Food That Cure Osteoporosis
May 02, 2016
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Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease in which bones become brittle and prone to fracture. In other words, the bone loses density. Bone density is the amount of bone tissue (such as calcium and minerals) in a certain volume of bone. Osteoporosis is diagnosed when bone density has decreased to the point where the risk of fractures is high even without severe stress or injury to the bones.
Many people confuse osteoporosis with arthritis and mistakenly believe it is safe to wait for symptoms such as swelling and joint pain to occur before seeing a doctor. However, arthritis is entirely different from osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is quite advanced before symptoms appear.
Symptoms
Many people confuse osteoporosis with arthritis and mistakenly believe it is safe to wait for symptoms such as swelling and joint pain to occur before seeing a doctor. However, arthritis is entirely different from osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is quite advanced before symptoms appear.
All too often, osteoporosis becomes apparent in dramatic fashion: A fracture of a vertebra (backbone), hip, forearm, or any bony site if sufficient bone mass is lost. These fractures frequently occur after apparently minor trauma, such as bending over, lifting, jumping, or falling from the standing position.
Pain, disfigurement, and debilitation are common in the latter stages of the disease. Early spinal compression fractures may go undetected for a long time, but after a large percentage of calcium has been lost, the vertebrae in the spine start to collapse, gradually causing a stooped posture called kyphosis, or a "dowager's hump." Although this is usually painless, patients may lose as much as 6 inches in height.
How can I know if I have Osteoporosis?
- Back pain
- Wrist, hip and spine fractures
- Loss of height
- Hunched posture
Food That Cure Osteoporosis
Skim Milk: Milk and other dairy products provide loads of calcium, the number one go-to nutrient for bone health. "Your heart, blood, muscles and nerves need calcium to function properly. If your diet doesn't include enough calcium to replace what's used, it will take it from your bones, leaving them weakened and prone to fracture," a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Also, skim milk is fortified with vitamin D, which works hand-in-hand with calcium to build bone.
Calcium-Fortified Orange Juice: Don't care for milk? Or does the lactose in it bother your belly? No problem;calcium-fortified OJ is a fine substitute. It contains as much calcium as milk and it delivers a day's worth of vitamin C, which is essential for the formation of collagen, a vital component of bone matrix.
Collard Greens: These spicy greens are among the best plant sources of calcium. A 3/4 cup serving of cooked collards contains about as much calcium as a glass of milk. Collards also contain vitamin K, which contributes to bone health.
Nuts: Peanuts, almonds, cashews, soybeans and their butters are all terrific sources of magnesium, which plays an important part in how your body uses calcium, according to Gans. Without adequate magnesium, the hormones that regulate calcium metabolism can't do their job properly.
Salmon: This fatty fish is a delicious source of vitamin D, which helps the body metabolize and absorb the calcium in food. "Vitamin D is converted to its active form in the kidneys, enabling it to help with calcium absorption," says Gans.