If you are building your own home, you are going to have to familiarize yourself with contracts. If you are acting as your own general contractor, you'll have to draft a contract for every single person working on your home, from the person who prepares the building site to the person who puts the final coat of paint on the walls. If you hire a general contractor, you'll only have to negotiate with him.

What is the purpose of a contract? A contract should button down and spell out all of your terms in case a dispute arises somewhere during the building process. A good contract should put down in writing specifically what you expect from the contractor, as well as the goods and services he is providing.

While many people put the contract away and never need to refer to it again, a contract can be a great reminder of what you and your contractor agreed upon. It ensures that everyone starts off on the right foot when it comes to communication.

In most cases, your contract will have a standard contract. Before you sign a contract read it very carefully, and have your attorney review it. Remember that contracts are legally binding documents. The project's price, payment plan, and the scope of the project should all be clearly spelled out. A good way to figure out if your contract is clear it to imagine a third party reading it. Would it make sense to them?

A contract should always include the following:

• Names and addresses of all the parties involved.

• The contractor's license and type.

• Workers' Compensation info, including policy number.

• Tax ID, or if your contractor doesn't have one, social security number.

• Location where the home is going to be built.

• Job specifications.

• Price and terms.

• When the project will be completed.

• Warranty information.

• How the parties will proceed if a conflict arises.

• Signatures and dates.

Remember, a good contract is an excellent way to open the path of communication, and ensures that conflicts that may arise down the road are more easily resolved.

In most cases, your contract will have a standard contract. Before you sign a contract read it very carefully, and have your attorney review it. Remember that contracts are legally binding documents. The project's price, payment plan, and the scope of the project should all be clearly spelled out.

So, you've decided to build your own home. You've picked out a plot of land, found a house design that you like, and have secured your bank loans. Did you know that you also need three types of insurance in order to get started?

Never fear, your bank requires two of those types before the building process begins! The three types of insurance you will need are:

• Course of Construction
• General Liability
• Workers' Compensation

The first two types of insurance are required by the bank, while the third type, workers' compensation, is required only if the builder has employees. Let's go over the first two types of insurance in a little more detail, so you'll understand exactly how you are protected.

Course of Construction. Course of Construction is an all risk policy that includes fire, extended coverage, builder's risk, replacement cost, vandalism, and malicious mischief. If you are wondering what builder's risk covers, this provision all buildings and structures as well as all equipment used in the building of the home, whether it is on the job site, on route, or in storage.

General Liability. This type of insurance can be provided either by your or your builder. It is a comprehensive general policy or broad form liability endorsement. If you provide the policy there is a minimum of $300,000 for each occurrence required. If the builder provides it, a general policy of $1,000,000 or broad form liability endorsement is required.

You can usually roll the cost of your insurance into your construction loan. Insurance is considered a soft cost, which means it is something non-physical in nature. Hard costs, by comparison, would include things like the materials needed to build the home. This type of insurance can be provided either by your or your builder.

The many risks of construction mean that choosing the right policy is of utmost importance. Finding an insurance agent who is familiar with the construction industry will help ensure that you are properly covered.

You can usually roll the cost of your insurance into your construction loan. Insurance is considered a soft cost, which means it is something non-physical in nature. Hard costs, by comparison, would include things like the materials needed to build the home.

f you are building your own custom home, the importance of having an adequate amount of cash on hand can't be stressed enough. There is nothing like a lack of cash to slow your project down, or even end it.

Why do you need cash if you are planning on getting a construction loan? Because there will always be restrictions and procedures holding that money up. Having cash on hand will ensure your project isn't held up as well. You'll also need some money before your loan is even approved to cover things like permits. In addition to your construction loan, it's a good idea to have as much as 40 percent of your total budget in cash. What will you use it for? Well, here's a not-so-short list!

• You'll need a down payment for your land before you even get you loan. And don't forget to factor in the closing costs for this land.

• It will take sometime to close on your construction loan, but in the meantime you'll need to make your loan payments and pay your taxes. You should have enough cash to cover these expenses for four months.

• Before your loan goes through, you'll need to pay for things like your architect, plans, and permits.

• You'll have monthly costs during construction including property taxes, homeowners' fees, and the house payments of the house you are living in while your new house is being built.

• Your bank lender will give you money after a particular part of the project is completed. You'll need to fund these out of your own pocket up front, and then get reimbursed later.

• You'll always see something bigger or better along the way. You may want to upgrade as you build your house—you may see flooring, appliances, cabinets that you like better than those in your original plan—and it's nice to be able to have the cash to do so.

• The project will probably cost more than you think. No matter how hard you try to stay on budget, if you are like 95 percent of the other home builders, chances are you will go over budget. You'll want some cash on hand for that.

f you are building your own custom home, the importance of having an adequate amount of cash on hand can't be stressed enough. There is nothing like a lack of cash to slow your project down, or even end it.

Why do you need cash if you are planning on getting a construction loan? Because there will always be restrictions and procedures holding that money up. Having cash on hand will ensure your project isn't held up as well. You'll also need some money before your loan is even approved to cover things like permits. In addition to your construction loan, it's a good idea to have as much as 40 percent of your total budget in cash. What will you use it for? Well, here's a not-so-short list!

• You'll need a down payment for your land before you even get you loan. And don't forget to factor in the closing costs for this land.

• It will take sometime to close on your construction loan, but in the meantime you'll need to make your loan payments and pay your taxes. You should have enough cash to cover these expenses for four months.

• Before your loan goes through, you'll need to pay for things like your architect, plans, and permits.

• You'll have monthly costs during construction including property taxes, homeowners' fees, and the house payments of the house you are living in while your new house is being built.

• Your bank lender will give you money after a particular part of the project is completed. You'll need to fund these out of your own pocket up front, and then get reimbursed later.

• You'll always see something bigger or better along the way. You may want to upgrade as you build your house—you may see flooring, appliances, cabinets that you like better than those in your original plan—and it's nice to be able to have the cash to do so.

• The project will probably cost more than you think. No matter how hard you try to stay on budget, if you are like 95 percent of the other home builders, chances are you will go over budget. You'll want some cash on hand for that.

To a certain degree, your lender will have a say in what your budget is for the home you are building. But do keep in mind that most lenders are willing to lend more than you can afford. There is a lot to be taken into consideration when determining what your budget is, and the best way to determine what you can afford is to work with your certified public accountant or financial advisor.

Issues that should be discussed and taken into account when determining your loan amount include:

How much cash you have in the bank, Current tax bracket,Capital gains issues, Diversification of assets, How long you think you'll own the home,Your investment strategy for the long term, Property appreciation,Tax deductions for interest and points, Other debt such as credit cars, car payment, school loans, etc.

Once you have taken all of this information into account, you can arrive at a payment figure that you are comfortable making each month, Once you arrive at that payment figure, you can translate it into a loan amount. How do you do that? You can ask your lender to translate based on the current interest rates and the loan program that interests you, or you can go online and use one of the many mortgage calculators available there.

After you've figured out your loan amount, you also need to look at the amount of cash you have on hand. Your goal is obviously not to spend it all, but when building a new home cash is king. If you have some to fall back on your home construction project is sure to go more smoothly. So figure out how much cash you have and are willing to spend, add it to the loan amount you have arrived at, and voila, you now have an estimate of your total home construction budget.

Are you up for the challenge of designing your own home? If you have the time and experience, then maybe you are. Otherwise, you may want to consider hiring an architect. Whether you want an architect to modify a stock home to better suit your needs, or whether you want him or her to design a home from scratch based on your vision, an architect can add value to your home building experience. While it may seem like an added cost in the beginning, the experience an architect brings to the table, coupled with the fact that using one often saves time, can save you money in the long run.

Architects are a dime a dozen. Just pick up the phone book and you'll see what we mean. However, the perfect architect for you is a little harder to find. So how do you find one that will perfectly suit your needs?

• When you see homes that appeal to you, find out who the architect was. Or ask friends whose homes you like for recommendations.

• Surf the web. Try the American Institute of Architects, www.aia.com, for qualified architects in your area.

Once you've narrowed down your search and found a few architects whose design abilities appeal to you, let the interview process begin. During this process you'll want to find out:

• The cost of the architect.

• If the architects personality compliments yours. For example, if you don't want to be involved in the process, is the architect and independent worker who doesn't mind complete control? Or, if you do want to be involved in the process, is the architect willing to include you?

• Whether the architects taste and your taste are similar.

• How much knowledge the architect has when it comes to your home's location. An architect who knows how to handle the local bureaucracy is a treasure indeed!

One of the most frustrating aspects of getting an investment property ready for resale is dealing with the contractor. The right contractor can bring you in ahead of schedule and under budget, but these contractors are in high demand and tough to secure. In most cases, contractors need a little bit of prodding and nudging to get the project finished on time. Do it right and you get your project finished ahead of time; do it wrong and you get a ticked off contractor who can make your life miserable.

Before negotiations with any contractor can begin, you will have to go through an interview and selection process. Be sure to select a contractor that you feel comfortable communicating with. A pushy contractor, no matter how outstanding his credentials, can be a hassle to deal with. A contractor that you can communicate with, on the other hand, will likely be open to any suggestions that you have and any criticisms as well.

The first negotiation that you will have to make in any real estate investing project involves the total cost for renovations. This often comes in the form of a quote from your contractor and includes the cost of materials, labor, and other expenses. Never go into this type of negotiation blind. Research for yourself what materials will cost. This will give you leverage to negotiate if you think the estimate is too high.

When bringing a discrepancy in the proposal to the contractor’s attention strive to keep your comments neutral. Never attack the contractor personally or use a tone that will turn a potentially good working relationship sour. Remember; keeping good contractors is vital in the world of real estate investing.

Opportunity for negotiation might also arise during the construction phase of the real estate investing project. These negotiations may include scheduling conflicts, issues with crew members, and general misunderstandings regarding materials or other matters. To be able to discuss these matters with your contractor easily, you need to first have a working relationship with him. Do not merely show up on the job site and begin issuing orders. Instead, take a genuine interest in the project and remember to give praise where praise is due.

Do not be a stranger on the job site. Show up regularly to spot potential problems before they get out of hand. A contractor will be much more obliging to exchange the kitchen tile for a new style or color before it has been laid than after his crew has spent hours on the job.

And remember to always treat your contractor with the respect and decency that you yourself wish to be treated with. A kind request sandwiched with praise will be honored a lot more quickly than a short command given in anger.

Heating costs are pretty high these days and only expected to get higher in the future as fossil fuels become more scarce. Incorporate indirect gain in your home design and you will save a bundle.

Indirect gain is a form of solar energy heating. Now, don’t panic. When most people mention solar power, the idea of large, unattractive solar panels immediately pops into your mind. Indirect gain does not involve solar panels. Instead, it uses the natural power of the sun to create heat for your home. Yes, even in winter.

The energy in sunlight is obscenely powerful. On a clear day, there is enough energy in one square meter of sunlight to produce 1 kilowatt of power. So, why doesn’t solar power take off as a renewable energy platform? We cannot yet build solar cells that are efficient enough to harness the energy. Most solar cells in panels only convert about 10 percent of the energy in the sunlight hitting them. This is why the panels have to be so big to generate enough electricity.

With indirect gain, you don’t have to worry about solar panels or even efficiency. Indirect gain refers to the heating of one area of a home and then circulating that heat to the rest of the home. A classic example is a Trombe Wall, but in this case we are going to talk about a sun room.

A sun room is simply a room built on the south facing wall of your home. The outer walls and roof are glass. The floor and internal wall is made of a material that absorbs heat from the sun. The floor can be brick, for instance. The wall can be painted a dark color. It really doesn’t matter so long as the sun heats it up. During the day, the sun will get your sun room roasting. This is true even in winter if you insulate well. So, how do you get all of this hot air into the rest of the home? I’m glad you asked!

To move the hot air into the rest of your home, you need to install a simple, but unique vent system. A set of vents should be placed as high as possible and as low as possible on the interior wall of your sun room. The vents should lead to an interior space of your home with as short a distance being used as possible. Remember, hot air rises and we are going to use this fact to our advantage.

When you need heat in the home, you can open both sets of vents – bottom and top. The hot air from the sun room will transfer into the house through the top vents. At the same time, cool air from the interior of the home will transfer into the sun room through the bottom vents where it will be heated by the energy radiating off the floor and interior wall of the sun room. The net effect is you have used the inherent energy in sunlight to heat your house!

So, how effective can indirect gain be when it comes to heating your home? It can cut your costs by about 60 percent. Over the life of your home, that is a healthy chunk of change

As global warming and fuel prices encroach upon our daily lives, renewable energy sources are gaining a lot of attention. Solar is one form of renewable energy you can incorporate into a new home without using panel systems.

Mention the phrase solar power and what do you think of? Panel systems comprised of a bunch of solar cells. Maybe they are in the backyard. Maybe on the roof. Regardless, they are bulky, expensive and not much to look at when it comes to the appearance of your home. Fortunately, there is another form of solar power you can take advantage of without using panel systems.

Passive solar is a concept that focuses on using the power in sunlight to heat a home. More importantly, the concept incorporates solar heating both during the day and night. If you are building a new home, you would be wise to give the concept some thought. A new home should last for a long time and passive solar heating can save you a ton of money in heating costs over that time. In many cases, it may eliminate the heating costs entirely.

Passive solar is a theory based on heat retention and heat movement. The classic example of solar heating is parking your car in the sun at a mall on a sunny day. What happens when you come out? The interior of the car is roasting hot. Why? The sun has beat down through the windows and heated up the surfaces in the car. With the windows up, the heat is retained and the surfaces can get painfully hot. This is heat retention.

What is the first thing you do when you want to get in the car? You roll down the windows. Why? The hot air will escape, which cools the car. The heat escapes because hot air always moves away from hot surfaces and towards cooler surfaces. This is known as heat movement.

You can use heat retention and movement to incorporate passive solar heating in your home. The idea is to let as much sun as possible through the south facing wall of your home, typically through large windows. To retain the heat, you want to maximize your thermal mass. This is done by placing absorbing materials and colors on the ground below the windows. During the day, these materials absorb the heat. They will give off some of it, but not as much as you might think since the air in the house is normally fairly warm.

Once the sun goes down, your thermal heat products will start to radiate heat. Why? Well, the cooling air temperature will act to suck the heat out of the materials much like opening your window in the hot car resulted in the hot air getting sucked out the windows. Ah, but how long will the thermal mass heat the home? Well, if you are building your home from scratch, you can incorporate enough of the proper material that it will radiate heat throughout the entire night.

Obviously, this article represents an overview of passive solar heating. If you are building a new home, however, you would be wise to look into the concept. Fuel prices are only expected to rise in the future, so a little proactive planning could save you a bundle in heating costs.

As global warming and fuel prices encroach upon our daily lives, renewable energy sources are gaining a lot of attention. Solar is one form of renewable energy you can incorporate into a new home without using panel systems.

Mention the phrase solar power and what do you think of? Panel systems comprised of a bunch of solar cells. Maybe they are in the backyard. Maybe on the roof. Regardless, they are bulky, expensive and not much to look at when it comes to the appearance of your home. Fortunately, there is another form of solar power you can take advantage of without using panel systems.

Passive solar is a concept that focuses on using the power in sunlight to heat a home. More importantly, the concept incorporates solar heating both during the day and night. If you are building a new home, you would be wise to give the concept some thought. A new home should last for a long time and passive solar heating can save you a ton of money in heating costs over that time. In many cases, it may eliminate the heating costs entirely.

Passive solar is a theory based on heat retention and heat movement. The classic example of solar heating is parking your car in the sun at a mall on a sunny day. What happens when you come out? The interior of the car is roasting hot. Why? The sun has beat down through the windows and heated up the surfaces in the car. With the windows up, the heat is retained and the surfaces can get painfully hot. This is heat retention.

What is the first thing you do when you want to get in the car? You roll down the windows. Why? The hot air will escape, which cools the car. The heat escapes because hot air always moves away from hot surfaces and towards cooler surfaces. This is known as heat movement.

You can use heat retention and movement to incorporate passive solar heating in your home. The idea is to let as much sun as possible through the south facing wall of your home, typically through large windows. To retain the heat, you want to maximize your thermal mass. This is done by placing absorbing materials and colors on the ground below the windows. During the day, these materials absorb the heat. They will give off some of it, but not as much as you might think since the air in the house is normally fairly warm.

Once the sun goes down, your thermal heat products will start to radiate heat. Why? Well, the cooling air temperature will act to suck the heat out of the materials much like opening your window in the hot car resulted in the hot air getting sucked out the windows. Ah, but how long will the thermal mass heat the home? Well, if you are building your home from scratch, you can incorporate enough of the proper material that it will radiate heat throughout the entire night.

Obviously, this article represents an overview of passive solar heating. If you are building a new home, however, you would be wise to look into the concept. Fuel prices are only expected to rise in the future, so a little proactive planning could save you a bundle in heating costs.

1. Apply With at Least 3-4 Mortgage Companies - Compare offers. Subprime mortgage borrowers are at the highest risk for excessive mortgage fees, inflated interest rates and other unethical mortgage practices.

2. Consider a Down Payment - When you apply for a new home loan, there are only a few factors that weigh heavily on your approval. Some of those factors are credit, income, debt-to-income ratio, employment history and down payment amount. If your credit is weak, you will need to really strengthen those other factors. Consider creative ways to come up with even a small down payment of around 2-5%. That might be enough to get you a better approval.

3. Consider Waiting to Apply Past the 2 Year Mark - Home mortgage lenders typically are more willing to lend to people with a past bankruptcy when they have past the 2-year mark from the date of their bankruptcy discharge. If you are close to that date anyway, consider waiting. After the 2 year mark, most lenders are willing to work with people with a bankruptcy.

4. Watch Out For the PrePayment Penalty - Most subprime mortgage lenders will tack on a prepayment penalty to the loan. If you are ok with a prepayment penalty and the loans interest rate is not too high, make sure the penalty is for a reasonable amount of time. It should be somewhere between 6 months to a year. If your penalty is for 2 years. Make sure that your interest rate is one you can live with for the entire 2 years. The penalty is usually the equivalent of 6 months of interest payments.

Oregon is often referred to as a green state because its bountiful rainfall. As Oregon’s green construction tax benefits reveal, the title is just as applicable to its environmental philosophy.

It is at the state and local level that green construction has been meeting much success in the area of funding and all in tax credits and reductions. Several states have emerged as leaders and supporters of the United States Green Building Council and the LEEDs Certification program. Among the leading states is Oregon. Oregon, which is one of the States that make up the Pacific Northwest region of the country, has a full range of environmental issues. It borders the ocean and has an extensive inland system of rivers and lakes. It has all of the urban issues with the City of Portland, and it is a fast growing state that has seen development encroaching on its pristine forest areas.

Oregon has become one to the leaders of the green construction movement, and one of its heroes, with a Sustainable Building Tax Credit. This credit starts by determining the value of a building based on its square footage and its LEED Certification level. Once this value is determined a tax break of up to 35 percent is given as a credit. The important thing here is the use of the LEED certification level to determine value. It is a way of saying that the higher the level, the more valuable the building. There could hardly be a better way to support the LEED program than to use it to determine tax savings.

Oregon has other tax credits that are green related. The Business Energy Tax credit is one. This credit is designed to encourage the reduction of energy use and waste, and to encourage the use of alternative energy sources. It is also a tax credit that shows Oregon’s commitment to green construction ideals. Recently, Oregon introduced a program to allow non profit organizations to benefit from this credit even though they were mostly exempt from Oregon taxes anyway.

Although Oregon is a leader among the states in support of green construction via tax breaks, other states have instituted similar credits. New Jersey is another state offering credits. The recognition of green construction and its importance by state governments has been a critical factor in the progress of the movement in the United States.

It is only with the combined efforts of all segments will the problems of our environment can be solved. Individuals must do their part by demanding green construction standards of sustainability in their own home choices. Business and industry must also contribute. It is the government sector that holds the real key. Without the support of government, and without laws that can give teeth to environmental initiatives, little real progress can be made. Oregon has become a leader with its tax benefits, and we can only hope other states follow this example

What's so good about green tea you ask?

What's all the fuss? Green tea is filling up the grocery store shelves. A few years ago I just about heard of green tea. Now when I go to the store I see a dozen (at least) variations of green tea. Could this tea color be catching on?

So many green teas. So many flavors.

While green tea has been around for thousands of years, it has become a remedy of choice for diabetics looking to free themselves of medications. It is also a very accessible product to obtain. Grocery stores from Maine to Florida and from North Carolina to California carry varieties of green tea.

Green tea is easy to find. And the results that have been studied with regard to diabetes research are very positive. Japan, The United Kingdom's Council on Tea, The U S Department of Agriculture and Maryland University have produced research and testing results of green tea usage that has been very favorable. .

How does green tea work in the body?

There seems to be so many benefits associated with this type of tea. Green tea might just be one great blessing for diabetes care.

The Japanese and Chinese cultures have been using green tea for thousands of years. Green tea has been the buzz word in western culture for a few years now. Maybe some of the positive results that are being attributed to green tea are what all the hoopla is about.

Green tea can help control blood sugar levels for diabetic making it very appealing as a natural solution. The catechin polyphenols found in green tea make it a great antioxidant that can lower cholesterol, help to increase your immune system and assist your cardiovascular as well. It can support in the battle against cancer, and can also help preventing heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

The UK Council on Tea claims that people drinking green tea reduce their likelihood of getting diabetes, than those individuals that do not consume the beverage.

Green tea has about one half the amounts of caffeine that black tea has and about one quarter the caffeine in coffee. So it can be drunk just about any time of the day.

Green tea is for me. What about you?

Finding natural solutions for diabetes is what I like doing. If you are interested in what The Diabetic Warrior has to say about natural methods to help diabetics then keep reading. He has conquered the disease with his way of eating. The MP3 I did with him provides some insights that will benefit you in controlling your diabetes. Grab your free interview.

As more and more of us are leading less active lives and, for example, sitting all day long in our ergonomic chairs in front of a computer, health problems associated with this change in our lifestyle are rising.

I don't think that anybody would dispute the fact we need to take some regular exercise, but only about 30% of people in the United States are currently getting the recommended level of thirty minutes exercise a day and it is frightening to discover that 25% of Americans today take very little or no exercise at all.

So what does this have to do with type 2 diabetes?

In recent years, in large part as a result of lower levels of activity, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of people who are overweight in the United States and indeed obesity in America has now reached epidemic proportions. One major side-effect of this is that, as weight rises, so does insulin resistance and the onset of type 2 diabetes.

If you are skeptical about the connection between weight and diabetes then you only need to look at the latest statistics from the US Department of Health and Human Services which show that a staggering 80% of people suffering from type 2 diabetes are also classed as being clinically overweight.

If we are to reverse the rising trend in the number of people being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes then we must attack one of its root causes which is increasing weight. In turn, this means looking carefully at our diet but, just as importantly, looking at the amount of exercise we take to burn off the calories we are eating.

Perhaps the biggest problem whenever anyone mentions exercise is that it conjures up a picture of having to put on a pair of sweat pants and a tee shirt and jog around the local park or join those fitness fanatics down at the local gym. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Of course you can go jogging if you want to, or join your local gym, but there are numerous other options open to you.

The secret is simply to add activity into your daily routine which stretches you physically. Not to the point at which you feel you are about to collapse, but simply to the point at which you are aware of making your body do a bit of extra work.

So what sort of things are we talking about?

Well, if you live in an apartment on the fifth floor, use the stairs instead of taking the lift. If you ride the bus to work, get off a couple of stops early and walk the last part of your journey. If your garden is in need of attention, get out once or twice a week and push the mower around, do some weeding or dig over the vegetable patch.

This list of exercise opportunities is virtually endless and it doesn't really matter how you get your exercise. What is important is that you look carefully at your lifestyle and, in particular, at your daily routine and try to work in at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Combine this with taking a close look at your eating habits and both your weight and the problems associated with type 2 diabetes will begin to fall.

It is of crucial importance for a diabetic to protect his feet from injury and infection. Loss of sensation, reduced circulation and delayed wound healing are potential complications that might result from diabetes. Investing in a sock specifically designed for a diabetic might be the first step for a diabetic towards protection from these complications. Such a sock has continuous direct contact with the skin of the foot throughout the day and thus, might help in preventing complications.

Initially, it was believed that the wearing of socks by a diabetes patient would help in avoiding potential harmful effects by protecting the foot. However, recent medical research has shown that if the sock is not properly designed, it could actually cause negative results for diabetic patients.

Elasticized form-fitted socks will not slide down the ankle or wrinkle inside the shoe. At the same time, a form-fitted sock with a mild amount of compression can promote circulation and reduce swelling. It is nearly unthinkable that a sock could restrict circulation in anyone's foot. However, this is possible if the sock is not properly designed and is too tight.

In order to ensure proper blood circulation in the foot, the sock should be tight fitting, but at the same time, it should not be excessively tight. Improperly designed socks that have an elasticized ridge at the top cause the “red line” commonly seen on the skin of the leg of a patient with edema. Properly made socks for a diabetic should have an upper with minimal elastic at the top to avoid such skin irritation.

The recommendation of cotton socks for diabetic patients is also mistaken. Compared to newer synthetic fibers such as Duraspun acrylic, cotton fibers lose shape and take a longer time to dry up inside the shoe. Cotton fiber socks are also rough and become abrasive with multiple wash-wear cycles.

Therefore, for a sock to be protective or therapeutic for the diabetic foot, it should:

1. Contain synthetic moisture-wicking fibers such as Duraspun acrylic or Coolmax polyester to remain soft and provide cushion. Pure cotton fiber socks should be avoided for patients with diabetes as far as possible.

2. Be form-fitted and snug (not tight), with sufficient elasticity to prevent the sock from slipping inside the shoe and stay up on the ankle.

3. Have no harmful dyes or additives, as they might cause skin irritation.

Wearing properly fitted shoes would go a long way in protecting a diabetic’s foot.

For a diabetic, keeping the feet in shape in the long term takes knowledge and vigilance. For those who fail to protect their feet, the price is severe. Each year, thousands of people with diabetes have amputations. However, most of those amputations are the result of minor injuries that were left untreated and allowed to develop into ulcers. This means that most of those amputations could have been prevented.