That is not enough, there are other important ways to achieve it
The estrogen lowering characteristic of menopause can affect a woman's bone health. Therefore, during this stage of life is essential to maintain a healthy diet and include in the diet foods that strengthen and prevent the occurrence of osteoporosis , especially those rich in calcium.
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But, it is also necessary to acquire other nutrients and meet certain recommendations.
Osteoporosis implies a decrease and deterioration of the bone mass that causes a greater fragility of the bones and, therefore, the increased risk of fractures.
This disease develops slowly, is asymptomatic and occurs in 80% of women , usually 10 years after menopause.
To prevent it, there is to know, through a bone densitometry, what is the state of the bones. It is also convenient to do an analytical to evaluate calcium and vitamin D levels.
BONES
To prevent the risk of osteoporosis, it is necessary to maintain some guidelines
1. Balanced diet through:
- Foods rich in calcium, which can be of animal origin such as dairy products and edible soft-bodied fish such as sardines or salmon, and those of vegetable origin.
- Adequate protein intake, since an excess produces an increase in calcium requirements, which being excessive causes hypercalciuria (loss of calcium in the urine).
- Get enough magnesium and vitamin K through green leafy vegetables, as well as phosphorus, an essential mineral for bone formation.
2. Exercise:
Perform physical activity and exercises (mainly strength as weights) on a regular basis for at least 40 minutes 3 times a week to reduce the risk of fractures and slow down the osteoporosis process.
3. Vitamin D:
It is necessary to achieve an adequate absorption of calcium, since this mineral does not fix itself. To obtain this vitamin the main way is through exposure of the skin to the sun, there are also other limited sources such as fatty fish, egg, viscera. More information:
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4. Moderate sodium consumption , since an excess causes an increase in calcium excretion through urine.
5. Avoid alcoholic beverages, smoking, moderate caffeine consumption.
Foods rich in calcium not only dairy
Calcium is one of the minerals that we must try to obtain through an adequate intake of food since its deficit can cause the decalcification of bones.
For this, dairy products can be selected, which are the main source of calcium with the greatest bioavailability, and can be consumed provided that the person does not present alterations in the absorption of lactose, allergies or other symptomatology.
Of the dairy products we can choose : natural yogurt, kefir, milk, cheeses of low fat content such as cottage cheese.
But there are also other sources of calcium of vegetable origin (of lower absorption).
Of vegetable origin: pulses, especially cooked chickpeas, green leafy vegetables, nuts such as almonds, whole grains, sesame seeds, chia, hemp, ground or broken flax to absorb their nutrients, sesame paste or tahini spreads or enrich purées or soups and marine algae such as wakame and hiziki.
Although recommendations for calcium intake vary greatly between countries, for example, the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) indicates a reference intake of 950 mg / day for people over 25, in the United States for adults is 1,000mg.
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Example to cover calcium needs in the day:
- 50 grams a day of low-fat cottage cheese 295 mg of calcium
- 1 glass of natural yogurt 200 ml 240 mg calcium
- 2 canned sardines 244 mg calcium
- 150 grams of cooked spinach 204 mg calcium
Total: 983 mg calcium / day
Food, exercise and sun exposure throughout life are the best insurance against osteoporosis and consequently fractures.
Your time is now, take care of yourself and plan to lead a healthy life, doing the relevant exams and feeding yourself consciously.