Best Dietary Choices for Optimal Foot Health

What you eat affects your health. This is a no-brainer, of course—people have always known that. Your body needs food for energy to function, much less repair itself from injuries and fight off diseases. When you put unhealthy things into your body, it cannot function as well as when you eat right. Even so, many people are surprised that the food you eat can affect your foot health.

Just like the rest of your body, your feet need healthy nutrition to grow healthy and strong. This is particularly crucial for your bones and muscles, since they are what hold you upright and allow you to walk. However, what you eat can also contribute to inflammation issues in your lower limbs or make certain diseases that impact your feet even worse.

So if you want to eat right for foot health, here are things you need to include in your diet:

• Vitamin D and Calcium – Vitamin D and calcium are absolutely crucial for building dense and strong bone tissue. Getting plenty in your diet can help fight conditions like osteoporosis and fractures in your lower limbs.
• Protein – Your muscles need protein to grow, in addition to exercise. Choose lean meats and other alternative protein sources to help grow strong feet.
• Omega-3 Fats – Omega-3s in fish help reduce body inflammation.
• Whole Grains – These provide good carbs for energy for your body, but are healthier than their refined alternatives.
• Fruits and Veggies – Tons of vitamins and nutrients your feet need are found in fruits and vegetables.

Be careful about eating lots of refined sugars, saturated fats, high sodium, and other unhealthy options. That is just as detrimental for your feet as it is for the rest of your body. If you have conditions like diabetes or gout, your diets will, of course, be more specialized to accommodate them. In general, however, eating well overall is the way to eat right for your foot health.

Eating right for your feet is not only possible, it’s a good and valuable thing. Don’t take your feet for granted. Instead, let Family Foot & Ankle Care of Jasper help you take better care of your lower limbs so they stay strong and healthy for life. Contact our Jasper, IN, office for more information today. Just use the online forms or call (812) 481-7200 to reach us.