hot or too cold.
. . . and Don't go barefoot.
Read more |
July Recipe: Turkey
Burgers
Source: Light and
Easy Diabetes Cuisine; Author: Betty Marks |
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This month our featured recipe is for Turkey
Burgers.
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| Ingredients - Turkey Burgers
| Ingredient |
Measure |
Weight |
| Ground
turkey |
|
1 pound |
| Egg white |
1 |
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| Whole
wheat bread |
1 thin
slice |
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| Onion,
grated |
1 small |
|
| Ground
coriander |
2 tsp. |
|
| Salt |
dash |
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| Pepper |
1 tsp. |
|
| Ground
nutmeg |
1/4 tsp. |
|
| Virgin
olive oil |
2 tsp |
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Preparation
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In a large bowl, lightly
beat egg white.
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Tear bread into small pieces;
soak in egg white 1 minute. Add
remaining ingredients, except
oil, and thoroughly mix. Shape
into four patties.
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In a large non-stick skillet,
heat oil. Cook patties over medium
heat about 10 minutes on each
side until cooked through.
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Nutritional
Information - Turkey Burgers |
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Recipe makes four servings
of 1 burger each;
Amount per serving: |
| Calories |
208 |
| Diabetic Exchanges |
3
Meat |
| Fat |
14 g |
| Cholesterol |
48
mg |
| Sodium |
195 mg |
| Carbohydrates |
5
g |
| Protein |
17 g |
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Questions & Answers - Ask the
Experts |
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Each month our staff answers questions and
asks for your feedback. However, if you have urgent
questions about your order or your meter, we encourage
you to call our customer care department at 1-800-276-5712.
We do our best to answer all questions, but we
also encourage you to consult your physician.
Below are a few of the typical questions
our customer care department has answered on this
month's theme. Each question is linked to a Web
site that gives an answer and provides more detail.
We hope you find this section helpful. |
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Access Diabetic Supply |
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