When considering our diets and what we eat, we often think about how it impacts our weight or heart, digestive system, and gut health, but what about our feet? Our feet are one of the hardest working parts of our body yet remain the most overlooked and neglected. People don’t seek treatment until they start experiencing foot issues, which in some cases is a symptom of an undiagnosed condition that has progressed.
Understanding the Foot and Body Connection
Our feet are the foundation of our body, yet we don’t always take care of them like we would other important limbs or organs. Peripheral neuropathy is a great example of how an untreated foot condition can cause serious problems for the rest of the body. Peripheral neuropathy often starts in the feet, where nerve signals that travel to your brain are disrupted. Numbness, tingling, and pain are common symptoms in the beginning, but as the condition progresses it can cause muscle weakness and atrophy, balance problems, and damage the nerve system that controls involuntary bodily functions like heart rate, digestion, and bladder control.
Eat for Your Feet
We all know an unhealthy diet leads to weight gain, which puts a lot of pressure on your joints and feet. Weight gain also increases the risk of developing diabetes, which affects the feet by causing poor circulation, nerve damage, ulcers, infections, and may require amputation.
Sugar, saturated fats, and other refined foods also cause inflammation, which often leads to swelling of the feet and conditions like plantar fasciitis. If you suffer from an inflammatory arthritic condition called gout, consuming red meat and red wine can increase production of uric acid that causes painful flare ups.
Eating for better health is eating for better foot health. Choose a diet that prioritizes lean proteins, omega-3 rich fish, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, and healthy fats. If you already suffer from a foot condition, foods rich in vitamin C can help lower inflammation and food that is high in vitamin B can improve neuropathy symptoms.
Treat Your Feet to the Custom Care They Need
At Trinity Medical Podiatry, our passion is to keep you moving. Our team takes a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, meaning our patients have access to orthopaedic, vascular, wound care, and other medical specialists when necessary.
Many foot pain conditions can worsen without treatment from a podiatrist and become serious health problems. Our comprehensively trained podiatrists are dedicated to providing you with the finest medical care possible. If you are experiencing foot pain or discomfort, find relief by scheduling an appointment with us today!
