5 Strategies for Healthy Eating

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We’ve got healthy eating on our minds here at Affiliated Foot & Ankle Center. Who could blame us?

Our calendar reminds us that we’re a good eight weeks into the New Year, so some of our patients may be fighting to maintain their New Year’s weight loss resolutions. Not only that, but February 26 to March 4 is designated National Eating Disorders Awareness Week and March is National Nutrition Month. So many opportunities to reflect on how and what we eat!

Healthy eating benefits your feet

Learning to eat healthily doesn’t have to take a lot of time or energy. Here’s the essential message our expert podiatrists Dr. Samantha Boyd, Dr. Hal Ornstein, and Dr. Joseph Saka want to convey: good nutrition for your body is good nutrition for your feet.

Another reason why we think healthy eating is so important is that it helps keep off the extra pounds that we know cause so many foot problems like flat feet and heel pain.

So what IS healthy eating?

Even though we hear about “eating healthier” everywhere we go (check out the headlines of almost every magazine cover at the supermarket checkout), the question remains: what exactly does it mean to “eat healthier?” We’ve narrowed it down to 5 small changes you can make in your daily habits:

1.       Portion your plate. Focus on eating the right amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables by correctly arranging your plate. Learn more at https://www.choosemyplate.gov/.

2.       Eat the rainbow. Fill your plate with foods of many colors to ensure you’re getting a balanced diet.

3.       Choose whole foods. A whole apple, not an apple turnover. A handful of pecans, not a pecan pie. You get the idea.

4.       Be prepared. When you’re really hungry, you’re going to grab what’s most convenient. When you’re out and about, be prepared with healthy snack foods in your bag such as energy bars, nuts, and seeds. At home, keep the kitchen stocked with fresh fruits and veggies and lean protein.

5.       Drink water. It helps with digestion and with transporting nutrients where they need to go. It also helps keep up your supply of energy throughout the day.

Of course, your feet can become painful even with the best of diets. We offer individualized treatment for every patient at our state-of-the-art podiatry offices in Howell and Jackson (Monmouth County, New Jersey). For more information or to make an appointment, call us at (732) 905-1110 or contact us online.