Eating for Healthier Feet

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March is National Nutrition Month.  At Goldsmith Podiatry, we’d like to take this opportunity to share some information with our Manhattan patients about how your eating habits impact your feet.

Being Overweight Leads to Foot Problems

It’s startling, but approximately 43% of Americans are obese, and another 30% are overweight. It can harm your feet in a few ways:

  • Excess pounds raise your risk for developing or exacerbating several foot disorders, such as flat feet, plantar fasciitis, and osteoarthritis. For every pound you gain, you add 3-5 pounds of pressure on knees, ankles, and feet.

  • Being overweight is associated with several systemic diseases whose complications can harm your feet. These include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and peripheral arterial disease.

  • The more you weigh, the harder it is to move around, and the less likely you are to be physically active. It creates a negative cycle—the less active you are, the harder it is to burn calories and lose weight.

Small Changes = Big Weight Loss

You can put yourself on the path to a slimmer, healthier you by making some easy changes in your eating habits. Some to try:

  • Downsize your plate—a smaller plate will naturally reduce portion sizes. (No going back for seconds!)

  • Add some color—eating a diverse range of colorful fruits and vegetables ensures you’ll get all the nutrients you need for a healthy body. Certain produce like berries, tomatoes, and leafy green vegetables can also reduce inflammation, a primary source of foot and ankle pain.

  • Get smart about snacking—try to make some swaps that will give you what you’re craving without all the fat and calories. For example, do you like something sweet in the evening? Instead of ice cream or pudding, try a salted caramel or banana crème yogurt. Don’t sit in front of the TV with a whole bag of chips or a sleeve of Oreos. Check the serving size on your snacks and put the correct portion in a bowl.

  • Cut your liquid calories—sodas, sports drinks, and undiluted fruit juices are all very high in sugars. It doesn’t take too many glasses to add several hundred calories to your day. Instead, try fruit-flavored seltzers or good old-fashioned water. If it’s too hard to go cold turkey, at least switch to diet sodas or cut your fruit juice with some water. Consider nutrient-dense vegetable juices and smoothies made with fruit and yogurt.

Let our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith and Dr. Rosanna Troia help you by evaluating your feet and ankles and taking care of any podiatric problems that may be impeding your ability to be active and exercise. Your foot doctor is your partner in good podiatric and overall health. To learn more, contact our Upper West Side office by calling (212) 877-1002.

National Nutrition Month, Foot Health, Diabetic Foot CareGoldsmith PodiatryNational Nutrition Month, plantar fasciitis, overweight, diabetes, podiatrist