photo by Jonathan Fitch

If you ever think about it, the feet support us, can get us around, and take a lot of abuse. However according to the American Podiatric Medical Association, 75% of Americans will have some type of foot problem in their lives. The feet are a very important but often neglected part of our body and often when I see patients, it is the feet that they are having issues with. When the feet are not well, it can cause pain, interfere with mobility, and thus your freedom.

Some common…

Gone are the days of exchange system diet plans. Today, the carbohydrate counting rule applies, and this can be challenging for both children and adults. Portion control is key. Avoiding empty calories is of the utmost importance. Balancing diets and balancing energy needs for your day may seem unsurmountable but there is help.

In home-care, we utilize the services of nurses trained in diabetes care and also nutritionists to assist with diet teaching. Working with your doctor as a team is a component that makes a big difference. Keep your doctor informed…

While the cold weather can be be perilous to our roads and sidewalks, it can also be hard on the skin. Indoor and outdoor air can both cause dryness and skin that is cracked and broken is more prone to picking up bacteria. Healthy skin not only feels good, but because it’s a primary defense against infection, it can help keep you healthy. Itchy and raw skin can also be painful to some, so it’s important to combat and protect against dryness.

Here are some suggestions to avoiding dry skin:

• Limit your time in the shower or bath to…

photo by Filomena Scalise

This past weekend we turned back the clocks. Hopefully everyone was able to benefit from the extra hour of sleep. Sleep is a commodity that many of us feel we don’t get enough of, and oftentimes, that’s true. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average adult needs 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Adequate sleep is important for improved mood, greater energy and better overall health.

However, it has been found that getting too little sleep has been linked to an increased risk for developing Type 2…

As the rates of diabetes increase in both children and adults, it is time to discuss a very important part of being a diabetic — your diet. You diet is a vitally important to your heath. There are many resources online and in print (books,articles etc) but there are reasons to be cautious when recommendations for dieting seems extreme. Crash diets are not an option if you  are a diabetic. Here are some key points in monitoring your nutrition:

• Consume breads that are highest in fiber.
• Protein is important and make it…

With The Olympics in full swing in Vancouver, I feel that is time to discuss physical fitness. We all know that obesity in children and adults is a growing problem in this country. The numbers and the consequences (diabetes, heart disease to name a few), to this rise in patients with true obesity is incredible. WHAT IS GOING ON?

Well to begin with we are are becoming more and more sedentary, thanks to electronics and computers. Pretty much everything is at a push of a button. And most children today have…

photo by Suat Eman

I spoke to a patient recently who asked “…so are you going to red this Friday?” This may sound like an unusual question, but we were talking about heart disease and its effects on her and her husband. Although her husband had his high cholesterol and high blood pressure under control, she on the other hand, had not been aware of her heart disease until her heart attack. It was a wake-up call that heart disease does not always have symptoms to warn you of a problem. She told me,…

(Photo by Jake Sutton)

Tonight, I spoke to a Type 2 diabetic patient who had many questions regarding her insulin. Her glucose was 179, she wasn’t experiencing any symptoms, but she wasn’t sure if she should take her medication. She forgot her normal glucose range. Luckily, I had access to her plan of care which indicated her normal glucose range (eg. 100–180) as ordered by the doctor, and I reviewed the medication regimen with her.

It is important for you, as a diabetic patient (as well as your caregiver), to know your normal glucose range. This range of numbers,…

Welcome to a New Year, and new beginnings!  This is the time of year many of us make a New Year’s resolution — some easy to keep and others not so easy. But sometimes it may be that ONE thing that we say or do that can make all the difference.

I was making a visit with a patient the other day, who had diabetes and hypertension. We were discussing her blood pressure readings, which were higher than they should have been. In the past she had a machine and she would…