3 Common New Years Resolutions that will Benefit Your Feet

It's about that time of year again when people start making New Year's resolutions to help bring about positive changes in their lives. Although people may have a wide variety of New Year's resolutions, the majority of people focus their resolutions around weight loss, health, and personal care. Some of the most popular New Year's resolutions made every year actually also can help to keep your feet healthy and happy throughout the New Year. The following are three New Year's resolutions that will help your general health as well as your feet. 

1) Weight Loss - This by far must be the most common New Years resolution. With obesity at an all time high more people then ever are trying to drop some weight in 2010. What you may not realize is that if you are currently overweight or even obese all of this extra weight is being placed on your feet. The extra weight on feet that are built for a body that should be 25, 50 or more pounds less then what you currently weight will cause your arches to depress and ligaments to become more stretched out, ultimately leading to major foot pain. Don't be surprised when you drop some pounds this New Year if your feet stop hurting as much!

2) Smoking - Another very popular New Years resolution is to quit smoking. If a person successfully quits smoking they will help to decrease their risk of lung cancer, emphysema, yellowing teeth as well as many other factors, but one of the most important to podiatrists is they will stop harming their arteries. When you smoke you are increasing the rate of artery clogging. When you clog your arteries you first begin to see the effects in the smallest arteries like the ones that supply your toes. Smokers commonly have poor circulation in their feet and can even lose hair on their digits due to the lack of blood flow. By quitting smoking for the New Year you will help to restore blood flow to your toes.

3) Stop drinking - Besides smoking, alcohol is one of the most abused drugs in the United States. Many people know they have an alcohol problem and set dates for them to cut back or quit cold turkey starting in the New Year. Cutting out the booze will help prevent you from developing peripheral neuropathy of your toes and also decrease your chances of developing clots in your legs.

Whatever your New Year's resolution is this year just remember to be realistic about your expectations. Small steps to improve your health really can go a long way to improve your quality and longevity of life.