As the temperature increases, we are all tempted to kick off our shoes and socks and let our feet enjoy some fresh air! It is even more tempting to start walking barefoot around the house or even outside during the warm weather. However, walking barefoot can pose many dangers to the feet! The most obvious risk of walking barefoot is stepping on an object and it getting embedded in the foot. Rocks, pebbles, twigs, thorns, glass, and nails are outside objects that can get into the feet, but inside dangers can include toothpicks, animal hair, cat litter, and pieces of wood.

If a rusty object, such as a nail, punctures the foot, it is essential to report to the ER for a tetnus booster and possibly more extensive treatment. Tetnus is caused by an anaerobic organism, Clostridium tetani. The rough surface of nails, along with the rust, is an ideal habitat for this bacterium. In addition to tetnus prophylaxis, antibiotics (for the possibility of infection by this or other organisms), and local wound care for the entry point of the foreign object may be needed.

Certain diseases can slow the healing of a wound on the foot. Some of these diseases include the following: diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, peripheral vascular disease, neuropathy, and many others. Special tests and bloodwork may be needed, along with consultation to a variety of specialists, if healing is delayed.

During these warm months, and year round, it is important to wear some type of shoe both inside and outside to protect your feet! Dr. Mary Ann Bender has been working in the Chicagoland area for the last 11 years and joined the Advanced Physical Medicine team three years ago. She treats all conditions of the foot and ankle. Call for your appointment, 708-763-0580. Dr. Bender accepts all PPO insurance plans (including United Health Care), Worker's Compensation, Self Pay, and Medicare.

cc licensed ( BY NC ) flickr photo shared by cuellar

Early Morning Workouts

Many people end up avoiding their workouts if they do not have a set time to do them. It is much easier to skip a workout in the afternoon or evening if something more important comes up like a social event or even something as simple as staying on the couch and watching TV. In order to make sure the work out gets done it makes sense to schedule it when nothing else important is happening. A very early morning workout can be done when nothing else is happening so it is easy to stick to it without feeling like the time is being sacrificed for something else. When a time is scheduled every day or a few days a week to get the workout done it is also easier to stick to it. As soon as that alarm goes off it is important to get out of bed and do the work out. It will be easier to fall into a routine the more the workout is done. Soon the body will wake up on it's own without an alarm, and early morning exercise will be easier.

cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by lululemon athletica

Advantages of the AM Workout

Another great aspect of an early morning workout is that if it is done outdoors, the workout can be done before the sunshine begins beating down. It can be hard to complete an outdoor workout in the hot weather because it can be so hot that the body feels overheated and stressed. The cooler air of the early morning makes it easier to engage in more intense outdoor exercise without overheating.

Working out in the morning has also shown to increase energy levels throughout the day. When the body feels tired one of the best things to increase your energy is to do a quick and energizing workout. A person who has trouble waking up in the morning may really benefit from an early morning workout because it can jump start their energy levels and make them more alert through the morning and the rest of the day.

Another great thing about an early morning workout outdoors or in the gym is that there is much less traffic and activity at that hour of the day. If you workout out at the gym there will be few people waiting around for machines or equipment since the gym will be much less crowded. If you are running on the road, you will not have to share the road with afternoon traffic.

This article was written by JustRopes.com, your one stop shop for climbing ropes and cords.

4 Critical Health Benefits of Water

How often do you drink water?

Probably not enough. Drinking water can actually have some amazing benefits to your body and overall health - and not nearly enough people are aware of this!

We all (should) know that our bodies are about 60% water, but did you know that about 90% of our brain is water? Neither did I. And in order to keep our bodies functioning properly, we really need to keep our bodies (and minds) properly watered.

And just for context, most people forget, or don't realize, that if you're feeling thirsty, you're already at least a little dehydrated - so don't go by that signal from your body to wait to start drinking that good ol' water.

Manage Weight

Did you know that drinking enough water will actually help you maintain (or even lose) weight? There are a few ways that water helps your weight loss.

Weight Loss. It was actually found in a recent study that those who drank 2 glasses of water before a meal lost 5 more pounds (on average) over a 12 week span than those who did not. This is in part because drinking water kickstarts your metabolism before the meal.

If you drink ice cold water, also, that can increase your weight loss. Why? Because your body burns more energy to warm the water up to your internal temperature. (Which is also why you shouldn't drink cold drinks in the summer if you're looking to stay cool).

Lemon water. If you aren't a big fan of the usually-bland tasting water, add a little bit of lemon. Some also swear by a mixture of lemon water and honey to reduce weight, as well.

Energy Boost

Yes, water will actually boost your energy - you don't need caffeine or energy drinks to do that.

Remember how I said that your brain is about 90% water? Well, doesn't it make sense that if you don't drink enough water your thoughts get a little sluggish? On top of that, dehydration in and of itself makes you feel fatigued. Enough water is necessary for focus and an attentive brain because of the pivotal role that water plays in getting blood to transport oxygen throughout your body.

Stress Relief

It serves to follow that when your aren't focusing or getting the work done that you need to be getting done, you're probably going to be a little stressed - and the fact that most likely you're tired does not add up to one happy camper.

Stress can also be brought on by headaches - and oftentimes you'll find that the root cause of your headache is dehydration.

Keeping stress down at work means that you should keep a glass of water at your desk (and constantly drink) and carry one with you when you're going out somewhere.

Glowing Skin

This is more a beauty benefit than a health benefit - actually, scratch that. Water helps nourish the skin and keep it healthy, which means that your first line of defense against germs and bacteria is healthy and well maintained.

Superficially, though, water plumps up your skin cells - which can make you look younger. Water can also improve blood flow and circulation to your skin cells.

So while having healthy skin makes a great first impression, healthy skin also keeps you more...well, healthy.

But you need to drink enough water for this resource to actually benefit! How much water should you drink daily? You can go by that old rule of 8 by 8 - that is, 8 glasses of 8 oz of water daily.

Mary Richardson thinks that everyone should have access to clean water and the necessary filtration systems in order to reap the full benefits of water. What healthy habits do you keep daily?

Sure, we hear the word "addicted" being thrown around all the time. Addiction may be loosely used to describe any intense craving or desire . . . or anything that we might humorously deem a "guilty pleasure." However, did you know that recent scientific findings seem to support the belief that sometimes we really are addicted to those things we love - namely food? How can this happen, and why are we addicted to certain foods? Read on for the scoop about this all-too common phenomenon:

Dopamine. Dopamine is the "happy chemical" that our brains release when our pleasure center is stimulated in the brain. Illicit drugs are known to stimulate dopamine, as is sex and gambling . . . and apparently certain foods. That's right - scientific studies show that our brains actually release dopamine just at the sight of foods we love. We don't even have to eat them. This difference - between stimulating the motivation circuits (just looking) and stimulating the reward circuits (actually eating) is equivalent to what a drug addict experiences when "craving" a drug that he or she is addicted to. That means that, biologically speaking, we actually fiend for food using exactly the same mechanism that a drug addict uses to fiend for drugs.

Obese versus non-obesity. In a very interesting study conducted by the United States Department of Energy, scientists found that drug addicts have less dopamine receptors than non-addicts. That means that their bodies are less able to absorb dopamine to get that good feeling we all crave, while non-addicts naturally just absorb more satisfying amounts of dopamine. Curiously, scientists conducting the same study found similar results when testing for dopamine receptors in obese people: those tested had less dopamine receptors than the non-obese people tested. This may account for unhealthy consumption behaviors associated with obesity, and is surely compelling evidence in the case of food as an addiction.

Ending food addiction: will-power versus genetics. Sure, we now know that some of us are simply genetically predisposed to food addiction - or really, addiction in general. Does that means that those of us with fewer dopamine receptors should just give up and admit defeat? Absolutely not. Studies also show that addiction can be overcome, and that the brain can be reprogrammed into new, different patterns that are not so self-destructive.

You don't have to count on will-power alone. There are some proven ways to win the battle against food addiction, and they include: avoiding the addictive foods altogether, maintaining a balanced blood sugar level, taking natural supplements to cut cravings, and getting the right amount of sleep.

Yes, unfortunately it seems that food addiction is real. That doesn't mean you have to let it win. Win the food addiction battle by arming yourself with knowledge. This article is a great start.

About the Author: Delsie Ninness used to be addicted to all sorts of processed foods. She now has a clean diet and practices intermittent fasting and enjoys healthy foods more than ever.

The New York Giants  suffered a setback today, as their player, Hakeem Nicks, sustained a fracture of his fifth metatarsal bone of the foot.  This player will have surgery and not practice for the next twelve weeks due to this injury.  Fifth metatarsal bone fractures are complicated and quite serious because the blood supply to this bone, especially the base, is not very strong.  This causes delayed healing of the bone, which can lead to prolonged pain, swelling, and disability.

The fifth metatarsal bone is located along the outside of the foot and is attached to the fifth toe.  Twisting the foot or ankle, falling, or abnormal pressure on this portion of the foot can cause the bone to break.   Often, the injured party will have immediate pain to the area which will make walking and standing difficult.  The fracture can be identified with X-rays in the majority of cases, but stress fractures (or hairline cracks) of this bone may be better visualized by MRI or CT scans.  The fracture can be treated conservatively with immobilization (casting) or surgery, and the direction for care usually depends on the activity level of the patient and whether the fracture is displaced (out of position).  Whether conservative or surgical care is chosen, initial healing take 6-8 weeks.  Following this, a course of physical therapy is often needed to increase strength, motion, and to get the patient back to their normal level of activity.  Additionally, a device called a bone stimulator may be needed to increase the rate of healing.

If you have a fifth metatarsal problem or question, please contact our offices for your appointment with Dr. Bender.  Oak Park 708-763-0580 and Chicago 773-776-3166.  Dr. Mary Ann Bender is a foot and ankle specialist who has been in practice for the last 11 years.  She is also an instructor at William Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine.

When you’re trying to lose weight, it can make you do all sorts of crazy things. But a lot of the eating habits you acquire are actually making you gain pounds instead of shedding them. Here are five bad eating habits that are making you gain weight.

Eating Before Bed

No one wants to go to bed hungry, but going to bed with a recently-filled stomach is a bad idea. Eating a meal or a snack right at bedtime will stimulate your digestive system, possibly making it harder for you to fall asleep. Your digestive system slows while you’re sleeping, so the food you eat before bed is more likely to “stick” with you. Try not to eat at least three hours before bed, and especially avoid foods that are high in sugar and fat.

Skipping Breakfast

If you’re rushed in the morning and skip out on breakfast, you’re setting yourself up for failure in your diet. Even if you don’t think you’re that hungry, you must have at least something small in the mornings upon waking. Breakfast gets your metabolism going so it will be strong throughout the day. It boosts your energy. If you don’t eat breakfast, you’re likely to be much hungrier at lunchtime, which can lead to overeating or snacking on unhealthy foods.

Eating in Front of the TV

If you’re the type of person who likes to snack on something while watching TV, you need to banish food from the couch. Because you’re focusing on the TV show, you’re not focusing on how much you’re really eating. And because a TV show is usually a lot longer than it would take to eat a meal, you’re more tempted to get seconds in order to continue eating while the show is on. If you absolutely must eat while watching TV, bring only a portioned, appropriate amount of food with you, and resist the urge to get a refill on the commercial break.

Skipping Meals

It seems to make sense that if you eat less, you won’t gain as much weight. Lots of people take that logic to mean it’s a good idea to skip meals. Skipping meals is actually a bad thing to do, and it can make you gain weight. When you don’t eat regularly, your body will think it’s starving, and it will slow down its metabolism to keep you alive for longer. To avoid your body’s survival tactics, do not skip a meal or snack; eat something every four hours.  

Eating Too Quickly

When you’re short on time, you still need to eat, so you might end up rushing through your meal and eating as quickly as you can. But eating too quickly will lead to overeating, and you may not chew your food enough for proper digestion. It’s very important to slow down, take your time, and deliberately chew every bite. It takes about 20 minutes for your body to feel full, so eating slowly will give you time to feel full and know exactly when to stop.

Jennifer Hawkins is a restaurant owner and chef who specializes in recipes with nuts. She also blogs quite frequently and loves to give advice to other cooks or people with no culinary backgrounds.

Photo Credit: SteFou!

While the conversation “you snore, not me” can be heard across the country, snoring is no laughing matter.  Snoring is caused by the collapse of the soft tissues at the back of the throat during sleep.  This results in that familiar, reverberating sound.  Generally snoring is more common among those between 40 and 60, although people of any age can be affected.  Health professionals estimate that around 40 per cent of the population suffer from snoring and recognise three ‘grades’ of the condition.  Although common, snoring is often not considered serious by its sufferers – many are acutely embarrassed by it.  However, snoring can lead to serious health issues, both physical and emotional.  In addition to disturbed sleep – often for the snorer and their partner – snoring can lead to tiredness during the day and lack of concentration.  This in turn can have far reaching and potentially dangerous effects. 

The Types of Snoring

The three grades of snoring recognised by UK health professionals are:

• Simple snoring; this is the mildest type and is characterised by low sound levels and infrequent snoring.  Normally breathing and sleep remain largely unaffected by this type of snoring and it may only occur occasionally.  Generally this type of snoring will not cause major health problems; however, it can lead to difficulties between couples which should not be ignored. 
• The second type of snoring is generally classified as moderate.  Snoring will occur more frequently in this case, normally on several occasions throughout the week.  It is likely to affect the quality of sleep you experience which can leave you feeling drained and tired the next day.  Some minor breathing difficulties during sleep are also likely to occur, which again disturbs the sufferer. 
• The most serious level of snoring is grade three; this type of snoring will take place every night and is audible beyond the individual’s own room.  Sleep Apnoea, commonly confused with snoring, can also occur in these cases.  Apnoea is the blockage of the airway for more than 10 seconds.  This category of snoring can lead to a range of issues which include disrupted sleep, tiredness and serious marital problems.

Causes and Effects

Snoring is more common amongst men than women and although prevalent in those over 40 it can affect people from childhood, or at any stage in their lives.  The most common factors that can influence snoring include; obesity, alcohol consumption and smoking.  In many cases, particularly less serious cases, lifestyle changes can be enough to reduce the level of snoring.

Snoring is known to contribute to increased risks levels of strokes or heart disease, in the longer term.  Short term effects include excessive tiredness and emotional problems.  Tiredness will affect a number of areas of your life, including work and it has been closely linked to road accidents.  Your ability to drive will be affected by tiredness, whatever the cause, but those who suffer from serious snoring conditions are believed to be most at risk. 

What are the Treatments?

There are a number of proven, effective methods to reduce or eliminate snoring.  These include strips or guards that can be fitted to the mouth or nose.  For those with the most severe cases of snoring a “stop snoring device” can be highly effective.  In the longer term medical advice is usually aimed at lifestyle changes – losing weight or stopping drinking or smoking.  A stop snoring device can be a useful tool to help in the meantime to improve the quality of sleep and relationships. 

Normally surgery for snoring is not considered appropriate as it is not proven to be completely successful and may have side-effects.  Never trivialise a snoring problem, or think that you should not see the doctor.  A doctor will always take snoring seriously – whether it is affecting you physically or causing relationship problems.  It is also important to understand that in the vast majority of cases, this common complaint can easily be alleviated.

Snoring can have serious medical implications – both physical and emotional.  Believed to affect around 40 per cent of the population it is an often overlooked condition.  Treatments, such as a stop snoring device, are readily available to help reduce snoring and combat its effects.

We all want to feel good and happy, and there’s no magic rule for everyone. It just comes down to our commitment to living a healthy lifestyle - maintaining positive attitude, exercising, and building up your fitness helps you keep up with the pace and demands of modern life.

Maintain positive thinking

The power of positive thinking helps you overcome obstacles.  Set a goal that you can reach gradually and give yourself a self-motivating talk even though challenges get in your way. Once you’ve reached your targets of each phase, no matter how small they are, make sure you reward yourself for getting there.  This will help maintain your motivation and positive thinking attitude.

Eat fruits and vegetables of different colours

Fruits and vegetables are critical to promoting good health.  In particular, eating fruits and vegetables of different colours gives your body a wide range of valuable and essential nutrients, like fibre, minerals, vitamins A and vitamins C.  Make sure you also try new fruits and vegetables regularly to get a healthy variety.

Make exercise a habit

We are all living busy lives, leaving exercise at the bottom of our-to-do list.  Not that we don’t know how important exercising is to us.  It just comes down to the challenges of having too much things to do in little time each day.  Very often, people think that a run or a workout at gym occupies too much of their time. If you just adjust slightly your daily routine by getting up earlier or taking a little bit lunchtime walking, you’ll make a difference to your life.  If you’d like to get some discipline at first, why not consider enrolling in a fitness course? Pace your condition and do whatever you can, even though it is just for 15 minutes.  What matter is that you make a slight change of your life pattern to fit exercise into your life and make it a habit!

Maintain the balance

Stay connected with our friends, clients or peers via social media has become part of most people’s daily routine – Twitter, blogging, Facebook and Pinterest.  However, we are very often too obsessed with social media and technology, working too hard on our brains. Don’t let that connectedness and engagement “hijack” our other hobbies or even our precious sleeping time.  After all, it’s a balancing act.

Learn to slow down

We have limited time and amount of energy in a day. It is salient for us to practise slowing down so as to experience the joy of a more relaxed way of life.  How about not rushing your lunch at work, watching your favourite TV programs after work, having a cup of herbal tea to calm you down at night, reading books or simply lying on your sofa for a good rest during weekends?  Allow yourself to do the stuff you like to do each day and you’ll feel rejuvenated on your mental state.

I hope the above tips will positively affect some facets of your life, leading you to functioning at your best.  You’ll feel happy, healthy, energized, and more confident on how you approach your personal and work situations.  What’s more, those around you will be imbued with your positive energy.

Sarah paige is a freelance writer who is interested in health and wellbeing.  She is researching fitness courses and hopes to get her certificate iv in fitness in not distant future.

Working doesn’t mean that you have to stop living a healthy lifestyle. There is a misconception most people have about working and taking breaks in the office. They think that people who move around much while at work are either less busy, or are unserious. However, this is completely wrong! The fact is that such people are helping themselves and their work at the same time.Staying healthy while you are at work helps you feel better about yourself at different levels. This helps people to work more efficiently. Here are some ideas for people to be healthy at work:

Take Timely Breaks

This practice seems to be of little importance but has great impact on one’s health. Many workers skip breaks without thinking about it. Taking a break doesn’t mean you are less efficient. In fact, it is an observation that when people take timely breaks, they work better and faster. Even if it is a single break, it can make a big difference to your productivity.During the break, you must do something that motivates you. Try some exercise that will help you relieve stress. For example; walking a little is a great way of clearing your mind of confusion. Otherwise, you can simply sit in a quiet corner and read something that interests you.

Healthy Practices at Work

Make sure that your chair is comfortable. Stand up at intervals to straighten your back after at least an hour. Some people prefer to exercise while working. There are simple flexing exercises that you can try on your seat.

Healthy Diet

Healthy food is the key to quick responses. Make sure you eat healthily while you are at work. Instead of having chocolate as a quick fix, try eating a healthy meal. Avoid ordering fast food and junk snacks. Try fruits and nuts instead. These will help you resist the temptation to eat the wrong food.

Drink enough water during the day

This is something most working people ignore without realizing how dangerous it is. While we breathe, we lose a quarter of the total amount of water in our body. That’s estimated to be about ten glasses of water. Imagine the overall amount of water we lose through other vital activities. Loss of water without replacement contributes to building stress in our body.

Get Fresh Air!

Open the windows of your office and let fresh air in. We were not created to live on processed air coming from air conditioners. We need some fresh air and sunlight in the office to keep the environment healthy and refreshing.

De-clutter the Office

Clear your work table and the whole office. Clutter is not good for mental health. It has a subtle way of creating depression and confusion in our minds. A clean work environment is inspiring and helps one to work better and quickly.

Allan has been blogging for several years and has published numerous articles on various blogs. Allan's favourite topics include private health insurance, healthy living and fitness

Ouch! It feels like I am walking on a pebble!

A neuroma (also known as Morton’s Neuroma) occurs when there is irritation (also called Perineural Fibrosis) around one of the nerves that is going to the toes.  The tissue that surrounds the nerve thickens up with fibrous tissue, almost forming a ball, and this can cause splaying of the toes (the toes can form a V). 

Presentation is simple...patients often come into the office stating that it feels like they are "walking on a pebble" or like their "socks are bunched up under their toes".  Symptoms include but are not limited to numbness, burning, or sharp pains that shoot to the toes.

This condition is aggravated by pointed and high heeled shoegear.  However, in the worst cases, the neuroma can become painful with all activities or shoes, and especially with prolonged weightbearing.

Typically, a neuroma can be diagnosed with a clinical examination by a podiatrist.  A neuroma is not visible on X-Rays because it is a soft tissue problem, which is generally not visible on plain film.  Diagnostic Ultrasound and MRI can be used to identify the neuroma and also to differentiate from other possible similar diagnoses, such as stress fractures, capuslitis, metatarsalgia, avascular necrosis, and plantar plate tears.

The treatment options for neuromas include the following: padding, orthotics, antiinflammatory medication, injections, and surgery.  Conservative therapies are always attempted prior to any surgical intervention.

If you feel that you have this condition or another foot problem, please contact Dr. Bender’s Advanced Physical Medicine office at 708-763-0580 (Oak Park) or 773-776-3166 (63rd St.) Dr. Bender is an instructor at William Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine and has been in practice for the last 11 years.