Category: Featured Articles

Which sandals are best for your feet
Blog Featured Articles Preventative • By lifecare-admin 0 Comments

Which sandals are best for your feet (flip flops too)?

After months of having our feet hidden in shoes and boots, it’s finally time to show some toes and wear summertime shoes! While I love a fun pair of flip-flops or sandals as much as the next person, I unfortunately see the impact of wearing cheap, unsupportive shoes in the warmer months.

Those cheap, flat flip-flops that everyone seems to love to wear are horrible for arch support, contributing to plantar fasciitis and causing you to slip and get an injury from the lack of foot support. Slipping on the wrong pair of shoes week after week can result in pain that manifests itself in many parts of the body: feet, knees, thighs, hips, lower back and spine.

The good news is that you can opt for the sandals best for your feet – and even flip flops – without skimping on trendy and fun designs. And the best part is that you can purchase them right here from us!

Many of you know that through our partnership with Foot Levelers, we can create custom orthotics that fit into your shoes. However, most don’t realize that Foot Levelers also creates orthotic sandals and flip-flops, by designing their own products and fitting their orthotics into some well-known brands such as Naot.

So let’s take a look the sandals and flip-flops from Foot Levelers that we can help you get into right away.

 

Custom Flip flops

Foot Levelers offers a wide variety of hand-made flip-flops that come with a patented 3 Arch Advantage, providing support for all three arches of the foot. Besides arch support, they are also designed with a softer, more comfortable mid-layer than over-the-counter flip flops and shock absorption on heel-strike. And what I really love is that Foot Levelers custom-fits the strap for your feet – basically making them fit like they were made just for you…because they are!

Getting fitted for your new flip-flops is easy. We have the scanning kiosk right in our office. Getting scanned and fitted only takes a few minutes. And with the scans, I’ll be able to help you choose the best flip-flops for your unique feet.

Not only will you get a great fitting pair of flip-flops – the styles are on trend with what you see in everyday retail stores. If you didn’t know, you would think they were simply cute, stylish sandals (the orthopedic shoe look of your grandma is nowhere to be seen!).

Which sandals are best for your feet

Most popular style: Bling

First custom orthotic flip-flop: Seabreeze

Great option for men: Catamaran or Maui

Flip-flops come in whole sizes only. You can view the entire line of custom orthotic flip flops here.

 

Custom Sandals

If you don’t find flip-flops as comfortable or need a dressier summer shoe, we’ve got you covered! There are two great options to choose from, First, Foot Levelers has teamed up with a popular sandal brand, Naot, to offer custom orthotics built into their shoes’ foot bed. Several Naot styles are available with a custom orthotic – including the Naot Paris, a nice heeled sandal you could wear with a dress or dress pants.

The second option is a truly custom sandal developed by Foot Levelers. This sandal, called Roanoke Sandalthotic® (named after the hometown of the company) comes in two colors and mirrors the style that many name brands are selling these days. The shoes are casual and comfortable with an anatomically-shaped cork-latex foot bed and adjustable straps.

Which sandals are best for your feet As with custom flip-flops, we will scan your feet in our office and send off measurements to Foot Levelers to have your shoes custom-made.

Sandals come in both men’s and women’s styles and in whole sizes only. You can view both the Naot sandals and Roanoke Sandalthotic®’s product lines online.

 

RELATED: 5 Reasons why custom orthotics will change your life for the better

 

Your feet are your foundation. And the wrong shoes contribute to pain in many parts of the body aside from your feet. Custom orthotics provide you the support you need for pain relief and comfort. The orthotics we can fit you for here in the office will last a very long time – and a pair of custom orthotic flip-flops or sandals will be worth the investment in the benefits your body will receive.

Which sandals are best for your feet For the summer, we’re offering a great deal for customers:

Buy one pair of custom orthotic shoes, flip-flops or sandals and get a second pair for $150! 

It’s like getting two pair of shoes for the price of one!

You can access the entire orthotic catalog here…then stop in our office for a quick feet scan. We will scan your feet, place your order and you’ll have your shoes back within a few weeks. Just in time for the pool – so don’t delay!

Dr. Sharman

vitamin B12 deficiency
Blog Featured Articles Nutrition Wellness • • By lifecare-admin 0 Comments

Vitamin B12: Are you deficient?

Would you be surprised to learn that 92% of the U.S. population suffers from a vitamin or mineral deficiency? It sounds crazy, but it’s true. And vitamin B12 is one of the deficiencies most overlooked.

If you are over 50 and reading this, about 20% of you are deficient in vitamin B12 – but it’s not just older adults that are impacted. In general, there is a lack of knowledge of the warning signs of a deficiency and late detection…so folks of all ages may be overlooking a deficiency in this important vitamin.

Why should you care about B12?

For starters, the human body doesn’t make vitamin B12 – so all of us must get this nutrient from our diet. We also can’t store it up, thus we need to consume foods that contain it on a regular basis. Adults need around 2.4 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B12 each day.

But what does B12 do for us? Plenty!

It is crucial for making DNA and red blood cells and carrying out other functions, such as helping to support the nervous system. And while the optimal situation is to get B12 from our diet, the reality is that many of us don’t eat enough of the correct foods to get the amount of this vitamin we need each day. The chart below shows some of the best food sources for vitamin B12, but if we don’t eat enough of these food categories regularly, a supplement may be needed.

 

Vitamin B12 deficiency

 

Am I at risk of not having enough vitamin B12?

To know for certain, you should ask your medical provider to run a test to see if you are indeed deficient in B12. In general, there are some individuals at a higher risk for a B12 deficiency.

  • Vegetarians, older adults, pregnant or breastfeeding women*
  • Individuals who have recently had weight loss stomach surgery
  • Sufferers of Crohn’s or celiac disease
  • Individuals with pernicious anemia
  • Individuals on prescribed heartburn medications, which impact vitamin absorption
  • Alcoholics or recovering alcoholics – alcoholism causes damage to the gastrointestinal lining, where the vitamin is absorbed and distributed

*If you fall under one of these categories, consider getting your levels checked for an early diagnosis.

Why vegetarians? Well, since animal proteins are one of the best sources of B12, vegetarians are automatically missing out on a regular source of B12. The reality is that non-meat eaters have to work harder than the general public to get enough food sources of B12 and avoid the need for a supplement.

 

What are the signs of a possible B12 deficiency?

There are many signs of a possible deficiency, but keep in mind that these signs could also signal other conditions. A check of your B12 levels, once some of these signs appear, is the best way to know if your symptoms are related to this deficiency or some other cause.

Be on the lookout for the following symptoms:

  • Tingling hands/feet or “pins and needles” sensation (People who are vitamin B-12 deficient may not produce enough myelin to coat their nerves. Without this coating, nerves can become damaged.)
  • Trouble walking due to numbness
  • Jaundice (yellowish, pale skin)
  • Fatigue or weakness due to not enough red blood cell production
  • Fast heart rate and shortness of breath (making up for reduced number of red blood cells
  • Mouth ulcers, swollen tongue, burning sensation in the mouth
  • Cognitive impairment, perhaps due to reduced oxygen getting to brain
  • Irritability
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (not enough oxygen reaching the gut)
  • Decreased appetite

 

How could B12 benefit me?

The benefits are many when your levels are low. If you are not deficient in B12, you may not experience these benefits .

 

Pregnancy
Taking vitamin B12 during pregnancy has been proven to mitigate birth defects.

 

Supports healthy skin, hair, nails
Since low vitamin B12 levels can cause various dermatologic symptoms, adding B12 can improve those conditions. Hyperpigmentation, nail discoloration, hair changes, vitiligo (the loss of skin color in patches) and angular stomatitis (inflamed and cracked mouth corners) are all common with B12 deficiencies.

 

Better sleep/energy
Vitamin B12 assists in melatonin production, a hormone responsible for sleep regulation. It also aids in glucose metabolism, which can boost your energy levels.

 

Improvement to brain function/mood
One of the vitamins essential in the production of serotonin, the brain chemical responsible for mood regulation, is B12. Supplementing B12 may help in lessening the effects of depression, but I always recommend that you consult with a health practitioner to help you deal with depression symptoms.

Studies show that patients who have lower levels of B12 have an increased risk for brain volume loss, particularly as they age. Adding a B12 supplement can boost the production of neurotransmitters, which help our cognitive functioning and memory.

 

Aid to digestion
If you struggle with digestion issues, you’ve likely learned about the importance of “gut” bacteria. Vitamin B12 helps the production of necessary digestion enzymes, fostering healthy bacteria production needed to break down foods and support a healthy metabolism.

 

Other benefits
Many folks boosting their vitamin B12 levels – either through foods or supplements – have experienced other benefits. While there is still a lot of research around these benefits, it’s worth noting that if you are deficient, B12 may:

  • Support bone health and prevent osteoporosis
  • Assist in maintaining heart health
  • Reduce macular degeneration

 

So what are your best ways to get B12?

First, I always recommend getting your levels checked. If you are deficient, you can always increase your intake of foods high in B12. However, a serious vitamin B12 deficiency can be corrected two ways: weekly shots of B12 or a daily high-dose B12 supplement. A mild deficiency can be corrected with a standard multivitamin.

 

Final thoughts

If you fall into a high-risk category for a deficiency in vitamin B12 or any other vitamin (vitamin D is another one where folks are often deficient), talk to your health provider and get your levels checked. If you aren’t high risk but you are having some of the deficiency symptoms noted, you should also talk with your health provider. Deficiencies are so common…and often overlooked. A level check is easy – and could be a huge difference maker in your health! Call our office to schedule one and a vitamin consultation with me.

Dr. Sharman