Did your Valentine’s Day turn into a calorie binge? Whether you celebrated with a romantic dinner like the Pranza at the Azzurra, or snuggled down to watch Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, Taylor Swift, and Anne Hathaway travel the path to true love in Valentine’s Day while downing a package of Maltesers or a Mr. Big, you probably ate more sweets than are good for you. For healthy people, an occasional binge may not do too much harm, but if you have diabetes, a spike in your blood sugar could hurt your feet as well as your waistline.
The diabetic diet is aimed at keeping your glucose level in range and as constant as possible. With Type II diabetes especially, controlling your blood sugar through diet can mean fewer drugs and a healthier body overall. We all know that too much sugar is not good for us, but the siren call of a Wunderbar or Coffee Crisp can send all our good intentions out the window.
Next time you’re tempted, think about this: uncontrolled sugar levels cause nerve damage and poor circulation, and they often affect your extremities first. Feet that can’t feel are more prone to injury, and not sensing when you’ve hurt them can mean further injury. Poor blood circulation compounds the problem, because sores take longer to heal, may become infected, and could even lead to amputation. Is making the link from sweets to amputation enough to have you reaching for some carrot sticks instead? If not, try to eat just a fraction of a serving, and then grab an ounce of nuts. Eating protein with the sugar can slow its absorption and help counteract the spike.
Chiropodist Tony Abbott specializes in treating the diabetic foot and can provide a lot of other tips for controlling your diabetes and blood sugar. Call Abbott Foot & Ankle Clinic in Collingwood, ON, today at 705-444-9929, and let us help you on the road to healthy feet and a healthy body.
Photo credit: Serge Bertasius Photography via freedigitalphotos.net