Second Annual Sock Collection for the Homeless

Hi Friends- I am having my second annual sock collection for homeless patients in Chicago!

These patients visit the free foot clinics that are sponsored by Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine.

If you are able to donate new socks, you can either drop them by my office in Oak Park or I can come

pick them up! Thanks so much for your continued support of the homeless population in Chicago!

Mary Ann



Second Annual Sock Drive for the Homeless

As the cold weather approaches, more individuals visit local homeless shelters for healthcare services, meals, and lodging. Dr. Mary Ann Bender is collecting new socks to distribute at her podiatry clinics at Pacific Garden Mission, Interfaith House, and Uptown Mission.

Needed: NEW Adult Men’s Socks

Collection site: Dr. Mary Ann Bender

Advanced Physical Medicine

6931 W. North Ave.

Oak Park, IL 60302

Dates: November 28-December 23

Questions: drbender@oakparkpodiatry.com

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Diabetes Awareness Month Wrap Up

As Diabetes Awareness Month wraps up, it is important to remember several important things throughout the year to keep your feet healthy.

1. Control your blood sugar by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly.

2. Check your feet daily. If you see any color changes or any abnormalities, see your foot doctor immediately.

3. Wear supportive, cushioned, properly fitting shoe gear.

4. Stop smoking!

5. Wash your feet daily and apply lotion or cream to the tops and bottoms but not between the toes.

6. Keep your doctors appointments. This includes seeing a foot doctor regularly for your long nails, corns, and callouses.

This information is only a basic outline of reminders about diabetic foot care. If you have this condition, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Bender for a more comprehensive discussion about your particular foot care needs. 708-763-0580.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!!!! Dr. Bender, Advanced Physical Medicine

Baltimore Ravens Player Ray Lewis Unable to Play Today due to Toe Injury

NFL Player Ray Lewis, of the Baltimore Ravens, was unable to play today due to a toe injury. There are a variety of ways we can injure our toes while playing sports. If you do injure your toe while playing a sport, it is essential to get it checked by a podiatrist right away, so you can get back to your sport or exercise routine as quickly as possible!

Dr. Bender, Advanced Physical Medicine, 708-763-0580

Tip 2-Diabetic Foot Care, Controlling your blood sugar

Tip 2- Control your blood sugar to keep your feet healthy! Your fasting blood sugar should be between 80-120 mg/dL for optimal health of your feet. It is important that you check your blood sugar at least once per day and that you keep a record of the readings.

You can control your sugar by eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting exercise (5 days per week for 30 minutes). Talk to your doctor about what type of exercise is best for you. Swimming, walking, dancing, and biking are often good choices but depend on your individual health. Your diet should consist of properly portioned lean meats, vegetables, and whole grains. Speak to your doctor about what fruits will be best for you and help you to maintain your blood sugar at the appropriate level. Be careful of white bread, white rice, tortillas, and potatoes, as these can elevate your blood sugar. Also, cake, ice cream, pie, muffins, cookies, and other sweets will elevate your blood sugar. If you need help with your diet, ask your medical doctor to refer you to a dietician or diabetes education class.

Elevated blood sugar for prolonged periods can cause bad things to happen to the feet: nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy), delayed healing, infections, and sores on the feet. Additionally, it can have devastating effects on other systems of the body.

Presented by Dr. Bender, 6931 W. North Ave., Oak Park, IL, 708-763-0580

November 2011 is National Diabetes Month! Tip One for Diabetic Foot Care, from Dr. Bender, Oak Park, IL

Why is this important? Diabetes is a serious disease that can affect all parts of the body. As a foot doctor, I am very concerned about keeping the feet of diabetics as healthy as possible to prevent amputation, ulcers or sores on the feet, infections, delayed healing, circulation problems, and nerve damage. Watch this blog or my facebook page for the rest of the month for tips on maintaining healthy feet!

1. Tip one- Check your feet everyday (including the bottoms) to make sure there are not any openings in the skin, color changes, areas of drainage, or any other abnormalities. If you notice something is not quite right, contact my office right away for an appointment. 708-763-0580

DVT-What is it?

A deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that occurs in a vein. It can occur throughout the body, but today we will discuss the DVT that occurs in the leg. This is a condition that can occur with foot injuries and surgeries, so it is important to understand. The leg may appear as red, hot, swollen, and painful, especially in the back. This is typically associated with the following causes: trauma, surgery, smoking, varicose veins, pregnancy, birth control pills, inherited conditions, long periods of inactivity, long plane or car rides, certain diseases (inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease, cancer, and others), and a history of DVT or pulmonary embolism.

This is a dangerous condition because the clot can travel to the lungs and become a pulmonary embolism. A pulmonary embolism can cause death if not treated properly. Signs of a pulmonary embolism can include shortness of breath, palpitations, deep cough, blood coming up after coughing, fainting, anxiety, sharp chest pain, sweating, and rapid breathing or pulse. These are signs of a medical emergency! You must report to the nearest ER or call 911 if you have these symptoms.

If you think you have a DVT, you should report to the nearest Emergency Room for diagnosis (through a special ultrasound that measures the blood flow in veins) and treatment (with blood thinners). If you think you have a pulmonary embolism, you should immediately report to the nearest ER or call 911, as this is a life threatening condition.