Women"s Health 101: 3 Unique Ways to Ensure You Have a Healthy Pregnancy

 

Pregnancy is a joyous time, but it can also be stressful. When you are pregnant, your body changes in many ways, not all of them comfortable. You want to do everything possible to ensure that you and your baby are healthy. The following three tips will help to make your pregnancy proceed as smoothly as possible.

 

Take Good Care of Your Feet

Swollen feet are a common symptom of pregnancy. This can be a painful condition that can cause you pain when you are walking around and even while you’re stationary. Resting your feet and going barefoot as much as possible is one way to reduce this symptom. Soaking your feet in both hot and cold water is one of the best ways to relieve this problem. The trick is to alternate between hot and cold treatments. You can do this if you have two foot baths or basins, one for hot water and one for cold. Keep the temperatures comfortable; you don’t want to shock your body with scalding hot or freezing cold water.

 

Use Healing Herbs

Herbs have been used for many centuries to help a variety of conditions. There are certain herbs that are especially good for pregnancy. Some Chinese herbs, which can be found on websites like Radiant Wonder, are good for promoting fertility. Other herbs can help to control various symptoms associated with pregnancy. You should use herbs cautiously when you’re pregnant. If you aren’t sure if a certain herb is safe, ask your doctor or an expert. Many herbs, however, are perfectly safe. Chamomile, for example, is effective for relaxation and may help you sleep better. Ginger can help to alleviate nausea, but should be used in moderation.

 

Increase Your Intake of Fiber

Many women experience constipation during pregnancy. While this is a normal and common symptom, it can be relieved by eating more fiber-rich foods. Fiber can be found in many foods, such as whole grain breads, beans, cereals, oats and other grains. You can also find supplements to increase your intake of fiber, such as flaxseed oil and psyllium husks. Leafy vegetables are also a good source of fiber.

 

You have to pay extra attention to your diet and lifestyle habits when you’re pregnant. In addition to following your doctor’s advice, you can keep the above tips in mind to reduce or relieve some of the common problems associated with pregnancy. This can help you focus on the joyful aspects of giving birth.

 

Categories: common symptom, Feet, fiber, foot care, healing herbs, healthy pregnancy, herbs, nbsp, pregnancy, women's health

Properly Caring for Your Feet when You Have Diabetes

On the face of it, diabetes doesn’t sound like such a serious condition — elevated levels of sugar in the blood wouldn’t seem like it would do too much damage. But, nothing could be further from the truth. Poorly controlled blood sugar damages the body on several fronts, and increases your risk of developing a host of issues from heart disease to kidney failure. If you have suffered from nerve damage, you must pay careful attention to your feet, as you are less likely to feel various sorts of damage that can cause serious complications, such as infection or even amputation of toes, or the whole foot.

 

Here are some tips for properly caring for your feet if you have diabetes:

 

Daily Foot Check

Catching foot problems early is crucial to minimize complications of the disease, and a daily check is the first line of defense. If you find any scrapes or cuts, you must begin treating them right away. Wash the area thoroughly with soap and water, and apply antibiotic creams and bandages. Failure to treat can lead to more serious problems, such as open sores and infection. If you experience any oozing, redness, foul-smelling discharge, warmth or swelling, contact your doctor as an infection has already taken root. Contact your doctor immediately if you see any blue or black skin as this indicates blood flow blockage — this is an emergency and requires immediate attention.

 

Keep skin moisturized, but don’t put lotion between the toes as moisture in this area can trigger fungus growth. Don’t break blisters open — clean it and cover with a bandage. About once a week, you want to cut toenails –straight across — to prevent ingrown toenails, which can lead to infection.

 

If you notice any slow-healing wounds, make an appointment with your doctor.

 

Considerations for Socks and Footwear

Choose your shoes carefully if you have diabetes. First off, to ensure a good fit, you should always wear the socks you normally wear, when trying on shoes. Look for ones with more depth in the toe box to avoid squashing your toes; avoid shoes with seams on the inside — they can rub on your foot and cause discomfort. Wool or cotton socks are a good choice. You might even look into buying diabetic socks, which are specially made to control moisture, and reduce friction and pressure that can irritate feet suffering from complications of diabetes.

 

Break in new shoes gradually to reduce blisters, pain and other discomfort. Don’t walk around barefoot — always wear shoes and socks. The nerve damage makes it less likely you will feel injury, so it is prudent to always keep your feet protected.

 

There are special shoes that are made for diabetics — this might be something covered by Medicare or your private insurance. Inquire about this to see if you are able to get at least partial insurance coverage.

 

Keep Your Feet Dry

One of the most important aspects of proper foot care for diabetics is drying your feet thoroughly after bathing or swimming or any other time they get wet. The space between the toes is highly susceptible to skin-breakdown when moist, increasing the risk of infection. Preventing infection is one of the primary goals of diabetics with foot problems. This condition makes wounds more slow to heal, which can lead to serious complications. Prevention is the name of the game.

 

Go Easy with Exercise

Regular exercise is a cornerstone treatment of this disease — it keeps weight under control and blood sugar in check. But, if you have foot problems, you must choose your activities carefully. Opt for non-impact aerobic exercise, such as walking or swimming. You don’t want any excessive leaping, bouncing, and jumping.

 

Check Water Temperature

Nerve damage in the extremities makes it difficult to tell how hot or cold water is. You run the risk of serious burns and infection if you don’t check water temperature beforehand. If your hands have damage as well, use your elbow to check water temperature before getting into the shower or bath.

 

Diabetes can be a scary condition because of the serious problems it can lead to. But, fortunately, the most powerful treatments are in the realm of lifestyle, meaning you have a great deal of control in managing it. Complications like nerve damage in the feet can be kept in check with proper self-care.

Categories: Diabetes, foot care, living with diabetes

A Step In the Right Direction: Foot Care for Diabetics.

The Scottish Government has launched a new medical scheme to help the country’s diabetes suffers. Diabetic patients are to receive regular foot checks and care in the CPR for Feet scheme, in order to reduce the need for diabetes-related amputations. This initiative intends to spot the early warning signs of foot-disease caused by diabetes, and reduces the risk of patients losing limbs. Hospitals and foot clinics will be able to offer foot checks to all individuals who have been diagnosed with diabetes, and advice will be given on foot-care.

 

The most recent Scottish Diabetes Survey has revealed that a quarter of a million Scottish people have the condition, with the majority developing type-2 diabetes throughout their life. The public health minister stated that £300 million of hospital expenditure was linked to the treatment of diabetes and its symptoms, whilst more money is spent on after-care and rehabilitation of amputees. As the leading cause of amputation, diabetics are 15 times more likely to require amputation than those who do not have diabetes. As such, this initiative aims to significantly lower the national rate of amputation, reducing the number of people having to endure the pain and difficulty of losing a limb.

 

Diabetes and its symptoms can be prevented or controlled by a healthy diet and regular exercise. However, medication and professional health care is important for diabetics to ensure optimal health and minimal risk of complications. This initiative is a positive step for the Scottish Government, and if successful could be adopted by other countries, including England. This money-saving scheme will hopefully improve the physical and mental health of diabetics, and also raise awareness of foot-health for diabetics. Asides from information and checks offered by health care providers, individuals can check their feet and legs regularly for health and normal function, and identify problems which they can then approach professionals about.

Categories: amputation, Diabetes, foot care