What should a senior do to achieve optimal bone mass and continue building new healthy bone tissue? Many of the below answers were listed in Part 1 on this topic (Risk Factors that Can Be Changed). However, I would like to reiterate and discuss in fuller detail their importance in Part 2. Perhaps the most vital item to consider here is the supply of calcium needed by the body. Published studies reveal the urgency of taking in an adequate supply of the mineral to prevent rapid bone loss resulting in a high rate of fractures.
According to national nutrition surveys, many people eat less than half of the recommended daily amount of calcium required to prevent osteoporosis. The following are foods recommended as calcium sources: Low-fat dairy products (milk , yogurt, cheese, ice cream), dark green/leafy vegetables ( broccoli, collard greens, bok choy, spinach), sardines and salmon with bones, tofu, almonds, and foods fortified with the mineral (orange juice, cereals, breads). A calcium supplement should be added to aid in any daily dietary deficiency.
It is important to know that calcium needs do change during a person’s lifetime. The greatest need for calcium occurs during the growing years when the body’s skeleton is growing rapidly, as well as during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Centegra Health System (CHS), in their Overview of Osteoporosis, informs, “Postmenopausal women and older men also need to consume more calcium.” They continue “…as you age, your body becomes less efficient at absorbing calcium and other nutrients. Older adults…are more likely to have chronic medical problems and to use medications that may impair calcium absorption.”
In 2010, The Food and Nutrition Board located in the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences recommended these milligrams for the following adult age and gender groups: 51 -70 year old males: 1,000 mg/daily; 51-70 year old females: 1,200 mg/daily; 70 years and older: 1,200 mg/daily.
Vitamin D plays an important role as it aids in calcium’s absorption and bone health. Here are three recommended food sources containing this vitamin: egg yolks, liver, and saltwater fish. Vitamin D decreases naturally in older seniors, especially those who are housebound or spend winters in the low amount of daylight/sunshine hours in Northern states. The requirements for this vitamin are:
Up to age 70 – 600 IU (International Units) daily;
After age 70 – Both genders should increase their intake to 800 IU daily.
In addition, healthy bone tissue responds to weight bearing exercise, as it forces you to work against gravity. Examples are: Walking, jogging, hiking, stair climbing, weight training, dancing, and tennis.
Smoking is as bad for your bones, as it is for your lungs and heart. Smokers, for example, have an average of lower estrogen levels and earlier menopause age. They also tend to absorb less calcium in their diets.
Because of increased number of falls and poor nutrition, a consumption of 2 to 3 ounces of alcohol daily, may be damaging to your bones.
Several medicines, for example: steroids used for asthma, arthritis pain, Crohn’s disease, and Lupus etc., along with certain cancer treatments, and certain anti-seizure drugs can cause bone loss.
Important note: All medications produce side effects. Do not ever stop using meds, prescribed by doctors, without a discussion with your physician.
Part 3: More on Osteoporosis for Next Publication
