Diet and Osteoporosis

You would be surprised to know the high rate of osteoporosis in Uk. It affects one in five men and one in two women in the UK. It is certainly painful and can lead to severe disability.

Thin and brittle bones occur due to the loss of bone mineral, which maintains the strength of our bones.
This loss occurs over many years. The risk of osteoporosis depends on the amount of calcium stored in the bones and the rate of loss.

There are a number of ways to help our bodies build strong and healthy bones, especially during childhood and adolescence.

A diet rich in calcium and an active lifestyle are certainly good and needed. In the middle and older age it is difficult to increase bone mass, however regular weight-bearing exercise can help to maintain your bone strength and reduce the rate of loss of bone mineral.

Following are some of the methods once can choose to ensure healthy bone growth:

Include at least 800mg of calcium in your diet each day. This is roughly equivalent to a pint of milk, 100g almonds, 50g of steamed tofu.

Add green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale or spring greens, which are also rich in calcium, to your meals.

Take regular exercise such as walking or Yoga. The elderly might consider having sun light expose for vitamin D.

One should certainly avoid excessive intakes of alcohol and caffeine as they speed up the loss of bone mineral density.