|
|
|
|
||
|
||
|
|
||
| SEARCH | SUBSCRIBE | ||
|
What to Eat to Keep Your Bones Healthy November 9, 2010 World It’s
estimated that nearly two million Canadians live with osteoporosis, a
disease that causes bones to become weak and brittle, increasing the risk
of fracture. In fact, one in six women will suffer a hip fracture during
her lifetime – greater than her lifetime risk of developing breast
cancer (one in nine). But
it’s not only women who get osteoporosis – at least one in eight men
over 50 have the condition. It affects mainly older adults, but it can
strike at any age, even well before you hit your 50s. Because
you can’t feel the bone loss caused by osteoporosis, it’s hard to
imagine that what you are eating, or not, is hurting your bones. And
there’s more to the story than calcium. In addition to this bone
builder, there are a number of other foods and nutrients that defend
against osteoporosis. Risk
factors for osteoporosis include older age, suffering a bone fracture
after age 40, family history, low bone mass, cigarette smoking,
inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption and long-term use of
corticosteroid medications such as prednisone and cortisone. Whether
or not you’re at high risk for osteoporosis, it’s never too late to
make dietary changes that help keep bones healthy throughout life. Get
enough calcium Adults
aged 19 to 50 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day, and older adults
require 1,200 mg. Teenagers need 1,300 mg of the mineral daily and
children aged 4 to 8 should get 800 mg. One
cup of milk, 3/4 cup of plain yogurt and 1.5 ounces of cheese each contain
roughly 300 mg of easily absorbed calcium. Other sources include fortified
soy beverages (300 mg per 1 cup), sardines with bones (3 ounces has 325
mg), canned salmon with bones (3 ounces has 188 mg), cooked Swiss chard (1
cup has 102 mg), cooked broccoli (1 cup has 62 mg) and almonds (1/4 cup
has 92 mg). If
you can’t get enough calcium from food, take a supplement. Calcium
carbonate pills typically offer 500 mg of calcium and are best absorbed
when taken with or immediately after a meal. Calcium citrate supplements
provide 250 to 350 mg per tablet and are well absorbed at any time. Most
multivitamins do not contain enough calcium to suffice as a supplement. Take
vitamin D This
nutrient enhances calcium absorption from foods and is essential to
preventing osteoporosis. While exposure to sunlight provides vitamin D,
from October to April the sun isn’t strong enough to produce vitamin D
in the skin. Osteoporosis
Eat
leafy greens Spinach,
Swiss chard, beet greens, kale, rapini and arugula are rich in vitamin K,
a nutrient needed to build bone. Studies have linked higher vitamin K
intakes with a significantly lower risk of hip fracture. Scientists
speculate it takes a daily intake of 200 micrograms of vitamin K to
protect bones from thinning – an amount that can easily be obtained by
eating 1/2 a cup of cooked greens each day. Reduce
salt Excess
salt causes calcium to be excreted from the body. Keep your daily sodium
intake under 2,300 mg. Adults require no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per
day. Read
labels to choose packaged foods that are lower in sodium. Eat more meals
prepared at home rather than in restaurants. Curb
caffeine Caffeine,
too, can increase calcium excretion – especially if you’re not meeting
your daily requirement for the mineral. Limit
your caffeine intake to 450 mg per day (1 cup of coffee has 100 to 175 mg;
1 cup of black tea has 45 mg). If you have osteoporosis, aim for no more
than 200 mg. Avoid
soft drinks Many
soft drinks – diet and regular – contain phosphoric acid, a flavour
additive and preservative. Consuming too much may cause bones to lose
calcium, making them weaker. Limit
alcohol Consuming
more than two drinks per day can reduce bone formation and interfere with
calcium absorption. If you drink, limit your intake to seven drinks per
week (women) and nine per week (men). Lose
weight sensibly Crash
dieting for an extended period – consuming 1,000 calories or fewer per
day – can cause bone loss. Experts suggest a threshold of at least 1,200
calories per day is needed to maintain bones. Aim
to lose weight at a safe rate of one to two pounds per week while meeting
you daily calcium needs. Exercise
regularly Weight-bearing
exercises – walking, jogging, stair climbing, hiking – help maintain
bone density in your legs, hips and lower spine. Strength training helps
strengthen muscles and bone in your arms and upper spine. Exercise
can also improve posture and balance and, as a result, reduce the risk of
falling and breaking a bone. More Information on US Health Issues
|
