Are you one of the 6.5 million people that live with a chronic wound on a daily basis?  Sometimes we forget that what we eat can help us heal.

Proteins, calories, vitamins and minerals are all important in healing wounds and maintaining healthy skin.

So what foods help you eat a well balanced diet and provide the nutrients that are needed to heal your wounds?

• Beans
• Dark green leafy vegetables
• Citrus fruits
• Sweet potatoes
• Berries
• Tomatoes
• Fish high in Omega 3 fatty acids (salmon is a favorite)
• Whole grains / nuts
• Fat free milk and yogurt
• Chicken

These do not include all of the foods but it is a good place to start.

Review your medical conditions with your Doctor, nurse, or dietitian before changing your diet.  Weigh yourself weekly. If you notice a sudden increase or decrease, you may need a special diet or supplement.  Let the nurse or Doctor know about any weight changes.

Do you have a recipe to share that you have found is healthy, tastes great, and provides the protein and vitamins that is needed to heal wounds?  If so, please share it with us!

Recently there have been television commercials about PAD. (Peripheral Arterial Disease). But what is PAD?

PAD is a buildup of plaque in the lower extremity arteries.  People with PAD can be at risk for developing ulcerations to their lower extremities that can lead to amputations. The most common symptoms of PAD can be painful cramping of the leg and hip muscles during walking that stops during rest. 

In some cases this cramping can be severe enough to hinder walking, or numbness, weakness, or a feeling of heaviness in the legs with no pain. PAD can often be stopped or reversed. Quitting smoking, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet low in fat and salt can be a step in the right direction. Your Doctor can test you for PAD and recommend the best treatment.

Take a pro-active approach to your health care and talk with your Doctor if you think that you may have PAD. It could be the best thing you can do for yourself!

What is the diabetic diet anyway?  I often get asked this question.  Historically, we have been taught that people with diabetes cannot eat certain foods, most commonly sweets or high carbohydrate foods.  But actually, there is no such thing as a ‘diabetes diet’ anymore.  I still hear people say, “I can’t have that piece of cake, I have diabetes.”  

But guess what? 

Gone are the days of missing out on birthday cake, or mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving or Halloween candy.

People with diabetes CAN enjoy delicious foods like everyone else.  BUT, you need to know how to do it wisely.  Eating healthy is important for everyone, whether you have diabetes or not.  The key to nutrition when you have diabetes is to have balanced meals with the correct portion sizes.  The best way to learn this technique is with the help of a registered dietitian, preferably one that is a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE). 

They will talk to you about your goals, whether it is to lose weight, control your blood sugar or learn how to shop and read food labels.   Then an assessment is made with your medical history, your medications, activity level and cultural preferences.  Together, you can both come up with an individualized meal plan that works just for you. 

The diabetes dietitian can help you understand that all foods can fit, but you will learn exactly how to balance them so that your blood glucose stays in good control and that you feel good throughout the day. 

If you are a member on our home delivery service at CCS Medical, our Certified Diabetes Educator’s can be a free resource and assist you with your nutrition and questions you may have about your diabetes.    

This diabetes nutrition plate tool can also help you get started if you are new to diabetes and have not yet seen a dietitian.

If you need a registered dietitian or CDE, talk to your doctor for a referral or call the American Association of Diabetes Educators at 1-800-338-3633 or go to www.diabeteseducator.org.  Most insurance companies will pay for a consult with a dietitian with a referral.  

Tell us about the experiences you may have had with a registered dietitian.

I am not the most graceful person so I often have bruises somewhere on my body at all times! 

So what exactly is a bruise? It is an area that is usually purple or dark red from the blood that has leaked out of the blood vessels under your skin.  This usually occurs after a fall or a bump against an object. The area may be swollen and quite painful at first, but then will become less painful and lighter in color within a week or two as your body reabsorbs the blood.

So how do you care for bruises?

• For the first 2 days after injury, you may apply cold compresses for 15 to 20 minutes per hour while awake. This can help reduce the pain and swelling.
• After 2 days, you may change to warm compresses for 20 minutes per hour while awake for comfort.
• Massaging the bruise can actually cause more damage and should be avoided.

Some medical conditions and medications can make someone more prone to bruises. These include anemia, certain blood diseases, and medications such as aspirin or blood thinner. Consult your doctor about frequent bruising or a bruise that is firm, raised and /or does not show fading over one week’s time.

Do you have methods for treating bruises that help to relieve the discomfort, or ways to help prevent those with fragile skin to keep from getting bruised?  If you do please share them with us!

As we age, changes happen to our skin that makes it more prone to injury.  One of these changes can be skin tears.  Skin tears are a separation or peeling back of the outer layer of skin. It looks like an open blister or a loose flap of skin.

Skin tears are caused by pulling movements on the arms or legs, rubbing or sliding of the skin, removal of tape, bumping into objects, falls, or they could happen for no apparent reason.

Skin tears can be concerning to both the person that has them and also to caregivers.  So, what can be done to prevent them?

• Carefully handle people with fragile skin.
• Avoid harsh or pulling movements
• use proper methods to transfer, turn, lift, or position
• Pad siderails, arms, and leg supports
• Wear long sleeves or pants
• Regularly use a moisturizing cream or lotion on the skin

Even with all the care that can be provided, skin tears may still happen. So how do we treat them?

• Wash your hands for at least 15 seconds prior to caring for skin tears
• Gently rinse the wound with clean water
• Pat or air dry
• If there is a loose piece of skin still attached, put it back over the wound
• Cover with a nonstick, non-adhesive pad
• Use gauze wrap or tubular bandage to hold the pad in place
• Do not use tape on the skin
• Change the bandage if it becomes soiled or soaked with drainage, carefully remove bandage, rinse the wound gently and apply a new bandage

We would like to hear ideas for prevention from you. Please share with us!

We have looked at the top ten ways to keep your feet healthy. Today I will describe another ailment that can cause long-term pain and discomfort: bunions.  People often live with this problem when there are ways to treat it.

Bunions are caused when the great toe joints are misaligned. This area can become swollen and tender. The deformity causes the first joint of the big toe to slant outward and the big toe to angle toward the other toes. Bunions tend to run in families, but the tendency can be aggravated by shoes that are too narrow in the forefoot and toe. There are conservative and preventive steps that can minimize the discomfort of a bunion, but surgery is frequently recommended to correct the problem. Treatment options vary depending on the severity of the bunion and amount of pain experienced.  Nonsurgical treatments that may relieve pain and pressure of a bunion include:

1. Changing shoes. Wear roomy, comfortable shoes that provide plenty of space for your toes.
2. Padding and taping. Your doctor can help you tape and pad your foot in a normal position. This can reduce stress on the bunion and alleviate your pain.
3. Medications. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or naproxen (Aleve) may help control the pain of a bunion.  Cortisone injections can also be helpful.
4. Shoe Inserts. Padded shoe inserts can help distribute pressure evenly when you move your feet, reducing your symptoms and preventing your bunion from getting worse. Over-the-counter arch supports can provide relief for some people though others may require prescription orthotic devices. 

 If these treatments do not work:

Surgical options

If conservative treatment doesn’t provide relief from your symptoms, you may need surgery.  A number of surgical procedures are performed for bunions, and no particular surgery is best for every problem. Knowing what caused your bunion is essential for choosing the best procedure to ensure correction without recurrence. Surgery is not recommended unless a bunion causes frequent pain and interferes with daily activity. Consider trying conservative treatment before having a bunionectomy.

Remember your feet have to last a lifetime so take the best care of them that you can!  If you have found a specific treatment that has helped relieve your bunion discomfort, please share with us!

An insulin pump is battery-operated, external medical device for people with diabetes that very slowly pushes insulin just under your skin 24 hours a day through a very tiny plastic tube, called a cannula.  Typically, the cannula is inserted into the fatty tissue of the abdomen by an introducer needle, which is removed after insertion.  The plastic cannula and tubing, called the infusion set, stays in place with the help of a dressing, for 2-3 days. 

Why would I want an Insulin Pump? 

Insulin pumps have shown to help people with diabetes control their blood sugars better than shots.   Plus it is also more convenient.   It can allow you to sleep in, skip or delay meals, calculate your insulin doses without a calculator, all because it acts more like a real pancreas.  

So which would you rather have?  120 insulin injections per month, or 12 infusion sets insertions per month? With the insulin pump you only need to inject every  2-3 days – that’s it!  

You can shower with it, go swimming, and play sports.    In other words, lead a more flexible life!

Do you think an insulin pump would be an option for you?   Tell us what you think and take our Insulin Pump quiz to help you determine.

Learn more about insulin pumps