Central Peninsula Hospital | Pulse | Winter 2019

6 Central Peninsula Hospital Diabetes: Be sweet to your feet Footproblems are common in people with diabetes. So if you have diabetes, you want to be extra sweet to your feet. One way you can treat your feet right is by controlling your blood glucose levels. Here are a few other nice—and healthy— ways to be kind to your feet. Examine your feet daily. Look for cuts, sores, ingrown toenails and other problems. Using a mirror can help. And don’t forget to check between your toes. Wash your feet every day. Use warm, not hot, water. After drying, put talcum powder or cornstarch between your toes. Call out corns or calluses. Let your doctor know if you develop these thick patches of skin—they can turn into ulcers if not treated. Keep your toenails trim. Use clippers to cut them straight across. Don’t round the edges. Use an emery board to smooth each nail. Always wear socks and shoes. Indoors and out. Look for lightly padded socks with no seams. Protect your feet from hot and cold. Don’t use a heating pad or hot water bottle on your feet. And wear socks in bed if your feet get cold at night. Elevate your feet. Keep blood flowing to your feet by putting them up when you sit down. Wiggle your toes now and then, andmove your ankles up and down. Show them off. Ask your doctor to check your feet at every visit. Sources: American Diabetes Association; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Call it quits for your feet Smoking hinders blood flow to feet, makes wounds heal slowly and increases the risk of amputations in people with diabetes. Source: American Diabetes Association We can help! If you require assistance keeping your diabetic feet healthy, see Dr. Kristina Lacy at Central Peninsula Foot & Ankle Specialists. Talk with your primary care doctor to see if they recommend wound care services or call 907-714-5312 to make an appointment with Dr. Lacy today. What’s an A1C test for diabetes? If you’d like to get an A1C test done soon, come to the CPH Community Health Fair on Saturday, March 23, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the River Tower on the hospital campus. This test and sev- eral others will be offered for a discounted price. No appointment is necessary, but make sure you don’t eat any food or drink anything besides water prior to your blood draw for the most accurate results. Continue to take your medication as directed.