Healthy Food Choices for Osteoporosis

Video Transcript

DR. DAVID HILL: Today, we are going to talk about osteoporosis and the role of diet in preventing and treating osteoporosis. Osteoporosis refers to thinning of the bones, where they lose mass and density. This makes victims more susceptible to fractures. We think of osteoporosis affecting post-menopausal women, but it can affect men as well and even younger people, depending on their metabolism. So, where are you going to get all those calcium from? Well, dairy foods are an obvious choice. Milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, especially if they are low fat. But there are lots of other sources that people don't often think of. Dried beans, like lima beans or pinto beans, leafy green vegetables, calcium fortified orange juice, nuts like almonds, and soy are all great sources of calcium that might not occur to you initially. Vitamin D is also critical for calcium absorption and use. We get that from walking in the sun. Our bodies may get the sunlight but not everybody gets enough. We need about 800 international units a day. One cup of vitamin D fortified milk will have about 100 international units. You can get the rest from vitamins supplements if you think you might be short. Calcium supplements can help. You might take 500mg twice a day. But be aware, greater than 2000mg a day of calcium has its own dangers. So, you may want to work with your doctor before you decide to take those supplements. Important as well is regular weight bearing exercise, that means anything that puts weight on your body forces you to hold yourself up. At least 30 minutes, at least 3x a week is a good start, but more is better. Try switching up your exercises, so you don't get worn out doing one thing. To review, osteoporosis is a condition which the bones thin and becomes subject to fracture. Bone health depends greatly on taking enough vitamin D and calcium in your diet. There are lots of sources of calcium you might not think of, like nuts, dried beans, and leafy green vegetables. Make sure that you add exercise to ensure that your bones stay as strong as they can be. And that is osteoporosis.