I'm a diabetic and I wear flip flops......

I grew up wearing flip flops. When I was a kid in the Philippines everyone wore flip flops. I’m pretty sure it was the national foot wear, of course unless you were Imelda Marcos who made international news with the stories about her massive shoe collection. But I bet even she had flip flops. I also lived in Hawaii for almost 5 years on the Big Island, where flip flops or slippas were definitely the norm. I still am not happy unless I have a decent pair of flip flops.

So here’s the gig. When I was diagnosed with diabetes a number of years back the doctors and the diabetes educator’s told me that I could no longer wear flip flops or go bare foot ever again.

O.K., let’s talk about this; I am a surfer, swimmer and pretty much all around beach bum. This was not something I wanted to hear. It was not a big deal when they said, “don’t eat a lot of sweets or drink sodas”.….never have, no big deal that they said “you will have to take snacks with you every wear you go”.…..I like snacks. But don’t wear flip flops? were they out of their minds!

If you Google feet and diabetes or bare feet and diabetes or even just diabetes you will be bombarded by stuff like, diabetics should never wear flip flops, diabetics should always wear protective footwear, even the slightest injury to a diabetic’s foot can cause a wound that is almost impossible to heal.

O.K., I’m all freaked out again. This is real and yes there is truth to this information. But, let’s think about this. If I am taking care of my diabetes and have a reasonable A1C, I eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and I am not suffering from any signs of neuropathy can I then wear flip flops?

I’m not a doctor, but if this is the case with you I suggest you ask your doctor what he or she thinks. And make your own decision based on the facts.

Now here’s my take, I spent nearly 25 years on construction jobsites. And I spent a lot of time playing as a kid and I grew up exercising and eating a healthy diet.

When I was a kid you pretty much went barefoot from the last day of school all through the summer until the first day of school in the fall. And after you have stepped in enough piles of dog poop while running through the yards in your neighborhood you learn very fast to look where you step.

Construction jobsites, there are lots of nails and sharp objects that you learn to avoid stepping on and this is usually done by trial and error. I have had a ton of tetanus shots over the years.

My parents did not allow myself or my siblings to eat junk food or drink soda's. I basically was raised drinking water or milk at dinner and eating lean meat, chicken, fish and a lot of vegetables.

So these were just a few things that prepared me for wearing flip flops as a diabetic, I learned to watch where I stepped. To be aware of what will or could potentially cut, hurt, damage or make my feet smell bad and to eat a healthy diet.

So if you do choose to wear flip flops like I do watch where you step and if you happen to cut your foot, hopefully by exercising and eating a healthy diet you will have improved your circulation and have greatly reduced the odds against the cut not healing properly.

“If you’re faced with an obstacle in your life don’t let it stop you. If you hit a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to get over the wall, go through the wall or find a way around it.”