By improving specific lifestyle patterns, exercising and decreasing your risk factors, you will delay the progress/prevent cardiac arrests and also peripheral arterial disease ( PAD), thereby decreasing pain and ulcer formation in the leg.

Boost Circulation

Do not smoke cigarettes or chew tobacco in any form. Smoking and tobacco is a primary risk factor for PAD.

To reduce your risk of atherosclerosis, eat a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat. Which causes plaque buildup process within your arteries. The plaque delays or blocks the flow of blood from and through the blood vessels.

Join a walking program to improve your leg circulation and encourage new blood vessel growth. Ask your counsellor for advice.

If you are overweight lose weight. Your heart needs to pump blood through an extra mile worth of the blood vessels for every pound of fat.

Pay attention to your blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure ( hypertension), your risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure or kidney damage is increased. The blood pressure will be 120/ 80. The blood pressure will be less than 130/80 if you have diabetes. If you have high blood pressure, talk with your health care provider.

If you have diabetes, work to keep good control of your blood glucose.

Persons with diabetes and hypertension are at a greater risk of developing PAD because of the harm that the condition can do to blood vessels. Check with your health care professional if you are having trouble with your diabetes.

Take good care of your feet

Check your feet for bruises, blisters, red marks, sores, cracks and swelling if you are a diabetic. Use a mirror to check the bottoms of your feet or ask a family member for help if you have trouble seeing as they are sometimes painless in diabetics.

Call your health care provider right away if a cut, sore, blister or bruise does not heal after several days. Your health care provider may apply a special dressing to help the wound heal and protect it from infection.

Wash your feet every day with mild soap and a little warm water. Do not soak your feet, as they might dry out.

Nice dry your feet. Rest assured of drying between the toes.

For dry skin, use a thin coat of lotion and cream but not between your toes. Stop perfumed lotions.

Smooth the corns and calluses with a pumice stone.

Cut your toenails straight across, and use an emery board or nail file to file the edges.

Wear shoes and always wear socks.

Never do barefoot walk.

Wear well-fitting comfortable, soft sole shoes to cover your feet.

If your feet get cold wear socks at night.

Always check for worn areas or things inside of your shoes that could cause sores on your feet. Ask about Special Shoes from your health care provider.

Avoids long periods, crossing your legs. Cross your legs to the ankles, instead.

Wiggle the feet and move the legs up and down for 5 minutes, 2 or 3 times a day.