If you’re able-bodied, then there’s a good chance you have taken your feet for granted at some point in your life. We run, dance, and play all without much thought for our feet. However, the reality is that our feet are a delicate network of bones, muscles, tendons, vessels, and nerve endings. Any damage to a part of that network can seriously undermine the ability of our feet to perform their function, which could harm your quality of life. Let’s look at the beset diet for foot bone health.
Best Diet for Foot Bone Health
As a result, it is imperative that you take proper care of your feet if you want them to take care of you well into old age. Wearing proper footwear, exercising regularly, and visiting your podiatrist when you require heel pain treatment are all great ways to protect your feet over the decades, but you should also consider your diet. Foods that take care of bone health are an absolute must for the tiny bones throughout your feet, so let’s have a look at the foods you should consider adding to your foot health menu.
Dairy
Dairy is an excellent source of calcium, which is essential to your bone health. Milk, cheese, and yogurt are all options that you can easily include in your daily diet. However, if you’re lactose intolerant or vegan, you may also consider fortified orange juice, tofu with calcium sulfate, or greens like kale and broccoli.
Fatty Fish
Our bodies can’t actually absorb calcium properly without the help of Vitamin D. Fortunately, there are several ways you can get more Vitamin D in your diet if you’re not spending enough time soaking in the sun’s rays. Fatty fish like salmon and tuna are both excellent sources of Vitamin D. Mackerel and sardines also fall into this category. Still, they are less common in the average American diet.
Fruit
Vitamin C is really important for our bone health. Fortunately, most Americans get a decent amount thanks to fortified foods, but it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on your general vitamin consumption. If your Vitamin C consumption is slipping, add some citrus like orange or pineapple into your snack rotation. You can also add bell peppers to your meals for an added boost.
Vegetables
Magnesium, Potassium, and Vitamin K are all important for maintaining healthy bone mass. Unfortunately, you probably aren’t absorbing enough of these necessary components if your diet is low in the vegetable department. You can address this issue relatively easily with just a few changes.
- For Magnesium you can introduce more spinach, collard greens, and sweet potatoes into your weekly meals. Spinach works really well in pasta. Collard greens are a great addition to stir fry, and sweet potatoes can be made into truly delectable french fries.
- For Potassium all you need is a few tomato products. As an added plus, sweet potatoes are also a good source of potassium, as are oranges and bananas. A quality orange juice can be used to provide both your calcium and potassium needs if you’re warier of vegetables.
- For Vitamin K you’re going to have to hunker down and eat your greens. Kale, collard greens, spinach, and brussel sprouts are great sources. However, if you’re ready to take on some new recipes just to get away from the greens, there are some sources of Vitamin K you may not have considered, including miso and sauerkraut.
Beans
Legumes like beans are a good source of calcium, magnesium, and fiber which are all beneficial to your health. Unfortunately, beans, like many other legumes and grains, are high in phytates which can block mineral absorption. To overcome this roadblock, you should soak beans for several hours before cooking. As an alternative, you could also use buckwheat which contains much less phytic acid.
These dietary changes may only be part of the puzzle, but they’re one conscious step you can take towards protecting your foot health. Of course, if you do ever experience pain or discomfort, you should always seek professional, medical attention. At the Heel Pain Institute of California Dr. Langroudi offers superior care, making their office the top stop for LA minimally invasive heel spur surgery.