4 Foods to prevent osteoporosis

I have seen elderly people beside me suffer from broken bones, unable to walk, and unable to survive because of complications in bed for long periods of time due to symptoms of osteoporosis. This is a disease that progresses silently and almost every elderly person suffers from varying degrees of severity or mildness. So why do elderly people often suffer from osteoporosis? Understanding this disease will help the treatment process become more effective and faster. Osteoporosis diet includes many foods that help increase your bone density. Calcium and vitamin D are considered key nutrients that help prevent osteoporosis. Besides, there is now the role of other nutritious components for bone health such as vitamins A, B, C, and K; minerals like Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc; macronutrients like protein, fat …. Here it is 4 Foods to prevent osteoporosis.

1. What is Osteoporosis?

✅ Osteoporosis is a condition in which bone density (calcium and phosphate) decreases, making bones more fragile, more vulnerable, and more prone to fractures even when minor injuries in menopausal women and the elderly.

✅ Osteoporosis is a silent disease that is only discovered until the bone is broken. Many people think that this disease is a natural and inevitable part of old age. However, it is now believed that osteoporosis is preventable. Moreover, people who already have osteoporosis can still slow the progression of the disease and reduce the risk of future fractures.

2. You are at risk for Osteoporosis?

• Gender: Women suffer from osteoporosis more often than men.
• Age: the older the age, the greater the risk of osteoporosis.
• Body size: lean and small people are at higher risk for osteoporosis.
• Sex hormones: Low estrogen levels due to irregular menstruation or menopause can cause osteoporosis in women, while low testosterone levels can cause osteoporosis in men.
• Lack of calcium and vitamin D: a diet low in calcium and vitamin D can make your bones weak.
• Anorexia: not providing enough nutrients can lead to osteoporosis.
• Certain medications can increase your risk of osteoporosis. Corticosteroid group, some antibiotic groups (tetracycline, quinolones), gastroenteritis group, diuretic group … I cannot list them all, it is recommended that you read the instructions carefully before using or consult a pharmacist before taking a medicine.
• Activity level: lack of exercise or prolonged bed rest can cause bone weakness.
• Smoking: cigarettes are bad for bones, as well as the heart and lungs.
• Drinking alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can make bones weak and brittle.

3. Warning Signs of Osteoporosis

✅ You will not see symptoms of osteoporosis clearly early. But over time, you may notice your back cuffs, back pain, stooping posture, and gradual weight loss. In other cases, the first sign is a broken bone (ribs, wrists, or hips). But I believe this is a valuable thing that you can go to the hospital to measure bone density, which is the most accurate way to identify osteoporosis.

✅ The most dangerous consequence of osteoporosis fractures. In patients with severe osteoporosis, even a slight impact can lead to a fracture, typically the femur neck fracture in the elderly, increase the economic burden for families and society. Patients with osteoporosis also increase the risk of cardiovascular complications, respiratory complications, pneumonia, … due to frequent hospitalization for treatment, due to immobility due to fractures.

4. Foods to prevent osteoporosis

4.1 Foods to prevent osteoporosis: Calcium and vitamin D

✅ Some foods high in calcium help prevent and treat osteoporosis such as cheese, yogurt, cow’s milk, soy, seafood, canned fish, broccoli. Magnesium also plays an important role in bone mineral formation. Unprocessed green vegetables, legumes, seeds, and grains contain lots of magnesium.

✅ Vitamin D not only plays a role in helping the absorption of calcium into the body, increasing bone density but also helping muscles stay healthy. The body can synthesize vitamin D from sunlight by sunbathing in the morning or from food and supplements: Salmon, tuna, milk fortified with vitamin D, vitamin D supplements, and calcium.

4.2 Foods to prevent osteoporosis: vitamin K

✅ Vitamin K is essential for bone formation. Food sources of vitamin K include leafy greens such as lettuce, cabbage, soy, and the liver. They should be part of your Osteoporosis diet

4.3 Foods to prevent osteoporosis: Protein

✅ Protein is needed to maintain the musculoskeletal system, help optimize bone mass, preserve bone mass when aging occurs. If you don’t eat enough protein, muscle strength will decrease, increasing the risk of falls and long-term recovery in people with broken bones. Lean red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy foods, are sources of Fantastic animal protein. Plant protein sources include legumes, soy products, cereals, nuts.

4.4 Foods to prevent osteoporosis: Olive oil

✅ Olive oil, soy, and omega-3-rich foods like fish oil are also beneficial for bone health. The reason is that Omega 3 plays an important role in the structure of the skeletal system. If a lack of omega 3 will cause pain in the bones and cartilage joints, making the joints vulnerable to external impacts.

5. Foods that people with osteoporosis should avoid

Besides using healthy foods, they help strengthen bones and prevent osteoporosis. You should limit the following foods because they can make osteoporosis faster and worse:

• Foods high in salt: Eating more foods high in bone salt makes it easier to lose. This is because salt causes the kidneys to excrete calcium. Therefore, to increase bone strength, you should limit the amount of salt consumed daily.
• Using too much sugar will limit the absorption of calcium and deplete the body’s source of phosphorus. Phosphorus is a very important mineral that promotes the absorption of calcium.
• Foods and drinks with caffeine: Caffeine will dissolve calcium in the bones, thereby reducing bone strength.
• Legumes: They contain a lot of phytates that can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb calcium. So, the more beans you eat, the more likely you are preventing your body from absorbing calcium. However, legumes are rich in magnesium, fiber, and other nutrients, so you should only reduce the number of beans you consume rather than completely cut them down.
• Inflammatory foods: Vegetables such as tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, and eggplants can cause osteoarthritis, leading to osteoporosis. However, just like beans, these vegetables contain a lot of other vitamins and minerals that are good for the body so you don’t need to avoid them.
• Spinach: This green-colored vegetable like spinach contain calcium, but they also contain another substance, oxalate. Oxalate can bind with calcium and make it unsuitable for absorption by the body. However, so you can still use them along with other calcium supplements.

6. Recommended for you :

🎁 NOW Supplements, Vitamin D-3 5,000 IU, High Potency, Structural Support

✅ Since 1968 NOW has been a leader in the natural products industry. Even when healthy foods and natural supplements weren’t mainstream, we’ve never wavered from our mission – to provide value in products and services that Empower people to lead healthier lives.
✅ Highest potency/helps maintain strong bones: Vitamin D is normally obtained from the diet or produced by the skin from the ultraviolet energy of the sun. However, it is not abundant in food. Vitamin D supplementation becomes even more necessary to ensure that your body receives an adequate supply. Directions: As a dietary supplement, take 1 softgel daily with a meal. This product can be used in combination with NOW® Vitamin A and Calcium supplements.