Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Health Tips for September 26

Health Tip: Finding Fiber in Your Diet

Fiber should be an important part of every diet. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, dietary fiber can help prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and even some types of cancer.

The academy offers this list of fiber-rich foods:

* Fruits like apples, oranges, berries, prunes, figs and pears.
* Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, peas, carrots and beans.
* Whole grains like bran muffins, oatmeal, brown rice, popcorn, whole wheat bread and multigrain cereals.
* Added wheat bran to foods like applesauce, oatmeal, and cooked cereals.

Health Tip: Causes of Corns and Calluses

Calluses are patches of rough, thick and yellowed skin that often develop on the soles of the feet. Corns are smaller patches of thickened skin that form on the toes.

The University of Michigan Health System lists these common causes of corns and calluses:

* Wearing shoes that are too tight or poorly fitted, which rub on your feet.
* Wearing shoes or sandals without socks.
* Wearing high heels.
* Having a high arch, which adds weight and pressure to the ball of your foot and your toes.
* Having an uneven distribution of weight on your feet as you walk, sometimes caused by a physical abnormality.
* Having sharp bones in your feet that may rub against your shoes.
* Having bony feet that lack typical cushioning.

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