Watch Your Plate This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday of family, football, and, let’s be honest, an unbelievable amount of delicious, rich food. But if you’re already dealing with foot problems like arthritis or diabetes, a traditional feast can accidentally become a recipe for pain. We at Goldsmith Podiatry have seen diet play a huge role in inflammation, so knowing what dishes can trigger a flare-up is the key to enjoying the holiday comfortably. Here are some foods to look out for.

Purines and Rich Dishes

If you are prone to gout, the Thanksgiving table is a minefield. Gout attacks happen when your body produces too much uric acid from breaking down substances called purines. The worst culprits here are gravy (especially if made with meat drippings), turkey skin, organ meats sometimes found in stuffing, and beer.

Consuming large amounts of these rich foods in one sitting can cause a rapid spike in uric acid. That’s big toe pain all the way to the plane ride back.

Fats and Sugar

Even if gout isn't your worry, other dishes fuel overall systemic inflammation, which makes pre-existing aches worse. Items high in refined sugars (pies, sugary cocktails, candied yams with marshmallows) and unhealthy fats (heavy butter, cream sauces, processed snacks) push your inflammation levels up. This can turn a manageable ache from arthritis or plantar fasciitis into a throbbing, severe flare-up.

Salt and Starch

Sitting and standing a lot during the holiday already makes your feet and ankles prone to swelling. Adding high-sodium foods to the mix makes the problem much worse.

Canned soups, packaged stuffing mixes, and excessive salt in ham or gravy all encourage your body to hold onto water. This leads to uncomfortable, tight, and puffy feet and ankles, which will compound any existing foot fatigue you may have.

Cured and Aged Meats

Here’s a lesser-known trigger for our Italian families: cured and aged meats, which often appear on appetizer platters (think salami or deli meats). These foods are high in compounds like nitrates and histamines.

For certain sensitive folks, histamines can cause blood vessels to widen, which can lead to increased fluid shifts and swelling.

This can significantly exacerbate general joint pain and foot swelling beyond what simple salt intake causes. It’s also not the best recipe for those with peripheral artery disease or pre-existing circulation issues.

A Smart Strategy for Healthy Feet

But you don’t have to skip the feast entirely. You can protect your feet by making smart substitutions: stay well-hydrated with water (it helps flush out uric acid and reduces swelling), load up on plain vegetable sides (like green beans or roasted carrots), and be mindful of portion control with high-purine meats and sugary desserts.

Being aware of the nutritional impact of your plate is a powerful way to ensure your holiday is pain-free from start to finish.

If you’re looking for more foot care tips, give us a call at (212) 877 1002 so Dr. Howard Goldsmith, Dr. Rosanna Troia, and Dr. Kristina T. Ruff at Goldsmith Podiatry can help guide you in the right direction.