Following an osteoporosis diet is a great way to treat or even prevent this potentially serious bone disorder. Like many health concerns, an ounce of prevention can go a long way towards reducing the risk of developing osteoporosis.
Young people should start to eat healthily early on and maintain these habits throughout their lifetimes. Older people should learn the facts about which nutrients are needed to build and nourish strong bones. General information on using dietary therapy to prevent disease can be found on our back pain diet page.
This article provides specific guidance on eating well to prevent or treat problematic bone density issues using dietary therapy.
Osteoporosis Diet Basics
The main dietary ingredients necessary to prevent or treat osteoporosis are calcium and vitamin D. Calcium can be found in such foods as: milk, cheese, seaweed, nuts, beans and many green leafy vegetables. Vitamin D is found in milk, soy products and selected cereal grains. Vitamin D can also be produced naturally by the body from exposure to sunlight.
There is considerable controversy about the best sources of these nutrients, with some professionals endorsing dairy and others insisting on non-dairy. Nutritional supplements are also a good source of both calcium and vitamin D.
Research has found that people with the best resistance to bone density concerns are those who have eaten a balanced diet for life. Adding supplements later in life to treat low bone density can be effective, but is surely not as beneficial as eating correctly all along.
Dietary Supplements to Prevent Osteoporosis
Some research points to other nutrients as contributors to the reduction of osteoporosis occurrence. There is less evidence to support these claims, but when in doubt, asking your doctor is a good way to get information about adding these nutrients to your dietary intake. Some of the recommended dietary additions are: Vitamins A, C, K and B complex, zinc, magnesium, copper, boron, potassium and sodium.
Make sure to get qualified advice before beginning to use these supplements, as a few can cause negative health effects in some patients and can interact with prescription drugs.
Osteoporosis Diet Help
Eat right and stay healthy is what I have always taught. A poor diet can have serious consequences in the short term and even worse ramifications in the long run. Regardless of your age or overall health condition, take time to consult with your doctor or nutritionist to learn about eating right at every stage of life.
Remember, just as your body changes, your nutritional requirements change as well. A proper diet is an easy and enjoyable way to help ensure continued good health for many years to come and is also crucial to help prevent osteoporosis.
For readers with young children, now is the time to get them started on good eating habits which will help them throughout their lives. Studies show that parental influence can have hugely positive or direly detrimental influences on their offspring’s diets. Take time to learn how to feed them correctly and assert the effort to teach them why it is crucial to eat healthily.
