by: Jennifer Woods.
You probably don’t give a second thought to your bones; we take for granted being able to move about freely and do all the everyday tasks that we need to. However, if you experienced a fracture you would soon know about it. While breaking a bone is fairly common during childhood, we tend to think of osteoporosis – the bone thinning disease – as affecting the other end of the age spectrum.
Worryingly though, a study by the University of Arkansas found that 2%of women attending college already have osteoporosis and a further 15% are at high risk of developing osteoporosis in the not so distant future. It isn’t just the inconvenience of fractures that osteoporosis brings with it, but those with the disease are more likely to experience early mortality and there is a strong correlation with depression; possibly because the risk of fracture limits the activities they can become involved in, reducing social interaction.
Although a number of factors can make us more susceptible to osteoporosis, such as a family history of the disease, smoking and extreme dieting, any of us can still develop it. The good news is that we can take various steps to ward off osteoporosis. We may all have heard about the importance of eating enough dairy produce to obtain bone-strengthening calcium, but what other dietary steps can we take? In addition if you have an immediate concern you could always get a full medical including relevant lab testing to help you inform any decisions about your diet and lifestyle.
Check the labels for vitamin D
Although traditionally we obtained most of the vitamin D we needed by exposing our skin to sunlight, we don’t tend to spend as much time outdoors as we used to and are generous with our use of sunscreen, so produce less of this vitamin essential to aid calcium absorption from the gut. It doesn’t occur naturally in many foods – egg yolk, oily fish and liver are the exceptions – but vitamin D is now added to a range of foods including margarine, breakfast cereals, milk and juice; check for this on the label next time you do your food shop.
Fill up with fruit and vegetables
Notorious for their vitamin and mineral content, a good intake of fruit and vegetables each day can see you heading towards strong bones. Vitamin C, which is found in highest amounts in citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes and green vegetables, is essential for collagen formation, which is the most abundant protein in bone. B vitamins and potassium, which are found in a wide range of fruit and vegetables, are also important for the production of bone proteins. Additionally, magnesium, which is most abundant in green leafy vegetables, helps in the use of calcium and Vitamin D.
Hold on the salt
We’re already told to watch our intake of salt and salty foods to prevent a rise in blood pressure, but were you aware that a high salt intake can also put us at increased risk of osteoporosis? The sodium present in salt is thought to increase calcium losses via the kidneys, so reduces the calcium available to be incorporated into our bones. Try to use alternative seasonings when cooking – herbs, spices, black pepper and lemon juice are good alternatives – and limit the amount of convenience food you eat; when you do buy processed food, check the labels for those with the lowest salt content.
Put oily fish back on the menu
Famous for protecting your heart, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel can also help your body to absorb and use calcium. Include oily fish every week to help boost your intake of these essential fatty acids. Vegetarians or anyone else who chooses to avoid fish can alternatively obtain omega-3 fatty acids from green leafy vegetables, canola, walnut or linseed oil.
Consider soya
Low rates of osteoporosis are seen in China and Japan and it has been suggested this might relate to their high intake of soya. The phyto-estrogens found in soya and its products behave like the hormone estrogen, which exerts protective effects on bone until the menopause. You can either use the beans, tofu or soya mince as an alternative to meat in main dishes or use calcium-fortified soya milk and yogurts instead of traditional dairy produce.
Drink in moderation
You have heard the message plenty of times that heavy drinking can damage your liver and heart, but it can also hasten the loss of minerals from your bones. If you want to drink it’s therefore advisable to stick within recommendations, which for women is no more than one alcoholic drinks daily and for men it’s at most two daily.
Possible supplements
Although ideally we should aim to obtain all the vitamins and minerals we need for good bone health from our diet, some of us may struggle to achieve enough. You might have an intolerance to dairy foods, may have a poor appetite which limits how much you can eat or other constraints could make it difficult to eat well. In this case, a dietary supplement would be advisable.
A general multi-vitamin and mineral can act as a safety net when you are concerned you might not be obtaining sufficient nutrients in general, but more specific formulations are also available. For bone health, calcium and vitamin D – either sold separately or together – are amongst the most popular taken; speak with your doctor or pharmacist who can advise whether you are at risk of deficiency.
There is also increasing interest in the use of plant extracts to preserve bone strength. For example, cissus quadrangularis, a member of the vine family, has been used in traditional Indian medicine to heal broken bones and it is advocated to accelerate recovery from fractures in those who take part in sport. However, studies into cissus quadrangularis also suggest it may be beneficial in the prevention of osteoporosis. The presence of antioxidants and Vitamin C within this supplement may help to explain its benefit towards bone health.
It might seem a long way off, but osteoporosis could be upon you sooner than you think. Follow the suggestions here and you will be giving your bones the best chance possible to remain strong for years to come.
