OK so it's not such a popular, appetizing topic, but as people with diabetes we need to be on top of our foot care.

I'm a picker: literal and figurative, but the figurative is not the focus of this post. Pimples, scabs, dry skin, dead skin, toe nails (though not my finger nails, interestingly), hang nails... you get the picture. Pretty much nothing is safe.

I'm actually pretty good about taking care of my feet. I do like to walk around without shoes on and I like to wear sandals and flip flops, so I have a fair amount of dry, dead skin and calouses. But I lotion those puppies up every night and once or twice a week I'll use the foot scrubber to get all the dead skin off or smooth out any big calouses.

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The old fable of Androcles and the Lion -- or in some versions, the Mouse and the Lion -- highlights an unusual amity between two beings who are usually considered predator and prey. In the story, the lion has been crippled by a thorn stuck in his paw which he could not reach, see, or remove. The prey, whether mouse or man, sees the problem, overcomes his fear of the predator, and offers to remove the thorn. The wound heals, and the lion is ever thankful to his unlikely physician.

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Fair warning: if you’re the teeniest bit squeemish or gross out easily don’t read this post because I will be talking about feet and the skin on feet and what happens when the skin on my feet gets dry.
 

So, I’m no stranger to dry feet. I’ve had them forever. Midwestern winters can do a number on tootsies and the constant lack of humidity in the desert can do the same. I know it’s a big diabetic no-no, but I prefer not to wear shoes. If I’m planning to walk on hot coals, I’ll wear shoes, but for the most part at home (and sometimes at my desk at the office) I choose to go shoeless.
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