The foods you eat affect your feet

Mon, May 5th 2014, 10:57 PM

When most people think about nutrition and their health, they have no trouble associating the foods they eat with weight loss or heart health, says Dr. Sherri Greene, a podiatrist who practices holistic foot care in New York. However, your diet affects many other parts of your body, including your feet. People are usually shocked when reminded that their feet are connected to the rest of their body and whatever is eaten affects their whole body, including their feet, especially if they have changed their diet and felt better afterwards.
Typically when discussing the benefits of proper nutrition, most people highlight improvements to heart health or a shrinking waistline but thinking of the feet is a stretch. However, proper nutrition can improve the health of your feet while poor nutritional choices can harm them.
Effects of nutrition on feet
There are several medical conditions that affect foot health, many of which are affected by nutrition. Some of these conditions include diabetes, inflammation, osteoporosis and poor circulation.
Diabetes: Can affect the circulation in your feet, cause a loss of feeling and trigger diabetic neuropathy. Diabetes and peripheral artery disease (PAD) can harm your feet by damaging arteries that bring blood to your lower extremities.
Inflammation: Some types of food (including foods with refined sugar and trans fats) can increase inflammation in your feet and even cause plantar fasciitis.
Obesity: The more you weigh, the more force your feet have to bear. Obesity can lead to plantar fasciitis and heel pain. It can also worsen bunions and hammertoes and cause general foot pain.
Osteoporosis (weakened bones): Bones weakened by osteoporosis are weaker and more susceptible to stress fractures and more easily broken by minor trauma.This type of bone also takes a longer time to heal.
Poor circulation: Circulatory problems caused by PAD, smoking, diabetes and other conditions can create many problems with the feet and legs including poor wound healing leading to ulcers that don't heal and even amputations.
The fight against inflammation
Another condition linked to nutrition that can affect your feet is inflammation. Certain foods you eat can increase chemicals in your body that actually cause inflammation. This inflammation could appear in your foot as plantar fasciitis, which causes pain in the thick band on the bottom of the foot and heel pain. It can make arthritis worse and cause swelling in the tissues elsewhere in your foot or body.
Many common foods in the typical western diet encourage inflammation, such as the refined grains bread, pasta, sugar and trans fats in many baked goods and junk foods; the saturated fat in red meat; and the Omega-6 fats found in many commonly used vegetable oils, such as corn, soybean, and sunflower oils.
Some people may also have increased levels of inflammation in their bodies due to chronic allergies to common foods such as wheat. Another factor that can contribute to inflammation is eating too many foods that cause a quick rise in blood sugar such as sweets, white flour and pasta.
Nutrition and healthy feet
Good nutrition can also help protect your feet from these conditions. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a diet low in saturated fat, trans fats and sodium and rich in fruits and vegetables can help reduce your risk of PAD. A 2008 study in the Journal of Vascular Surgery specifically found that omega-3s were associated with a lower risk of PAD.
Omega-3s help reduce inflammation and nutrition studies suggest they should be properly balanced in the diet with Omega-6s. Fatty fish, such as salmon, and fish oil supplements are good sources of Omega-3s according to Dr. Greene. Most of our diets today provide far more Omega-6s than Omega-3s and a fish-rich diet can fix this imbalance.
If you have diabetes, a healthy diet can help protect your feet from complications of that condition, too. In general, the NIH recommends a diet rich in whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits, lean meats and a limited amount of fats and sweets for people with diabetes.
Nutrition alone may not prevent the medical conditions above. It can be a vital part of achieving better health, including improved foot health. Following an overall healthier diet can provide anti-inflammatory benefits to your feet and your health. Some other tips to improve your overall foot health include controlling blood sugar levels, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and increasing your intake of calcium and Vitamin D.
Control blood sugar levels: If you suffer from diabetes, it is important to monitor and control your blood glucose levels. By keeping your diabetes in check, you can prevent complications and keep existing conditions from worsening.
Eat a healthy diet: By eating a healthy diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and sugar, cutting out refined grain foods and eating more fruits and vegetables and beans, you can decrease the risk of PAD, reduce inflammation and lose weight.
Exercise regularly: Although exercise is not a form of nutrition in the traditional sense, regular exercise is vital to good health and can strengthen your bones and minimize bone loss. Walking is an excellent exercise most people can engage in, but always speak with your doctor to find an exercise program that is best for you.
Increase intake of calcium and Vitamin D: By building stronger bones with daily vitamins and minerals, you can combat the onset of osteoporosis.
Whether you eat more healthfully to counteract a medical condition or to avoid one, following the NIH's recommendations will help ensure that your feet, along with the rest of your body, continue to stay healthy and serve you well. In addition, to the tips above you should monitor your foot health and visit your podiatrist if you notice any weakness, pain, numbness or any other abnormal sensation in your feet. Catching foot problems in their early stages can help reduce the likelihood of long-term adverse effects

o For more information, email me at foothealth242@gmail.com or visit www.everydayhealth.org or www.napapodiatry.com. To see a podiatrist visit Bahamas Foot Centre on Rosetta Street, telephone 325-2996 or visit Bahamas Surgical Associates Center on Albury Lane, telephone 394-5820.

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