Fact: What You Eat and Drink Affects Your Foot Health!

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Since March is National Nutrition Month, we thought we would discuss how your diet affects your feet.

Yes you read this right! What you eat affects your overall health, but your food and drink choices affect your foot health too.

Eating healthily – stay tuned, we’ll cover the basics in a minute – can lower your risk of certain diseases like heart disease and stroke, cancer and diabetes. But when you eat a poor diet, you risk inflammation. Inflammation is a sneaky culprit in many diseases. When your body receives a signal warning of inflammation, it will cope by launching an internal injury threat. This process can lead to chronic inflammation such as autoimmune diseases and osteoarthritis.

Inflammation and Foot Pain

Inflammation can cause foot pain. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. When certain foods are consumed in excess, heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis can get worse; these include:

  • Red meat and other animal protein sources that have too much saturated fat

  • White flour that is found in desserts, pasta and snacks

  • Corn, soybean and sunflower oils that have a lot of omega-6 fats

  • Prepared foods with sugar, refined grains and trans-fats

Eating these foods can worsen other inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, painful arches and heel spurs.

A Balanced Diet Is Best for Foot Health

A balanced, healthy eating plan includes lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. These foods can reduce chronic inflammation, especially when you add more healthy foods like:

  • Beans and legumes and other healthy sources of protein

  • Whole Grains

  • Lean meats

  • Omega-3-rich fish like salmon and tuna

  • Nuts and seeds

Indulge your whole body with this healthful diet and your feet will thank you!

You can learn more about healthy eating from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Visit ChooseMyPlate.gov for healthy eating pointers for everyone from children to teens, college students and adults.

We Can Help Resolve Your Foot Pain

The foot specialists at PodiatryCare, PC and the Heel Pain Center have extensive experience in treating all aspects of foot problems. Our team of doctors which consists of Dr. Robert Marra, Dr. Thomas Johnson, Dr. Kristen Winters, Dr. Laura Vander Poel, and Dr. Ryan Donegan is dedicated to serving you with all of the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies. Many treatments and surgeries can be handled right in our offices. Please call us at (860) 741-3041 to make an appointment in one of our offices in Hartford County, conveniently located in Enfield, Windsor and South Windsor, CT.

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