Osteoporosis, or thinning of the bones with aging, results in hunched backs and brittle bones that break easily. Osteoporosis is a serious health concern, particularly among postmenopausal women. In a study that surveyed women 50 years or older, 40 percent had osteopenia (the early stage of osteoporosis) and 7 percent had osteoporosis and didn't even know it. If diagnosed with this condition, you are four times more likely to fracture a bone within the next 12 months; those with osteopenia were almost two times more likely. Osteoporosis is also a concern for men over the age of 70. Now that we know this information, it's vital that we continue to educate our youth that they need to start caring about their health at a very early age if they plan on living a long and healthy life.
The best news of all is that these two conditions are preventable. They are not an inevitable result of the aging process. You can greatly reduce the risk of developing osteopenia and osteoporosis with good-health and nutritional habits:
1- Calcium rich diet: If your diet is calcium rich from puberty to the age of about 30 your bones will grow strong, helping reduce the rate of loss later in life. Calcium also reduces the risk of colon cancer and helps blood pressure.
2- Regular Exercise: Weight-bearing aerobic and muscle building exercises will help strengthen and maintain bone mass as we age.
3- sodium intake: Too much salt interferes with the retention of calcium. Your best bet is to moderate your salt intake.
4- Eat more: Calcium-rich low-fat milk and yogurt. This will help boost Protein intake. Eat more good calories from vegetables, dairy, lean proteins, and whole grain carbohydrates for a well balanced meal plan.
For more information on Osteoporosis, see the national Osteoporosis Foundation Web site,www.nof.org.
Information taken from: Sports Nutrition Guidebook (3rd. edition) Nancy Clark,MS,RD
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