Ten Toe Tips for Healthy Feet
April is Foot Health Awareness Month. With the donning of spring comes the shedding of shoes. Take care to make sure you have healthy feet that stay at their best at all times.
1 - Wash your feet in warm water every day.
Make sure the water is not too hot by testing the temperature with your elbow. Try not to soak your feet but if you do, do not soak them for more than 3 to 4 minutes. Soaking causes macerated skin, which breaks down more easily and doesn’t heal well. Also, dry your feet well, especially between your toes.
2 - Check your feet every day. 
Look for cuts, sores, blisters, redness, calluses, or other possible injury or signs of excessive rubbing or pressure from shoes. Checking every day is even more important if you have nerve damage or poor blood flow. If you cannot bend over or pull your feet up to check them, use a mirror. If you cannot see well, ask someone else to check your feet. Contact your physician immediately if any of these signs are found.
3 - If your skin is dry, rub lotion on your feet after you wash and dry them. 
Do not put lotion between your toes. Lubricate the entire foot. Suitable lubricants include olive oil, any vegetable oil, vitamin E oil, emu oil, mink oil, and emulsified lanolin. Many oils and lotions that contain products as major ingredients are available commercially. Do not use petroleum jelly (Vaseline), mineral oil, or baby oil. These products are not absorbed by the skin. The exception to this would be if you swim regularly for exercise. Before getting in the water, rub petroleum jelly on your feet to protect them from the water. After leaving the water, remove the petroleum jelly with a towel. If the skin of your feet is dry, your cardiologist should try to avoid medicines called beta blockers for hypertension or heart disease, as these can inhibit perspiration that moistens the feet.
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