What your feet reveal about your health

[MNeagle]

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18 Things Your Feet Say About Your Health


Want to make a simple, ten-second check on the state of your health? Sneak a peek at your feet.

"You can detect everything from diabetes to nutritional deficiencies just by examining the feet," says Jane Andersen, DPM, president of the American Association of Women Podiatrists and a spokeswoman for the American Podiatric Medical Association.

The lowly left and right provide plenty of insightful data: Together they contain a quarter of the body's bones, and each foot also has 33 joints; 100 tendons, muscles, and ligaments; and countless nerves and blood vessels that link all the way to the heart, spine, and brain.

Unresolved foot problems can have unexpected consequences. Untreated pain often leads a person to move less and gain weight, for example, or to shift balance in unnatural ways, increasing the chance of falling and breaking a bone.

So when the feet send one of these 18 warning messages, they mean business.

read signs (http://health.yahoo.net/caring/18-things-your-feet-say-about-your-health)

[k-os]

Good article. Thanks, MNeagle. Our feet are the foundation of our bodies. My brother-in-law is a podiatrist, so at holidays we get to hear all kinds of horror stories of people who have neglected their feet. :puke

[mightymanx]

Aw hell now you gots me skerit.

My left foot is held together with screws and has had joints removed and here I currently sit recovering from having my big tonail permantly removed due to it breaking connstantly at the cuticle when I run after the screws were installed.

Now you say I am going to croak because I have bad feet :'(


I will say custom orthotics are worth it at any price though.

[k-os]

I will say custom orthotics are worth it at any price though.


I agree, and also I would like to add: good sneakers (tennis shoes, walking shoes, whatever). I had knee problems after long walks, hiking and traveling, until a friend of mine talked me into buying good sneakers. My friend took me to a place in the mall (eeeek!) that is called Fit2Run (she's a marathon runner). They put you on a treadmill and film your walk (gait, whether your ankles tilt in or out, etc.), then help you find shoes that cater to your particular problem(s). Very cool, and the analysis is free. It was the best thing I ever did for my knees.

It's also important to buy a new pair after they begin to wear. I am really frugal, so spending a chunk on sneakers once a year is painful, but not as painful as knee pain. ;)

[brad25medico]

You gave a good list of information and well analyzed!!

[Ash_Williams]

I agree, and also I would like to add: good sneakers (tennis shoes, walking shoes, whatever). I had knee problems after long walks, hiking and traveling, until a friend of mine talked me into buying good sneakers. My friend took me to a place in the mall (eeeek!) that is called Fit2Run (she's a marathon runner). They put you on a treadmill and film your walk (gait, whether your ankles tilt in or out, etc.), then help you find shoes that cater to your particular problem(s). Very cool, and the analysis is free. It was the best thing I ever did for my knees.

It's also important to buy a new pair after they begin to wear. I am really frugal, so spending a chunk on sneakers once a year is painful, but not as painful as knee pain.

I got those five finger shoes for running this year. I only tried them a few times (too cold or muddy and slushy out right now) but they totally take the impact off your knees. Based on where the pain was the first time I tried them, it transfers the impact into your muscles, both above and below the knee.

[k-os]

I got those five finger shoes for running this year. I only tried them a few times (too cold or muddy and slushy out right now) but they totally take the impact off your knees. Based on where the pain was the first time I tried them, it transfers the impact into your muscles, both above and below the knee.


I've seen a few people jogging in those in parks across the country. I've always wondered if they were good for something, or just a fad.

[lapis]

I agree, and also I would like to add: good sneakers (tennis shoes, walking shoes, whatever). I had knee problems after long walks, hiking and traveling, until a friend of mine talked me into buying good sneakers.

In addition to good sneakers, another thing you can do for your joints is to consume home-made broth made with chicken "parts," like the necks and backs.

It contains substances that are good for your joints, like glucosamine and chondroiton. It's also quite economical to make.

Traditional Bone Broth in Modern Health and Disease (http://www.townsendletter.com/FebMarch2005/broth0205.htm)

Introduction
Broth, made from the bones of animals, has been consumed as a source of nourishment for humankind throughout the ages. It is a traditional remedy across cultures for the sick and weak. A classic folk treatment for colds and flu, it has also been used historically for ailments that affect connective tissues such as the gastrointestinal tract, the joints, the skin, the lungs, the muscles and the blood. Broth has fallen out of favor in most households today, probably due to the increased pace of life that has reduced home cooking in general. Far from being old-fashioned, broth (or stock) continues to be a staple in professional and gourmet cuisine, due to its unsurpassed flavor and body. It serves as the base for many recipes including soup, sauces and gravy. Broth is a valuable food and a valuable medicine, much too valuable to be forgotten or discounted in our modern times with our busy ways and jaded attitudes.

[Ash_Williams]

I've seen a few people jogging in those in parks across the country. I've always wondered if they were good for something, or just a fad.

I was convinced by a men's health article that mentioned barefoot running. I read it then tried it just a short distance and noticed I landed on a totally different part of my foot. I hadn't realized before that the running shoe changed how your foot hit the ground, and my general feelings on things is that doing things as nature intended usually works best, so I wanted to run barefoot.

I actually planned on rubberizing the bottom of a thick sock but then I saw someone post a picture of the five-finger shoe on classic GIM and realized that would probably work way better.

I don't think the individual toe pockets really accomplish anything, but the concept of the thin "shoe" that lets you run as if barefoot is a great idea. So maybe 1/2 fad.

The price maxes out at about $125 so it's comparable to a good running shoe. The only trick is they can't keep up with demand and it's hard to find one in the common sizes unless you hit a store (physical or online) right after they get a shipment in. I tried to special order the size and style I want and it would be October before I got it.

[kregener]

This guy is a notch off of Superman then!

http://www.bitpicks.com/bp/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/nfpp_steelheart.jpg