Increase blood flow to the feet - YES !
RELAXATION TRAINING AND ITS ROLE IN DIABETES AND HEALTH

Birgitta I. Rice, M.S., R.Ph., CHES

Introduction

This series of articles provides information on the benefits of relaxation on health and wellness, with a focus on peripheral circulation problems in patients with diabetes.

As we have seen, the power of relaxation therapy has many benefits. Some of these include:

It puts the patient in charge of his/her well-being

It increases blood flow to the periphery of the body

It increases healing

It reduces pain

It increases sensory function over time
It may lower blood pressure

It is non-invasive

It is non-pharmaceutical – it does not interfere with prescribed medications

It makes you feel so good

Over the past 10 years I have developed a technique for relaxation training and tested it in clinical research studies at the University of Wisconsin as well as with patients at clinics in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We have used this program with patients who have limited blood circulation to their feet, such as peripheral arterial disease (PAD), claudication, diabetes and neuropathy.

The program, WarmFeet®, is a relaxation therapy, which can be taught, in a single session to patients suffering from various foot complications. Patients learn to relax and warm their feet assisted with thermal biofeedback. It is important that the patient wants to, and is open to this kind of therapy; the resulting increased blood flow provides improved healing, pain relief and with time an increased sensory function.

We feel that the training of allied/medical health professionals is important so that they can include WarmFeet® as an adjunct treatment for their diabetes and PAD populations. We want to work with supportive health professionals, to teach and encourage patients, as this is instrumental for obtaining the best results.

We are currently in the final phase of developing the professional training materials and want your input. DIABETES IN CONTROL would be happy to receive your feedback. As a participant you can obtain the WarmFeet® Relaxation Therapy Kits at no charge to use with yourself and your patients.

The WarmFeet® Kit includes, (1) an audiotape with instructions on how to relax, (2) the actual relaxation technique on the 2nd side, (3) a hard copy of the instructions and (4) a personal skin thermometer for assisted temperature biofeedback.

The information and protocols will be available in next weeks Diabetes In Control Newsletter, for your review.

Watch for: Study #15 “The Rexlaxation Study”

Birgitta I. Rice, MS, RPh, CHES received her education and pharmacy license in her native Sweden. She is a researcher, clinician and certified health education specialist at the University of Minnesota, Division of Epidemiology Clinical Research Center, Minneapolis, MN

Part One, Part Two, Part Three,

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