-By Nutritionist Prerna Lade (Nutrizest Wellness)
Few days ago while I was scrolling down to my Instagram I saw many post ang videos related bone health! So I thought why not I should come up with a blog that is about bones and its nutrition. As the time has passed through years we have witnessed that over 200 million people suffer from osteoporosis worldwide.
According to the studies conducted among women in India across the country, it is estimated that among the 230 million Indians expected to be over the age of 50 years, 46 million are women with osteoporosis. It is seen that it affects women more than men. So now here the questions pops up in everyone’s head that “What Osteoporosis Is?”; “What Causes Osteoporosis?”; “How Does It Affect Women More Than Men?” & “What Are The Treatment?” So take a deep breathe and now let’s see all the answer for your questions!
WHAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS?
Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle – so brittle that a fall or even a mild stresses such as bending over, coughing can cause a fracture. Osteoporosis related fractures most commonly occur in the hip, wrist or spine. Our bone is an a living tissue that is constantly being broken down and replaced. Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone doesn’t keep up with the loss of old bone.
WHAT CAUSES OSTEOPOROSIS?
Your bones are in a constant state of renewal! New bone is made and old bone is broken down. When you're young, your body makes new bone faster than it breaks down old bone and your bone mass increases. After the early 20s this process slows, and most people reach their peak bone mass by age 30. As people age, bone mass is lost faster than it's created.
How likely you are to develop osteoporosis depends partly on how much bone mass you attained in your youth. Peak bone mass is somewhat inherited and varies also by ethnic group. The higher your peak bone mass, the more bone you have "in the bank" and the less likely you are to develop osteoporosis as you age.
HOW OSTEOPOROSIS AFFECT WOMEN MORE THAN MEN?
Women tends to have smaller, thinner bones than men. Estrogen, a hormone in women that protects bones, decreases sharply when women reach menopause which can cause bone loss. This is why the chance of developing osteoporosis increases as women reach menopause. Indian women tend to go menopause little earlier than other Caucasian (white)woman. Whereas in men’s as men age there is an increase in bone loss, combined with the low peak bone mass due to the malnutrition and other factors osteoporosis develops. Some of the conditions that may increase men's susceptibility to developing the condition include hyper/hypothyroidism, disorders of adrenal glands, and disorders of the pituitary gland. Some of the other factors responsible for the onset of osteoporosis include
genetic predisposition, low body mass Index, heavy smoking and drinking, prolonged corticosteroid treatment etc.
DIETARY GUIDELINES
This article will explore the crucial role that nu nutrition plays in keeping our bones healthy.
PROTEIN: Protein is one of the building blocks of bone. However, there's conflicting evidence about the impact of protein intake on bone density.
SOURCES: Meat, Poultry, Soya Chunks, Paneer & Eggs.
CALCIUM: Men and women between the ages of 18 and 50 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day. This daily amount increases to 1,200 milligrams when women turn 50 and men turn 70.
SOURCES: Milk, Almonds, Figs, Soy Milk, Green Leafy Vegetables & Cheese.
VITAMIN D: This is an important vitamin for bone health as vitamin D is need for the absorption of calcium. 70to 90% Indians are Vitamin D deficient which can lead to osteoporosis.
SOURCES: Mushroom, Egg Yolk, Oatmeal, Cow Milk, Yogurt, Orange Juice & Dark Green Leafy Vegetables.
MAGNESIUM: Magnesium is another important mineral which is involved in bone formation. It is also needed by the body in order to absorb and process vitamin D properly, which has knock on impact on calcium levels.
SOURCES: Pumpkin Seeds, Soya Beans, Black Beans, Almonds & Cashew Nuts.
VITAMIN K: This vitamin helps to increase the rate that calcium builds up in the bones.
SOURCES: Broccoli, Spinach, Meat and Chicken, Dairy, Methi, Brussels Sprouts & Cabbage.
PHOSPHORUS: Phosphorus works in combination with calcium to form bone tissue.
SOURCES: Dairy, Eggs, Meat and Poultry, Potato, Matki (Moth Beans), Walnuts, Kidney Beans, Urad Dal, Bajra & Jowar
EXERCISES
Exercise can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss. Exercise will benefit your bones no matter when you start, but you'll gain the most benefits if you start exercising regularly when you're young and continue to exercise throughout your life.
Combine strength training exercises with weight-bearing and balance exercises. Strength training helps strengthen muscles and bones in your arms and upper spine. Weight bearing exercises — such as walking, jogging, running, stair climbing, skipping rope, skiing and impact-producing sports — affect mainly the bones in your legs, hips and lower spine.
Balance exercises such as tai chi can reduce your risk of falling especially as you get older.
Swimming, cycling and exercising on machines such as elliptical trainers can provide a good cardiovascular workout, but they don't improve bone health.
To optimise bone health, it is important to consume the right food intake and the physical activity is must!
-By Nutritionist Prerna Lade (Nutrizest Wellness)
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