Osteoporosis can be a very painful disease. It affects the bones and is caused by the loss of bone density, essential to keeping your bones healthy.
A way to combat this, and to help ensure that you do not suffer from it in later life, is to make sure you have a good intake Vitamin D, because this helps your body absorb calcium, which, in turn, keeps your bones healthy. Our bones are made up of approximately 35-40% calcium. It is suggested that we take in 800mg of calcium per day at the very minimum.
You can get Vitamin D in many forms. Apart form the obvious supplements available from your doctor, you have the option of various natural products. These include salmon, Soya beans, leafy green vegetables, fish, and of course, exposure to the sun. If you decide to take this latter option, then don’t overdo it – too much sun can be bad for you, so limit the exposure to around 15mins a day, taking into account the strength of the sun.
Please note that dairy products and animal proteins do not form part of this list, because these can actually increase the loss of calcium in your body.
Vitamin K is also important, and you must ensure that a diet rich in Vitamin D also includes vitamin K.
Pears, prunes, raisins and apples are also helpful – these provide a natural source of boron, which stops the body losing calcium, therefore reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Weight bearing exercises are also very good for osteoporosis, because the muscles that cover the bones encourage them to grow stronger.
If you suffer from Osteoporosis, or think you might be at risk, you should take action now. Don’t delay because the more positive changes you make now, the better your quality of life will be in the future.
