Did you know that August is National Peach month? But this is a food that, as your podiatrist in Houston, TX, I want you to enjoy all year long? It’s true: move over beans, peaches are the magical fruit. Here’s the story. Aside from being one of the summer’s juiciest treats, peaches can actually do a lot of great things for your overall foot health. Peaches: Good and good for your feet! So read on for the top 4 reasons to bite into that juicy peach!

4 Ways Peaches Boost Foot Health

Curious how one little fruit can make such a big health impact? Check out these benefits: 


1.    Help prevent diabetes.
 

It’s no secret that diabetes can take a toll on your foot health. That’s why, after a diagnosis, you need to perform daily foot checks and maintain quarterly visits in our podiatry office. From neuropathy to ulcers and drop foot, this disease can cause so much harm to your feet. Thankfully, peaches contain phenols that act as antioxidants. And these can help fight against obesity-related Type 2 Diabetes.

2.    Keep you in a healthy weight zone.

On that note, peaches can also help with weight loss, since they make you feel full and only cost you about 50 calories. Weight loss can help maintain blood sugar levels, preventing diabetic complications like peripheral neuropathy. Plus, reaching and maintaining a healthy weight takes lots of pressure off your feet—losing five pounds takes almost 30 pounds of pressure off your feet and ankles. In this way, eating peaches could be your key to preventing weight-related foot pain

3.    Give you a vitamin boost.

The vitamin A and C in peaches can help promote healthy skin growth, speeding up the time it takes for foot wounds to heal and staving off the development of ulcers. Plus, vitamin C helps fight inflammation. This could help prevent ulcers from forming, and could also help reduce the heel and arch pain of plantar fasciitis. 

4.    Help with the go.

Peaches have a light diuretic and laxative effect on the body, which can help you flush out toxins. So long as you drink enough water and remain hydrated, this could help prevent a gout flare or alleviate the pain of an existing gout attack.

Of course, peaches have plenty of other non-foot-related health benefits but as a Houston podiatrist, I’ve selfishly chosen to only relay the health boosts directly associated with my field. And now I’m going to help you work peaches into your daily diet.  All in a way that should make your hectic mornings a bit more manageable! 

Easy Peach Smoothie Recipe for Better Foot Health peach smoothie on red background


I know that all of you are familiar with the ‘morning rush’: trying to get everyone in the house dressed, fed and out the door before school/camp/work begins. My kids are older now, but the start of the day hasn’t gotten much easier—you try getting two teenagers out of bed in time for school, and see how great your day starts out! 

Basically, the first few hours of the day are going to be hectic for many more years in my house—and in yours, too I’d imagine. So breakfast (especially a healthy one!) tends to fall by the way side. I’m often guilty of grabbing something packaged and full of bad-for-you ingredients or skipping the meal altogether. Every once in a while, we can all get away with these morning cheats. But, over time, it will wreak havoc on our blood sugar levels—and waistlines. But that’s where peaches can make their mark!


A Better Breakfast Option


No one should ignore breakfast, but it’s particularly important for diabetics to start their daily meal plans on a healthy note. With that goal in mind, I wanted to share an easy smoothie recipe that I found in The Australian Women’s Weekly Diabetic Cookbook. If you’re pressed for time in the morning, you can prepare all the fresh ingredients the night before. In the morning, pour them into your blender, mix and enjoy! That’s what we call a morning win in my house (while the teens roll their eyes in my direction.) 

Inflammation-Fighting Peach Smoothie Packed with Vitamin A and C 


Ready to get blending? Here’s what you need to keep on hand. 


Ingredients

  • 2 cups soymilk (no-fat 500ml) or dairy-milk
  • 2 medium bananas (400g, chopped coarsely)
  • 4 medium peaches (600g, chopped coarsely)
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Blend or process ingredients, in batches, until smooth.

2. Pour into cups to enjoy. Makes 4 servings


Remember to watch that serving size, since peaches are great for you, but a fruit-heavy smoothie is high on sugar and carbohydrates. And those are things you must account for in your diabetic food diaries or in your daily calorie intake. 

And also remember. Following a healthy diet is just one step in a proper diabetic health plan: it is also crucial to maintain regular visits with your Houston podiatrist for comprehensive foot examinations. But diabetics aren’t the only people who need to stay on top of their foot health. Because this is something that matters for everyone! 

You see, in my Tanglewood Foot Specialists practice, I encourage all patients to take proactive measures to prevent foot pain. And I also ask you to stay smart. If pain and discomfort are keeping you from staying active and enjoying life, don’t pick up a peach and hope for the best. Instead, schedule an appointment with Dr. Andrew Schneider for medically-proven pain relief options. We’ve added so many non-invasive, regenerative medicine treatment options to the practice, we can restore your comfort in ways that are almost as natural as eating fresh fruit! 
 

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