Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis.  This word has become pretty common in our lives these days, especially as we get older.  We hear about osteoporosis in the news, from friends and family, and from our health care providers.  We know it affects millions of people in the United States, especially the elderly population, and can eventually lead to easily broken bones.  All of these points are true, which makes osteoporosis an even scarier possibility to a lot of us.  Instead of scare us, this information should cause us to want to learn more about osteoporosis and how to fight to prevent it from slowing us down as we age.

 

Osteoporosis is the state in which the bones in the body lose a lot of their density and can become fragile, brittle, and more likely to break under strain.  Humans reach skeletal maturity around the age of 25.  At that point our bones are as strong and dense as they will ever be.  From the age of 25 on, it is our job to make sure that we do everything we can to keep that density and strength for the long term.  The following list contains the top things we can do to prevent bone density loss and the onset of osteoporosis: 

1. Maintain adequate amounts of Calcium
2. Maintain adequate amounts of Vitamin D
3. Maintain adequate amounts of Magnesium
4. Perform regular weight bearing exercise

Calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D are all directly connected.  Calcium is what is required to strengthen bones throughout the body, but it cannot be absorbed without magnesium and vitamin D.  In other words, it is magnesium and vitamin D that help to get all the calcium into our system and prevent it from ending up in the toilet.  A diet rich in calcium means nothing if magnesium and vitamin D are not there to help move it out of the digestive system and into the blood.  Some good natural sources of calcium are yogurt and dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale and turnips.  There are also a number of common calcium "fortified" foods out there such as cereal and orange juice.  These products have had calcium added to them to increase their nutritional value.  The recommended daily intake for calcium should be around 1000 milligrams.  Here are a few good sources of calcium along with their levels:

    

Yogurt (plain, low fat), 8 ounces à 415 mg

Yogurt (fruit, low fat), 8 ounces à 310-385 mg

Salmon (pink, canned), 3 ounces à 276 mg

Kale (raw or cooked), 1 cup à 95-100 mg

Turnip greens (fresh, boiled), ½ cup à 99 mg

Orange juice (calcium fortified), 6 ounces à 260 mg

  

Vitamin D, on the other hand, is most easily obtained from the sun.  You can also get vitamin D from fatty fish such as salmon or tuna as well as in a high quality fish oil supplement.  Smaller amounts of vitamin D can be found in cheese and egg yolks.  Similar to calcium, there are a number of vitamin D "fortified" foods such as orange juice, cereal, and milk to make it easier to obtain adequate levels.  The current FDA recommendations state that approximately 600 international units (IU's) of vitamin D should be consumed on a daily basis. This number should be used as a bare minimum daily value of vitamin D, with a general goal of around 4000-6000 IU's.  Here are a few of the best options for getting adequate amounts of vitamin D:

  

   10 minutes direct sunlight in mid-June/July wearing 

        shorts and a tank top à 10,000 IU's

   Salmon (sockeye, cooked), 3 ounces à 447 IU's

   Tuna fish (canned in water, drained), 3 ounces à

        154 IU's

   Orange juice (Vit. D fortified, varies by brand), 1 cup

        à 135 IU's

   Egg (Vit. D in yolk), 1 large à 40 IU's

  

Magnesium is also important in the absorption of calcium from the digestive system into the blood.  Daily intake of magnesium should be 300-500 mg per day.  Too much magnesium can cause diarrhea, so its intake should be monitored.  The following are a few healthy sources of magnesium:

 

Spinach (cooked), 1 cup (180 g) à 157 mg

Spinach (raw), 1 cup (30 g) à 24 mg

Squash & Pumpkin Seeds, ½ cup à 600 mg

Mackerel (cooked), 3 ounces à 82 mg

Soy beans (cooked), 1 cup à 148 mg

 

Eating natural growing, healthy foods instead of the "fortified" foods is a much better option.  Natural foods, such as the green leafy vegetables or fish, are good for you in all aspects of the diet.  A lot of the fortified foods we find in the grocery store, such as dairy or cereals, also have a lot of preservatives and sugars as well.