From adding too much sugar to going overboard with the salt, nutrition choices impact your overall health, including your feet and ankles. March is National Nutrition Month, and Dr. Brett Stark of Auburn Foot Care Center encourages patients to fill their plates with a balanced meal. Reduce the sugar, limit the salt, and bring out the greens. The wrong meal choices can create foot health complications. Here are three ways patients with diabetes can make the best nutritional choices for their feet and ankles:
Avoid added sugars
Sugars are in most of our foods, and they can occur naturally or artificially. If you’re in the mood for dessert, go with a fruit smoothie instead. If you’re shopping, read the labels for notes about added sugars. Added sugars are in many of our foods, but they lack nutritional value. Instead, naturally occurring sugars in fruit, for example, are more impactful.
Don’t skip the greens
Now is the time to find your favorite vegetables — and stick with them. Veggies, including the green ones, are excellent for your health. They provide the vitamins and nutrients you need to power forward. Make sure your plate has the right portion size of vegetables. Don’t miss out on additional nutrition during your next meal.
Drink water and avoid sugary drinks
Water wins. Refuel your body with what it needs, and do this often. Dehydration is one of the conditions that you want to avoid. While playing sports, avoid the temptation to reach for a sugary sports drink. Instead, choose water. Sugars can become a problem in your drinks, too.
A healthier you means healthier feet. Start making changes to your plate today to reduce the risk of complications with diabetes. At Auburn Foot Care Center, Dr. Brett Stark, our board-certified podiatrist, treats a variety of conditions such as diabetic foot care, sports injuries, bunions, ingrown toenails, arthritis, and pediatric foot care. We provide quality service and advanced technology care for patients in Lee County. Contact our office at 334-466-1401. We are in Auburn, Alabama. Our address is 890 N. Dean Road, Ste. 400. We also offer telemedicine appointments.
