How Your Food Choices Affect Your Feet

March is National Nutrition Month. Did you know that what you eat affects your feet in many ways? Your food choices can play either a positive or a negative impact on your podiatric health, depending on what you eat.

At Westchester Podiatric Healing Medicine, P.C., in Yonkers, NY, our expert podiatrist Dr. John C. Marzano, highlights these three ways in which your selection of food affects your feet:

• The most obvious and notable impact of food is on your body weight. If you eat a healthy diet and follow a regular exercise routine, your weight will be at its ideal level, and your feet will be happy. If you are overweight, your knees, ankles, and feet suffer the most and painful conditions like plantar fasciitis can crop up. Did you know that one pound of weight adds three pounds of pressure on your lower extremities when you walk? Yes, it’s true!
• Unhealthy food choices attack your feet and heart first and foremost. The likelihood of diabetes and heart disease increase if you consume fatty and sugary foods. Such food products elevate your cholesterol and blood sugar levels, resulting in poor blood circulation, plaque buildup, arterial blockages, and nerve damage.
• Your choice of food causes most inflammatory conditions. Red meat, shellfish, beer, brandy, and red wine, all have inflammatory characteristics. Therefore, avoid consuming large amounts of these items and focus more on fruits and vegetables. Berries (cherries, strawberries, and blueberries) are extremely effective in countering inflammation, along with nuts, olive oil, and fish (also rich in omega 3).