We all know the importance of diet and exercise for good health, but did you know that your feet could be telling you something about your health?
Many of us hate looking at our toes (either that, or we make jokes about selling pics of them when payday feels like a long way away), but maybe we should get a bit more familiar with them.
It turns out that our feet can hold a few warning signs about a serious condition, according to a pharmacist.
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When was the last time you had a proper look at your trotters?
Noel Wicks is a pharmacist and advisor to Excilor, and he has shared the importance of getting up close and personal with the much-maligned body part.
He told the Express about how the feet could warn you about two serious conditions, but your socks and shoes could be hiding important information.
He shared: “We need to keep an eye on our foot health, including our toenails, because it can impact on our overall health and be a sign of [serious] health issues.”
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The blood vessels that supply the toes are small, so its easy for them to get clogged up.
This can lead to cold, painful, swollen, or even numb feet.
According to Noel, this can be a warning sign of heart disease which shouldn't be ignored.
It's not just your skin to be aware of, but also your toenails.
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We know, try not to cringe.
Wicks said: “Thickening and brittleness of toenails may also occur with heart disease.”
The NHS says that peripheral arterial disease (PAD), also known as peripheral vascular disease, is what happens when fatty deposits in the arteries restrict blood supply to your leg muscles.
The NHS site says: "Many people with PAD have no symptoms. However, some develop a painful ache in their legs when they walk, which usually disappears after a few minutes' rest. The medical term for this is 'intermittent claudication'.
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"The pain can range from mild to severe, and usually goes away after a few minutes when you rest your legs. Both legs are often affected at the same time, although the pain may be worse in one leg.”
Other symptoms to be mindful of are tingling, pain, burning, dry skin, cracked skin, and blisters or sores that don’t heal.
You also need to be aware of fungal infections and athlete’s foot, as they can also point towards something serious.
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Sorry if you're eating - but be sure to keep an eye out for thick yellow nails too.
They can all point to heart issues, or diabetes.
Other symptoms to be aware of are chest pains, heart palpitations or shortness of breath.
For diabetes, you might feel tired all of the time, have unexplained weight loss, or feel particularly sleepy after eating your meals.
It's time to put embarrassment to one side and get used to properly checking your feet.
Jen Thomas