Diabetic Foot Ulcer

My hubby has diabetes (type 2/Syndrome X, i.e. body produces insulin, but doesn't use it effectively thus high blood sugar readings), recently woke up with a ulcer on his foot. Does anyone know of a way of treating it?

This is his first ulcer. I have been slowly changing his diet, to avoid rapid detox. For example, in the last two weeks, introduced yoghurt with live cultures, reduced intake of bread and more salads.

Any help would be truly appreciated.
Thankyou.

Sea salt, epsom salt, olive oil scrub three times a week to the entire foot and massage of the area and around the area, but avoid actively moving that pooled blood upwards towards the heart. Just massage to increase blood movement and white blood cell movement to the source of infection.

Increase exercise by a simple, brisk 20 min. walk once or twice a day and push off with the balls of the feet with each step...heel, roll up to the ball, push until those calf muscles are flexing with each step. Increase fluid, Vit. C and folic acid intake.

That's all about as simple as you can make it and all VERY effective. Let air get to the area each evening, elevate the foot to increase venous return to the heart. Keep doing the exercise and water even after the ulcer has healed to prevent further incidence of same.

Jay Green wrote:Sea salt, epsom salt, olive oil scrub three times a week to the entire foot and massage of the area and around the area, but avoid actively moving that pooled blood upwards towards the heart. Just massage to increase blood movement and white blood cell movement to the source of infection.

Increase exercise by a simple, brisk 20 min. walk once or twice a day and push off with the balls of the feet with each step...heel, roll up to the ball, push until those calf muscles are flexing with each step. Increase fluid, Vit. C and folic acid intake.

That's all about as simple as you can make it and all VERY effective. Let air get to the area each evening, elevate the foot to increase venous return to the heart. Keep doing the exercise and water even after the ulcer has healed to prevent further incidence of same.

Thanks for that. Definately going to give it a go.

Hi. I would also start drinking a tea from ginger root on a daily basis, this will help his circulation.
You can buy ginger tea, or just add frated ginger to hot water. Its not the best taste but the miracle is in the medicine, this should help warm all extremeties by increasing the circulation.
Be patient it works.

Bathing his feet in a bath with hydrogen peroxide added will help oxygenate the tissues, a deficiency of which is how the ulcer got started. Alpha lipoic acid, vanadyl sulfate, and chromium (not GTF), are nutrients diabetics need a lot of, maybe 400 mcg. daily of the chromium. A good balanced diet is crucial, plenty of natural sunlight or Vitamin D and high fiber in the diet, not too many things that spike sugar like carrot juice, fruit juice and the like. Dilute juices with half water and sip tiny amounts, along with plenty of protein at small meals. Frequent small meals are best for hypoglycemics and hyperglycemics (diabetes included). Exercise is very important too, and diabetics need more than most people because they always have a circulation problem. Plenty of raw veggie juicing would be good. Adequate magnesium levels, best obtained from green leafy vegetables in a juice form.

I've been told that topical honey is an effective treatment.

Robert Ray wrote: I've been told that topical honey is an effective treatment.

Make sure it's raw honey, preferably Manuka.

Ulcers respond remarkably well to hyperbaric oxygen therapy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbaric_medicine).

I wonder if a similar system could be done at home. A gamow bag, which is used to treat mountaineers with altitude sickness might work for diabetic ulcers too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamow_bag
They're a couple of thousand dollars each, but that's about the same as one 90 min treatment at a clinic.

peroxide is an oxygenator, that is why a peroxide "burn" is white, it is just extra oxy in the skin...

Diabetic ulcers can lead to gangrene , amputation , and death. Quickly. Topical treatments are necessary but healing occurs from the inside , as does the ulcer itself. Honeys such as Manuka are bacteriostatic and will deter pathogens but are not curative . Salts and peroxide are cytotoxic and will destroy any new cellular growth as the wound heals and tries to fill in. I agree that exercise and diet change is absolutely necessary and may save his life. However , a diabetic ulcer is a sign that diabetes has taken a toll and he has suffered long term damage. An immediate visit to a physician is in order. The physician will likely refer to a vascular surgeon/ wound specialist. This wound may need debridement to remove dead necrotic tissue that will feed pathogens and impede healthy growth of new tissue. He may need restoration of circulation to this region of his body . Blocked circulation likely being the cause of the ulcer to begin with. Healthy circulation being the requirement for healing. I have helped to treat hundreds of these wounds in the last 22 years. I have witnessed many amputations and deaths .My advice - do not attemppt home remedies. You would go to the emergency room for a broken femur or a punctured lung. This is in that category. Continue to control diet , exercise , take herbal remedies too, but treat this as an emergency .

Wow , I just noticed the timeline of this post.

A ketogenic diet has been shown to be super beneficial for people with diabetes. it's basically an ultra-low carbohydrate diet, higher in fat, moderate in protein-- this allows your body to burn ketones and fat for "fuel" instead of carbs (sugar). This in turn stabilizes blood glucose (blood sugar) and insulin sensitivity, which is the big problem for those with diabetes.

As for the ulcer, I've heard good things about the use of a root extract called Cissus, which has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years for many health treatments. Not sure of the research on it, so look it up, and of course you should always consult your naturopath or doctor before implementing anything new. Good luck!

Old thread I know, just wanted to ask if herbalist use comfrey on wounds like this?

An excellent reputation if you can afford it

http://treeoflifecenterus.com/

I have same type of diabetes as your husband.I get it two years ago.I have in family some one with same type of diabetes as mine is,he get it more than 30 years ago.He is now age 78.His recepy is simple.Walk each day to buy newspapers to the farest point in your quartier,take medicine regular base,Eat wise mode what prescribed for diabetics,pasta in combinations with proteins and almost each day green salad,visit medic when needed and drink each night before to go to bed one small glass of good whiskey..for good circulation.I follow his recepy.And I will se what will it bring to me.