Question to general practitioner Maarten: Thick feet
Maarten Vasbinder lives in Isaan. His profession is general practitioner, a profession that he mainly practiced in Spain. On Thailandblog he answers questions from readers who live in Thailand and writes about medical facts.
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Dear Martin,
I am 72 years old, 1.88 cm, 73 kg, have lived in Thailand for 9 years, have not smoked for 1 year, like to drink 1 or 2 glasses of wine or beer or a glass of whiskey per day.
I hear and read this, in drinks, including beer and whiskey, there are bad sugars, also in fruit, for example mango. I keep hearing and reading confusing messages, sugars are sugars, and any sugar is not good for your health. On the other hand, you hear that you can consume unlimited sugars in fruit and that fruit also provides many vitamins and minerals, among other things. And what about fruit juices fresh or from a pack?
Which position is correct?
Recently I have been suffering from quite swollen feet, through massage, a lot of exercise, walking, cycling, pillow under the foot end, it is gone for 75 – 90% in the morning, but comes back during the day. Am I thinking here of blockage of a blood vessel (s) by a blood clot or valves in the blood vessel that do not function properly?
My condition had been above average for years due to intensive sports, running and cycling, last year I was less active and more behind the desk. Striking that both feet got this at the same time, then it can't be a blood vessel problem? And am I not at risk of a pulmonary embolism?
Thanks in advance for your attention and best regards,
S.
******
Dear S,
I don't give advice about sugars. The worst thing in alcoholic beverages is alcohol. The best part is that they are often tasty. As for fruits, most fruits are good, but given your weight, I would try to eat some other things as well.
Years of smoking probably haven't improved your blood vessels. If both feet become swollen at the same time, we generally look a little higher, towards the heart. A visit to the cardiologist therefore does not seem like a superfluous luxury to me. It could very well be the onset of heart failure. Don't wait too long.
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a clot of blood breaks loose and then enters the lungs through the heart. That's not the first thing I think of here
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Maarten