Osteoporosis means “porous bone.” This is because the bones lose density or mass, leading to
an abnormal bone tissue structure. Less dense bones means they are also weaker and more prone to break.
So, what are the steps to follow in order to protect your bones?
1- Calcium (Women aged 51 & older 1,200 mg* daily). Food is the best source of calcium, mainly, dairy products, such as low-fat and non-fat milk, yogurt and cheese. A few green vegetables contain calcium in smaller amounts. Some juices, breakfast foods, soymilk, cereals, snacks, breads and bottled water have calcium that has been added.
Sunlight
Your skin makes vitamin D from the ultra-violet light (UVB rays) in sunlight. Your body is able to store the vitamin and use it later. The amount of vitamin D your skin makes depends on time of day, season, latitude, skin pigmentation and other factors. People are always afraid of skin cancer, so they tend to stay out of the sun, cover up with clothing and use either sunscreen or sunblock. The use of sunscreen or sunblock is probably the most important factor that limits the ability of the skin to make vitamin D. Even an SPF (sun protection factor) of 8 reduces the production of vitamin D by 95%. This is why it is wiser to resort to get vitamin D from other sources, including eating foods rich in vitamin D and taking vitamin D supplements.
Food
Vitamin D is naturally available in only a few foods, including fatty fish like salmon and tuna. Vitamin D is also added to milk and to some brands of other dairy products, orange juice, soymilk and cereals.
Supplements
If you do not or cannot get enough vitamin D from sunlight and food, taking a supplement becomes necessary, especially in our part of the world, where the majority of the Lebanese population suffer from Vitamin D deficiency.
Certain people are at higher risk for vitamin D deficiency, including:
People who spend little time in the sun or those who regularly cover up when outdoors;
People living in nursing homes or other institutions or who are homebound;
People with certain medical conditions such as Celiac disease and inflammatory bowel
disease;
People taking medications that affect vitamin D levels;
People with very dark skin;
Obese or very overweight people; and
Older adults with certain risk factors
3- Eat a well-balanced diet (for more details, please follow this link: ttp://nof.org/foods">http://nof.org/foods</a>)
4- Exercise regularly (visit this link for more information on what kinds of exercise to do http://nof.org/exercise">http://nof.org/exercise</a>)
5- Avoid smoking and limit alcohol to 2-3 drinks per day.
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