DE-STRESS FOR HEALTHIER FEET
An unexpected bill, tight deadline at work, the crazy driver that cut you off on the highway—there’s no shortage of stressors out there! At NY Foot Health, we want to recognize Stress Awareness Month with some information about stress and your podiatric health. Stress can act as a trigger for certain conditions that affect your feet such as Raynaud’s and psoriasis. Prolonged stress also elevates your risk significantly for high blood pressure or, as it’s also known, hypertension.
Why Your Feet Care About Your Blood Pressure
Hypertension is usually associated with atherosclerosis—the buildup of plaque in the arteries which leads to poor circulation. Your feet, being the part of the body farthest from your heart, suffer the most from poor circulation. Insufficient blood supply to the feet can make it difficult to heal wounds and sores. This greatly increases your risk for infections and even amputation.
Some signs of high blood pressure may be found in your feet:
Cramping in your feet and/or legs, especially when you’re active
Changes in the skin color on your feet
Loss of hair on toes, feet, and legs
Feeling like your feet are always cold.
Cuts or wounds seem to take a very long time to heal.
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important that you notify your podiatrist promptly. If you don’t currently see a podiatrist, you can locate one near you using our online directory. It’s also important to tell your foot doctor if you’ve already been diagnosed with hypertension as some medications that could be prescribed for podiatric conditions may interact negatively with high blood pressure medications.
Stress SOS
Although you can’t predict when the next stressful event will occur you can have a plan of action for dealing with it. Here are a few options:
Inhale/Exhale—simply taking a few deep breaths can have tremendous stress relief benefits. Slowing your breathing signals your heart and your brain to slow down and go into a more restful mode.
Take a walk—if possible, get moving and preferably outside. Nature is a natural soother and exercise is a great way to relieve stress. Regular exercise can have long-term effects on your ability to cope with stress.
Stay connected—social connections with friends and loved ones is one of the best ways to defuse a ticking stress time bomb. Make time for socializing regularly and stay in touch by phone and text. When you’re struggling, reach out!
To learn more about conditions that can impact the health of your feet, contact us and subscribe to our free e-newsletter.