Watch HealthyFeetStore.com’s Isha Garcia talk about how Spira Odyssey women’s shoes have helped her gain cushioning comfort during her workouts. Plus, learn about Spira’s WaveSpring® technology and how it’s revolutionized the footwear industry.

Every 17 seconds, someone is diagnosed with diabetes. 13 million men and 12.6 million women in the United States are diabetic and the rate is climbing. Take time this November during American Diabetes Month to learn strategies that you can adopt to help fight diabetes. While there is no cure for diabetes, the disease can be prevented, treated, and controlled. Join the American Diabetes Association by raising a hand to stop diabetes this November.

American Diabetes Association:

The American Diabetes Association strives to prevent and cure diabetes, as well as to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. The Association funds research, spreads information on health and wellness, and helps connect diabetics to sources of support within their communities. During the month of November, the ADA raises awareness with Stop Diabetes, a movement aimed to help build the momentum needed to put an end to diabetes once and for all. Learn more at stopdiabetes.com.

Diabetic Nutrition

Nutrition is an important part of maintaining health and wellness. Fortunately, diabetics may enjoy a wide variety of foods, and may follow the same dietary recommendations as the general population. Keeping track of glucose levels is extremely important for managing diabetes; however it doesn’t mean avoiding sugar at all costs, cutting out carbohydrates completely, or bidding your favorite food joints farewell. By managing what you eat, when you eat, and how much you eat, diabetics can keep their weight down while providing their bodies with delicious foods for fuel. See HelpGuide.org for Diabetes Diet and Foot Tips or visit Stop Diabetes.com for healthy recipes and meal planning.

Exercising with diabetes

Exercise can help control type 2 diabetes by improving blood circulation, lowering blood pressure, improving the body’s use of insulin, and lowering excess body fat. Take the time to be active; try adding steps to your day, swimming, or biking. See the Mayo Clinic Website for information on monitoring your blood sugar while you exercise, and use the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association website as a resource for tips on living an active, healthy lifestyle. The Mayo Clinic: Living with diabetes blog also provides helpful posts such as “Diabetes and College” and “Could switching to a vegetarian diet cure my diabetes?”

Diabetic Shoes

Comfortable shoes can help encourage a healthy, active lifestyle. Diabetic shoes are designed to protect diabetic feet from injury and HealthyFeetStore.com makes it a priority to carry shoes that fit a diabetic’s lifestyle needs as well. Medicare A5500 coded diabetic shoes are made in a variety of styles; work shoes, dress shoes, walking shoes, and casual shoes. Special features are added to diabetic shoes to keep feet protected and supported; such as breathable leather and suede uppers, and superior ankle, arch, and heel support, and extra depth to accommodate custom orthotics. And footwear brands such as Aetrex, PW Minor, Drew, and Pedors offer the healthy features you need without skipping on style. Invest in your foot health with a pair of diabetic shoes, and get active.

Womens Shoes

p.w. minor Leisure II CS- Women’s Orthopedic Shoe

Drew Rose Women’s Shoe

p.w. minor Tia- Women’s Mary Jane Shoe

New Balance 846- Women’s Walking Shoe

Mens Shoes

Drew Men’s Shoe, Traveler

Sebago Clovehitch II- Men’s Boat Shoe

Dunham Burlington- Men’s Dress Shoe

Comfortrite Men’s Therapeutic Walking Shoe, Lucas

It was a scorching hot day as the sun’s heat blanketed the ground below.  The long shadow from the Great Pyramid of Giza was the only place of refuge where a team of archeologists were excitedly planning their afternoon dig that would take place in the inner bowels of the pyramid.  Tom and his partner Kelly had just finished giving their last instructions to a small group of diggers when Sam limped up next to them.

“Guys, I’m so excited,” Sam exclaimed.
“I don’t know Sam, maybe you should sit this one out, you’re still limping and wearing that wound care shoe,” Kelly said.
“What are you nuts?  I’m the only one on the team that can translate hieroglyphics,” Sam answered.
“Yeah Kelly, don’t worry, he’s not limping too much and that new Darco wound care shoe is pretty durable.  His foot is healing just fine – we just have to make sure he stops snooping around areas of the pyramid that haven’t been safely checked, or else he might injure his other foot,” Tom said.
“Hey I can’t help it if we’re on the brink of finding a new tomb that might have an actual mummy.  If there’s an area that needs searching, that’s why they pay us the big bucks – we’re the crazy ones that aren’t scared of the dark, even though it may cost us an injury,” Sam laughed.
“Ok Sam, but make sure that at least this time you actually bring a flashlight.  Remember, we’re also the ones with PhDs – which means we should be smart enough to know that,” Kelly laughed out loud.

As Tom, Kelly and Sam made their way deeper and deeper into the pyramid, the colder and darker it became; and even though there was still daylight outside, the pyramid’s interior reflected the same atmosphere as a gloomy, moonless night.  In fact, the pyramid’s interior was a completely different world than the one above.  Cobwebs dangled down like long fingers, snatching anything and everything that brushed by them; and every so often, the team heard eerie scudding sounds across the tunnel floor.  These sounds of course came from all of the spiders and scorpions that live in the pyramid, and the team always did their best to ignore the sounds and keep their flashlights ahead so as not to alarm the insects; since sometimes, the insects were attracted to the light, and the last thing they wanted was to have hundreds of spiders and scorpions ascend on them for an afternoon snack.

After a long trek, the team finally spotted a light ahead that was coming from the group of diggers; they also smelled smoke from the small fires that were set around site to ward off the insects.  All of a sudden, they heard loud exciting cheers: the diggers found something.  Tom, Kelly and Sam finally made it to a huge inner chamber where the diggers were all huddled next to an area that was just excavated – it was a secret chamber.

“I’ll check it out guys,” Sam exclaimed as he quickly limped past the diggers and entered the newly discovered chamber, accidentally dropping his flashlight on the way.

“Hold on Sam!  You dropped your flashlight,” Kelly yelled out after him.  Unfortunately, it was too late for Sam as a loud thud echoed out of the chamber.

“Ouch!”
Sam, are you all right?” Tom asked as he and Kelly entered the chamber pointing their flashlights towards Sam, who was grabbing his wounded foot with one hand and caressing an object on the ground with his other hand – the object was a huge book.

Kelly handed Sam his flashlight and he quickly shined it on the book.

“Wow!  We finally did it!  We found the secret tomb of Imhotep; and this is his book of spells,” Sam exclaimed.

“Look over here guys,” Kelly yelled as she flashed her light on a large coffin that was set directly in the middle of the tomb.

They all flashed their lights on the coffin that had more of a square shape rather than the usual headed-coffin design.  The coffin looked like it was extremely top heavy, as if the lid was purposely designed to keep something concealed and put away for eternity.  All three explores looked to one another as if searching for answers as to what type of coffin or thing was in front of them.

“What kind of coffin is this?” Tom asked as he touched it and noticed that the lower part was made out of gold – the lid appeared to be made from some sort of black stone-like material with various hieroglyphics carved on it.  Kelly also noticed the carvings.  “What does it say Sam?”

Sam inspected the carvings and quickly looked from the coffin back to the book.

“No way, the carvings on the coffin say that whoever finds the resting place of Imhotep will be cursed for eternity, and that the book of Imhotep should never be removed from its circle of protection.”

Tom and Kelly quickly flashed their lights towards the area where Sam fell and noticed a perfect circle on the ground where the book was originally set.  With worried looks, they turned to Sam who had the book open and was reading a passage to himself.

“I don’t think you should be reading that Sam,” Tom said.

“It appears to be a bunch of gibberish guys.  It says, I WILL RISE WHEN THE SEAL IS BROKEN AND 31 DAYS MARKS THE FESTIVAL OF THE DEAD,” Sam read out loud.

“That’s strange because it sounds like it’s referring to Halloween, which happens to be today, and it looks like that book was sealed before Sam opened it,” Kelly explained as she pointed to the book that had a broken seal.

Almost as if on queue, the gigantic lid started to move, the ground rumbled and the diggers that were once huddled in the adjacent chamber began screaming and running back through the tunnel from which they came from.  Tom, Kelly and Sam quickly huddled together and slowly backed away, flashing their lights on the coffin in front of them.  The lid was pushed off and fell to ground, breaking into tiny pieces.

Slowly, a dusty figure sat up.  One of its ragged arms reached to the side of the coffin for support while it climbed out.  The mummy looked grotesque and filthy.  As it moved towards the archeologists, it had a limp, and with each step the mummy grunted in pain, until it stopped to reach down to massage its foot.

“Ouch that hurts – after thousands of years and all the magic in the world, you would think that I can make my foot pain go away,” the mummy said.

“Wow, you can talk,” Sam said as he limped towards the mummy.

“Sam, get back here,” Kelly yelled.

The mummy looked up and saw Sam limping towards him without any pain.  He also noticed the Darco wound care shoe and was amazed.

“What is that?” the mummy asked as he pointed to Sam’s wound care shoe.

“Oh, that’s just my special shoe – I injured my foot, and it helps me walk while I heal.  It’s a great modern invention.”

“Why didn’t I think of something like that when I was the Pharaoh’s chancellor and high priest?  I could have been a fantastic healer with that thing.  With all of the urgency to build pyramids, we had a lot of workers with foot and ankle injuries.  Instead, the healers would wrap our entire body with cloth, thinking that it would do the trick, pretty stupid I think,” the mummy said.

“Wait a second, aren’t we cursed?” Tom asked.

“Well technically, I’m supposed to curse you, but to be honest with you, I want to go back to the after-life, it’s a way better life than that of mortals; plus, you get all the free food you want.  How about a deal,” the mummy offered.

“A deal, what do you mean?” Kelly asked.

“You give me that wound care shoe so that I can go back to the after-life without foot pain, and I won’t curse you; in fact, you can take my mummified body to some museum so that you can make a lot of money.  What do you say?”

“It’s a deal,” Tom, Kelly and Sam said at once.

Sam quickly took off his Darco wound care shoe and showed the mummy how to put it on.  After a few steps around the chamber, the mummy was walking with a slight limp, and without pain.

“Wait until my friends in the after-life see this – I’m going to be one cool dude, they’re all going to be jealous since most of them have foot pain as well,” the mummy said.

Tom, Kelly and Sam helped the mummy back into his coffin.  Sam read a passage from the book of spells that reversed the curse and sent the mummy’s soul back to the after-life.  A few days later, Tom, Kelly and Sam were billionaires after selling their discoveries – Sam even bought himself a new Darco wound care shoe for his healing foot.

HealthyFeetStore.com has added new styles of Spira shoes: the men’s and women’s Stinger XLT and Genesis running shoes. Both of these styles offer Spira’s WaveSpring® technology, which incorporates stainless steel rings in the midsole design to improve performance and provide energy return.

The Genesis and Stinger XLT running and walking shoes have a tri-spring configuration – two small springs in the forefoot and one big spring in the heel – this design provides cushioning comfort and exceptional shock absorption to minimize impact. WaveSpring® technology is also extremely long-lasting, so much that the same cushioning steps experienced on the first mile will be felt after 500 miles of use. Plus, since this technology allows wearers to recycle their own energy, Spira shoes have been banned by USATF (United States’ governing body for track and field sports) – now that’s saying something.

See WaveSpring® Technology: Stinger XLT Running Shoes

Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D. is all about health. A best-selling author, internationally recognized health guru, and pioneer of integrative medicine, Dr. Weil has created a ‘Weil Lifestyle’ promoting health and wellness. His experience in health and medicine is wide and deep; Harvard graduate, Founder and Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine (AzCIM) at the University of Arizona Healthy Sciences Center in Tucson, and a Clinical Professor of Medicine and Professor of Public Health. Dr. Weil maintains a unique approach to health care which encompasses body, mind and spirit. His lifestyle includes waking up without an alarm, daily meditation, working in a stone-walled stable office, and walking a labyrinth garden in southeastern Arizona. Meet the doctor behind the beard.

Dr. Weil has created a lifestyle which emphasizes eat, drink, rest, and reflect, to best make conscious decisions that lead towards healthier living. He enjoys activities that promote health, such as attending to his organic garden, swimming in a lake, or walking the dogs, and believes that a home should be a sanctuary that soothes and heals. His philosophy of healthy aging is well respected, such as eating the right foods to combat age-related conditions like inflamed muscles.

Daily meditation helps to calm the mind and achieve balance. Dr. Weil promotes relaxation techniques that focus on breath to cope with daily stressors. Part of his meditation includes walking a labyrinth of stones, constructed in his backyard. “They are found all over the world,” says Dr. Weil on his website. “A labyrinth isn’t a maze. A maze is designed to confuse you. A labyrinth has one way in, one way out, and lets you see where you are at all times. It’s really a meditation device.”

“Our feet are our body’s connection to the earth.”
- Andrew Weil, M.D.

Exercise is a vital element to health, and Dr. Weil believes that walking is the best form of exercise to adopt. He recognizes that healthy feet are an important part of your mobility and motivation to be active, and for this reason preventing foot pain is vital to health and wellness. Dr. Weil believes in health from head to toe, and so he partnered with Podiatrist & Orthaheel Shoe Designer Dr. Phillip Vasyli to create a footwear line with the motto “Walk. Move. Live”. See new products at HealthyFeetStore.com.

Dr. Weil Balance II- Women’s Walking Shoes

Want a pair of shoes your feet will love? Dr. Weil Balance II Women’s Walking Shoes are stylish and orthopedic, with an upper made of full grain leather and premium suede, a breathable design with waves of perforated holes and a padded tongue & collar for cushioning. This sporty walking shoe is designed by a podiatrist to reduce foot fatigue, excessive pronation, and discomfort. The Balance II is a great shoe for women with plantar fasciitis pain, back pain, heel pain, and arch pain. The footbed is also removable to insert your own custom orthotics. Dr. Weil footwear is the product of the collaborative efforts of Dr. Weil and Orthaheel shoe designer & podiatrist Dr. Phillip Vasyli. Dr. Weil donates all of his after-tax profits from royalties of Orthaheel sales to the Weil Foundation, a not-for-profit- organization which strives to support integrative medicine in training, education, and research. This shoe collection features the orthopedic comfort of Orthaheel combined with special features of interest to Dr. Weil for the ultimate walking shoe, whether you’re on your feet running errands or strolling through a labyrinth.

Features of the Balance II Women’s Walking Shoe:

• AMS (Aided  Motion System™) technology: The 1st Ray Flexor Zone™ enhances gait and forefoot mobility

• The Tri-Planar Motion Control™ footbed encourages the alignment of lower limbs, which in turn improves balance, posture and stability

• Footbed is made with EVA

• Outsole has traction and is made with recycled materials

Dr. Weil Passage- Women’s Slip-On Moccasin Shoes

This sporty moccasin is unique in both style and comfort, a great shoe to match with casual outfits. The Dr. Weil Passage Slip-On Moccasin is designed by a podiatrist with healthy features your feet will love. This sharp, modern design features hand-sewn stitching above the toe box on a full-grain leather and premium nubuck/suede upper. The top of the foot has a labyrinth design, inspired by Dr. Weil’s walking labyrinth garden in southeastern Arizona. The collar and around the ankle have extra padding for added comfort, and the flexible outsole is designed with a multi-density heel cavity for soft, comfortable steps. The Passage Slip-On Moccasin Shoe helps you to maintain a healthy lifestyle from your feet, up!

Features of the Balance II Women’s Walking Shoe:

• AMS (Aided Motion System™) technology: The 1st Ray Flexor Zone™ is designed to enhance gait and mobility in the forefoot

• The Tri-Planar Motion Control™ footbed helps align lower limbs and control excessive pronation

• Footbed is made with EVA

• Footbed is removable for custom orthotics

Drweil.com
Facebook.com/DrWeil
Twitter.com/DrWeil
drweilblog.com

In this review, HealthyFeetStore.com’s Christopher Ramirez talks about how the technology in Brooks Shoes has made walking and working out a lot more comfortable.

The air is getting colder as the fall season begins, which is all the more reason to observe your mobility and make a point to walk throughout the day- Happy Step-tember!  One of the easiest ways to increase your daily activity is to add steps. That’s right, move those feet! Walking will not only increase blood circulation and improve health, adding steps to your day gets you out of the house, out of your car, and better connected with your community. Although much of our day may require driving or sitting in front of a computer screen, there are ways to incorporate walking into your daily routine.

Simple strategies to put more steps in your day:

• Remain standing: Stand and pace during down-time, while waiting for your kid to get out of class, the pharmacist to call your name, whenever!
• Walk to the store if you’re only purchasing an arm’s full
• Don’t wait, walk: Arrive early? Need to kill time? Take a stroll around the block instead of sitting in the car
• Get up and walk to your coworker’s desk instead of sending an email
• Park & Walk: Forgo the spot directly in front of the store doors and don’t circle the parking lot looking for the ‘perfect’ slot. Instead, find parking further down the row that allows for a quick walk.
• Ride & Walk: If you take the bus or train, get off on the stop just before yours.
• Make it a habit: Get in the routine of going for a walk after dinner with friends or family.
• Add steps while catching up with a friend: Walk while talking on the phone or suggest a stroll instead of lounging on the couch.
• Drifting off in the afternoon when you’re supposed to be focused on that report? Take a 10 minute power walk to clear your mind and relieve stress.

Be sure to check out AmericanOnTheMove.org for articles and tips on how to maintain an active lifestyle by eating healthy, getting active, managing weight and moving to green.

Also see last week’s blog post to learn how America Walks is helping communities improve conditions for walking, by increasing street safety and developing neighborhoods that are friendly to walkers.

Walking has been an important way of traveling for millions of years, so much that early humans in the Stone Age relied on their bipedal movements to get from one part of the region to the next. Walking basically meant surviving.

Fast forward time (thousands and thousands of years) past the Industrial Revolution and what do you get? In my opinion: a lot of people that are capable of walking who have lost their will to put one foot in front of the other. It’s my opinion that we as a society depend too much on mechanical transportation to destinations that are within miles of walking. We’re confined in our automobiles trying to hurry to beat over congested traffic on local roads. But at the same time, it’s not just the people to blame because unfortunately, there are many areas in our cities and neighborhoods that are not walkable due to various factors from high crime rates to streets with poor designs.

There is hope though, a group that is doing something to make walking in our country an easy option again, to bring awareness to those who may have lost their desire to get off of the driver’s seat and out of their cars, to educate our citizens on the benefits of walking, and to be a national voice for local groups across the country dedicated to the improvement of walking conditions in their respective areas. The organization: America Walks.

America Walks is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit national organization. Their mission statement:
The mission of America Walks is to make America a great place for walking by working collaboratively to share knowledge, advance policies and implement effective campaigns to promote safe, convenient and accessible walking conditions for all.

I was researching about the benefits of walking when I came across the America Walks website.  I was totally surprised at some of the statistics on their Walking Facts page; and I can easily see how walking has many benefits from improving our health to reducing traffic and possibly minimizing injuries that are caused by having too many vehicles on the roads. After visiting their website, I’m really happy to know that this great organization exists, because as you read on, you’ll see how walking has become an extremely important activity in my life.

How Walking Helped Me

I became an avid walker just this past year and I’m proud to say that it’s helped me lose over 70 pounds. In the past, I was a football player at the high school and college level who trained at all hours of the day; I jogged, ran sprints, and weight lifted; but I’m also tall – 6’4″ – and have had bad luck with knee injuries. I had two arthroscopic surgeries in my left knee (one in high school and one in college), and after my second surgery I decided to stop playing football in college; I wanted to make sure I’d have an active life in the future with minimal knee pain. But, as you can imagine, the years went by and I slowly gained weight to the point where I was well over 300 pounds.

Luckily, I got a job at HealthyFeetStore.com, which made me start thinking about my health again, and since working there, I’ve learned so much about foot health and how taking care of your feet can dramatically make a difference in your overall health. I will admit, I never really thought about walking as a form of exercise – my mindset still brought me to the notion that you could only lose weight and gain health at a gym. I was totally wrong and feel pretty foolish about it. I remember talking to my manager one day, who is a total health nut and in better shape than most teenagers, and she recommended that I walk since I was so heavy. I lucked out again because she gave me great advice. I started off slow and each week I added time and distance to my walking workout. Eventually, I was able to walk for 45 minutes to an hour a day, sometimes walking up to two hours a day on the weekends. Slowly but surely the pounds just melted away and before I knew it, I was back to my healthy weight: I was 70+ pounds lighter. If you have the ability, I absolutely recommend walking more. It’s a really easy and simple exercise and it’s basically what humans were designed to do.

Another thing I noticed was how walking can be therapeutic, especially when there’s less noisy traffic on the streets – you’d be surprised how walking can help you think about things and ease stress – at least it does for me. I can relate to what America Walks is trying to do because I purposely chose to walk during the early morning because I wanted to avoid traffic that occurred down the street – I live in relatively nice area next to a school, and the traffic really gets congested in the morning.

I’ve also lived in a bad neighborhood where walking was the last thing I wanted to do. I remember wanting to walk to the store but was too afraid to. I always thought that the neighborhood had a great design, with many sidewalks and stores that are within walking distance, but unfortunately, there was too much crime. I can see how a place like my old neighborhood could benefit if the community was walkable.

But there is hope. Just remember that there are organizations working hard to help build walkable communities – like America Walks. In fact, we at HealthyFeetStore.com have been in contact with our local organization: WalkSanDiego; and their doing wonderful things to make areas in San Diego walkable.

You too can get involved, whether you’re an individual or an organization, there are ways to support and contribute. Visit America Walks’ Get Involved page and Walking Advocates page for more information.

I hope that one day the streets and neighborhoods of our country will be walkable and that all of us will walk a little bit more. You never know – walking could be the activity that brings us back to health and to a peaceful existence. Remember, all it takes is one foot in front of the other.

Orthaheel has just released four new styles of women’s shoes: the Bartlett, Arcadia, Cambria and Melissa. These women’s shoes have eye-catching appeal because they have chic upper designs that incorporate polyurethane material, detailed stitching, colorful tone on tone accents, and various closures from hook and loop adjustable straps to lace up designs.

Orthaheel is easily known for their footbed design, but now with the introduction of their new women’s shoes, you can be sure that they’ll eventually be known for fashionable footwear. All types of women, whether they’re professional young singles or busy moms on the go, can wear these shoes in a variety of urban or informal settings; plus, they provide exceptional footing because they have a durable TPR outsole with a wave tread pattern for optimal, secured steps. If you’re a fan of Orthaheel sandals, you’ll definitely fall in love with Orthaheel shoes because they have the same podiatrist designed footbed technology that helped Orthaheel receive the APMA accepted seal of approval.

So when it comes time to select new fall/winter footwear, be sure to consider Orthaheel women’s shoes because you can be sure you’ll gain more than just fashionable shoes, you’ll gain orthopedic friendly shoes that will improve foot functionality all while minimizing chances of experiencing unhealthy foot conditions in the future.

Orthaheel’s Active Orthotic Footbed

• Comes with the Bartlett, Arcadia, and Cambria

• Podiatrist and biomechanically designed to enhance foot functionality so that wearer’s gain overall foot and body alignment

• Tri-Planar Motion Control system minimizes excessive-pronation by providing stability and support along the three planes of motion (frontal, sagittal and transverse)

• Contoured arch support with heel cup

• EVA with hardened plastic used in its construction; promotes motion control

• 4 degree rear foot wedge for extra support

• EcoFresh cover is anti-bacterial and absorbs foot odor

• Aligns lower limbs and enhances posture, which will reduce or eliminate discomfort from plantar fasciitis, heel pain, back pain, and foot pain

• APMA (American Podiatric Medical Association) approved

• Can be replaced with custom orthotics

Please Note: The Orthaheel Melissa is a slip-on mule that does not have the removable Orthaheel Active Orthotic Footbed.  It does however have some of features mentioned above in its footbed design.

Take a look at our latest Employee Shoe Review of Naot Footwear.  In this video review, our own Melissa Kumler talks about how Naot’s healthy features and chic appeal helped her stay comfortable and stylish during her recent trip to Italy.