Your feet are not your parents’ feet or your sibling’s feet. They’re certainly not your neighbor’s feet. They’re specifically designed for YOU and your individual body. So if your body changes – like weight gain – your feet can suffer a number of problems.
If you’ve put on some extra pounds and you’re trying to get them off – good for you. Our podiatrists, Dr. Chanda L. Day-Houts and Dr. Heidi M. Christie of Montgomery Foot Care Specialists encourage our patients to maintain a healthy weight in order to avoid foot issues like plantar fasciitis, arch pain, and even stress fractures.
Losing weight doesn’t have to mean overhauling your diet all at once. Start by making small changes. For example, take the month of March – National Nutrition Month – to focus on adding nutrient-rich foods to your diet. The benefit is likely to be weight loss – or at least not foot-threatening weight gain.
5 ways to focus on good nutrition
- Add beans to your diet – they’re chock full of protein and fiber to help you feel full. Buy garbanzo, kidney, cannellini and black beans in bulk and soak them yourself. Or, for convenience, pick them up in cans. Toss any bean into fresh salads or combine them with brown rice for a huge nutritious boost.
- Munch on green leafy things. Many grocery stores carry a wide variety of cleaned lettuce, arugula, bok choy, kale, chard, and more. It’s pretty easy to tear open a bag of greens and eat some with a lean protein such as grilled chicken.
- Go for the grain – whole grain, that is. Brown rice, lentil pasta, and whole grain bread contain vitamins and minerals that pack a nutritious punch.
- Pick up fruits you love and eat a serving at every meal.
- Substitute water for sugary sodas.
We applaud our patients’ efforts to eat well and maintain a healthy weight. A nutritious diet helps prevent the onset of foot problems. But if the pain ever does strike your feet, don’t depend on good nutrition alone to fix it. Turn to our river-region podiatrists for expert, compassionate care. Call us in Montgomery, Alabama at (334) 396-3668 or make an appointment online.