What Is Diabetic Foot and How Can It Be Prevented?

Within the scope of World Diabetes Day, Interventional Radiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Mutlu Cihangiroğlu gave information about the diabetic foot seen in diabetic patients. Cihangiroğlu drew attention to the importance of diet.

Since the United Nations General Assembly defined diabetes as a chronic disease 14 November Diabetes Day and today it is aimed to raise awareness about the early diagnosis of diabetes and the importance of screening.

Diabetic foot occurs with the stiffness and calcification of the feet with diabetes, which is one of the most common chronic diseases in the society. This vascular calcification can be caused by high cholesterol and lipid values, uncontrolled blood sugar, high blood pressure, obesity and genetic reasons, especially smoking. Today, diabetes, also known as diabetes, is a progressive disease that occurs as a result of ongoing high blood sugar.

What is diabetic foot and how can it be prevented?

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the society and is characterized by high blood sugar. When the blood sugar level cannot be controlled, diabetes complications occur in patients. Diabetic foot diabetes is the development of an outpatient chronic wound due to the long duration of diabetes or the inability to control blood sugar. Diabetes disease causes neuropathy, inflammation in nerves or vasculopathy, in other words inflammation of the vessels, by affecting the capillaries. In diabetic patients, wounds develop on the feet due to both neuropathy and vasculopathy. One of the most effective ways to prevent diabetic foot disease is to regulate and control blood sugar. Regular control of blood sugar levels, a healthy diet, regular sports and consuming natural products that are thought to have positive effects in preventing diabetes have important effects in preventing diabetes and diabetic foot disease.

According to research, some foods naturally contain active ingredients and components that have potential health-promoting and disease risk-reducing effects. One of them is a bioactive nutritional component found in olives and containing more than one phenolic group: Polyphenol. A diet rich in polyphenols can reduce the risk of diabetic feet by increasing insulin production, which carries blood sugar to cells, and by lowering blood sugar in direct proportion. Olive extract, which contains a high amount of polyphenols and is produced from olives and olive leaves, stands out in this regard. Phenolic olive extract meets the daily polyphenol consumption rate that the human body needs with its polyphenol ratio, which is 10 times higher than normal oils. It is also distinguished from other polyphenol foods, with phenolic components being absorbed by the body up to 92 percent.

What effect does polyphenol have on blood sugar levels?

Polyphenol is a powerful antioxidant and hypoglycemic compound that helps control the release of blood sugar and makes the body use insulin better. It is known that it has positive effects in reducing the risk of diabetes by increasing the production of insulin, which carries the sugar in our blood to our cells, and thus lowering blood sugar. Therefore, the consumption of natural foods or food supplements with high polyphenols plays a very important role in regulating blood sugar. When the high polyphenol levels in the phenolic olive extract are consumed regularly, it will be useful in protecting you from diabetes and related diabetic foot diseases.

Interventional Radiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Mutlu Cihangiroğlu gave information about the protective and preventive effect of polyphenol on diabetic foot. Cihangiroğlu emphasized the importance required to prevent diabetic foot as follows;

• Do not neglect your 3-month physician checkup by following your blood sugar level regularly.
• Follow your diet, choose a diet rich in polyphenols.
• Do exercises with regular walks for at least 30 minutes a day.
• Your feet should not remain sweaty and moist. Wash your feet every day and change your socks daily.
• Cut your nails carefully and not deeply.
• Never walk around barefoot.
• Wear soft, hard, closed shoes at home and outside.
• Have your leg arteries checked by Doppler Ultrasonography once a year. In case of stenosis or obstruction, have it treated without negligence.