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Preventing Weak Bones
The best way to prevent weak bones
is easy―start by building strong
ones.
No matter how old you are, it is
never too late to start! Building
strong bones during childhood and
adolescence is the best defense
against getting osteoporosis later.
Building strong bones at a young age
will lessen the effects of the
natural bone loss that starts around
age 30. As you get older, your bones
don’t make new bone quickly enough
to keep up with the bone loss. And
after menopause, bone loss increases
more quickly. But there are steps
you can take to stop your bones from
becoming weak and brittle.
1. Get enough calcium each day.
Bones are made of calcium. The best
way to prevent osteoporosis is to
get enough calcium in your diet. You
need enough calcium each day for
strong bones throughout life. You
can get it through foods and/or
calcium pills, which you can get at
the drug store. Talk with your
doctor or nurse before taking
calcium pills to see which kind is
best for you.
Here’s how much calcium you need
each day.
Ages
Milligrams per day
9-18
1300
19-50
1000
51 and older 1200
Pregnant or nursing women need the
same amount of calcium as other
women of the same age.
Here are some foods to help you get
the calcium you need. Check the food
labels for more information.
Food
Portion Milligrams
Percent
Plain, fat free (or low fat) yogurt
1 cup 450
45
American cheese
2 ounces 348
35
Milk (fat free or low fat)
1 cup 300
30
Orange juice with added calcium 1
cup 300
30
Broccoli, cooked or fresh
1 cup 90
10
*% Daily Value tells you how much of the recommended daily amount of that
nutrient is in that portion of food.
2. Get enough vitamin D each day.
It is also important to get enough
vitamin D, which helps your body
take in calcium. You can get vitamin
D through sunlight and foods like
milk. You need 10-15 minutes of
sunlight to the hands, arms, and
face, two to three times a week to
get enough vitamin D. The amount of
time depends on how sensitive your
skin is to light, use of sunscreen,
skin color, and pollution. You can
also get vitamin D by eating foods
or in your vitamin pills. It’s
measured in international units (IU).
Here’s how much vitamin D you need
each day.
Ages
IU per day
19-50
200
51-70
400
71 and older 600
Here are some foods to help you get
the vitamin D you need. Check the
food labels for more information.
Food
Portion
IU Percent
Salmon, cooked
3 1/2 oz 360
90
Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, & whole,
vitamin D fortified 1 cup
98 25
Egg (vitamin D is in the yolk)
1 whole 25
6
Pudding (made from mix & vitamin D
fortified milk)
1/2 cup 50
10
White milk is a good source of
vitamin D, most yogurts are not.
3. Eat a healthy diet.
Other nutrients, like vitamin A,
vitamin C, magnesium, and zinc, as
well as protein, help build strong
bones too. Milk provides many of
these nutrients. But you can also
get these nutrients by eating a
healthy diet, including with foods
that have these nutrients. Some
examples are lean meat, fish, green
leafy vegetables, and oranges.
4. Get moving.
Being active really helps your bones
by:
slowing bone loss
improving muscle strength
helping your balance
Do weight-bearing physical activity,
which is any activity in which your
body works against gravity. There
are so many things you can do: walk,
dance, run, climb stairs, garden, do
yoga or tai chi, jog, hike, play
tennis, or lift weights―it all
helps!
5. Don’t smoke.
Smoking raises a woman’s risk of
getting osteoporosis. It damages
your bones and lowers the amount of
estrogen in your body. Estrogen is a
hormone made by your body that can
help slow bone loss.
6. Drink alcohol moderately.
If you drink, do not drink more than
one alcoholic drink per day. Alcohol
can make it harder for your body to
use the calcuim you take in.
7. Make your home safe.
Reduce your chances of falling by
making your home safer. For example,
use a rubber bath mat in the shower
or tub. Keep your floors free from
clutter. Remove throw rugs that
cause you to trip. Make sure you
have grab bars in the bath or
shower.
8. Think about taking medicines to
prevent or treat bone loss.
Talk with your doctor or nurse about
the risks and benefits of medicines
for bone loss.
Content Courtesy : www.4woman.gov
Note : Information herein is
provided for informational purposes
only and is not a substitute for
professional medical advice. You
should not use this information for
diagnosing or treating a medical or
health condition. If you have or
suspect you have a medical problem,
promptly contact your professional
healthcare provider. Please consult
your healthcare provider before
beginning any course of
supplementation or treatment.
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