Diabetes affects more than just your blood sugar. It can lead to serious complications and health issues that you may not be aware of. With diabetes, it’s important to take extra precautions to keep your feet healthy. Diabetes can cause dehydration, skin infections, and nerve damage. Discussed below are winter foot care tips for diabetic feet.
1. Inspect the Feet Daily
It’s important to inspect your feet daily. Look for any sores or wounds that haven’t healed. Keep an eye out for any visible signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, or discharge. If you notice any concerning changes, call a doctor as soon as possible.
2. Apply Moisturizer
A moisturizer is an important tool in keeping your feet healthy. It helps to keep the skin moist and supple. Moisturizer can help prevent and heal dry, cracked skin that develops due to diabetes.
Don’t forget about your toes. Apply moisturizer to your feet and make sure you use it on your toes. This will help protect against infection in between the toes. Apply moisturizer at night before you go to bed so it can have enough time to soak into the skin without drying.
3. Keep Your Feet Dry
Wet feet are more susceptible to frostbite. If you have diabetes, you must never go outside without shoes and socks.
4. Change Your Shoes Often
It’s crucial in winter to keep your feet warm and dry. Wearing the same shoes too often can cause excessive moisture, which leads to blisters and infections. It’s best to change your shoes every day.
5. Trim the Toenails
If you have diabetes, it’s important to keep your feet healthy. One way to do this is to trim your toenails. This will help avoid infections and improve the circulation in your feet, which can lead to better health overall. For example, suppose you have diabetes and experience a foot infection. In that case, it might be difficult for the antibiotic prescribed to get into the deeper layers of your skin or inner tissue. Trimming your nails will help them absorb better.
Another reason why you should trim your toenails after a bath or shower because moisture makes them easier to cut without cutting off too much of the nail. If you cannot clip them at all and they keep growing, ask your doctor about clipping them with a pair of clippers.
6. Avoid Burning Your Feet
One of the most common winter foot care tips for diabetic feet is to avoid burning your feet. To avoid this, you should keep your feet warm at all times. If you are going to be out in the cold for an extended period, you should wear a pair of socks specifically made for wet environments. They will help protect your feet from cold and wet weather conditions. Additionally, make sure that your shoes fit properly and have plenty of room for the extra padding required.
If you find yourself spending a lot of time outside during winter, it’s also essential that you take care of the skin on your feet. Surgical tape can be a great temporary treatment for cracked heels or dry skin. Don’t forget to use sunscreen so that you’re protected from UV rays as well!
7. Control Blood Sugar Levels
To keep your feet healthy and avoid complications from diabetes, it’s important to control your blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels fluctuate when you have diabetes. When your blood sugar levels are high, your body doesn’t produce enough insulin to process the carbohydrates you eat.
Without insulin, blood sugar levels can be higher for longer periods. If you want to prevent complications in your feet, it’s important to prevent high blood sugars by eating healthy food and taking medications as prescribed by your doctor. It will also help if you avoid activities that may cause high blood sugars, such as drinking alcohol or smoking.
Conclusion
It is easy to let your feet take a back seat with a busy schedule. But when you and your feet are healthy, you can experience a sense of well-being.
To prevent the onset of serious health issues, it is important to pay attention to your feet. Take daily precautions, like inspecting them for cuts, applying moisturizer, and changing your shoes often. Follow these tips, and you can ensure your feet are as healthy as they can be during the winter season.