Eat for Your Feet

Eat for Your Feet

When you think about keeping your feet healthy, your thoughts probably lean towards exercise and stretching. While both exercise and stretching are beneficial for the health of your feet, there are also other important things to do to help keep them healthy. One very important way to keep our feet healthy, that is often overlooked, is our daily nutrition. Eating the right foods can help prevent foot problems such as gout, imbalance, and vascular disorders. So next time you think about eating a piece of cake, remember that the food you put in your body can have drastic effects on the health of your feet.

Swelling can be a big problem when it comes to the feet. Refined sugars, trans fats, saturated fats, omega-6, and uric acids can all cause swelling. The foods that are high in these ingredients are baked goods, junk foods, and red meats.  Although eating them in moderation is okay, they can cause problems such as plantar fasciitis if not watched closely.

Try to counteract the swelling by eating more food high in omega-3’s. Fatty fish and fish oil supplements are high in omega-3’s and can help keep the swelling down.

Good nutrition can also help prevent diabetes. Diabetes can directly affect the feet and cause conditions such as peripheral neuropathy, ulcers, and wounds. Those with diabetes often have a harder time recovering from foot and ankle conditions due to their natural inability to heal as quickly because of their disease. People with diabetes should consider eating a diet low in sugars, carbohydrates, and fats. Instead, consider eating foods such as vegetables and lean meats that do not break down into sugars after consumption.

Unfortunately having a great diet isn’t enough to completely prevent foot and ankle problems. If you are prone to foot and ankle problems, it is important to consult with a podiatrist.  A podiatrist can regularly examine your feet. After an examination, they can create a plan that is custom to your needs that will allow you to live a healthier and wholesome lifestyle. Please give our office a call! We have highly trained and knowledgeable staff that is ready and willing to help. Call Dr. Alan J. Discont and Dr. Krahn of Family Foot & Ankle Care, PC located in Chandler, Arizona. Call 480-732-0033 or make an appointment online today. We care about the health of your feet, let us help.