Tips To Aid Osteoporosis
July 22, 2009
Osteoporosis is a condition where the bones become brittle, due to which one becomes prone to fractures and other bone related diseases. The main cause of osteoporosis is calcium deficiency. Most articles will list this as an age related disease which mainly affects women. What we need to understand is that weak bones can affect both men and women of any age. Taking steps early in life and not waiting until you are a certain age, is the intelligent thing to do.
Check with a nutritionist on advice for taking calcium supplements early on in life or even if you are diagnosed with osteoporosis. The key is to start as early as possible.
There are a variety of supplements available and you need to find one that suits you best to avoid any side effects. One of the most common side effects of calcium is constipation. So check which type of calcium suits your body by consulting an expert.
The other important thing to remember is, for calcium to be absorbed by your bones, you will need vitamin D, without which the calcium supplements are a waste. The only source of natural vitamin D is the sun. However, one must remember that sun before 8 am is good; else you are going to end up burning yourself.
About 400 IU of vitamin D per day should be sufficient for your system; however you may require a higher dosage depending on how severe your condition is. This combined with around 1200 to 1500 mgs of calcium is a safe dose for adults.
If you have been leading a sedentary lifestyle or are overweight, start working out. Weight training helps strengthen bones and also helps you burn calories. Most women are scared of bulking up which is one the main reasons they stay away from weight training. Unless injected with male hormones, it is naturally impossible for women to bulk up. Even if you are skinny, you need weight training to help osteoporosis. The condition will only get worse with age and menopause. As for men reading this, continue lifting weights if you have been already doing so, and if not, please start.
Only eating calcium rich foods such milk and milk products or fish is not going to give you the required amount of calcium, which is why you need the supplements.
Calcium or vitamins are not medicines. That’s why they are called supplements and are as important to the body as eating healthy food. That is one of the reasons why taking them for a few weeks is not going to show results as they are not antibiotics. These need to become a part of your life forever.
Of course this needs to be combined with a healthy diet that is rich in nutrients.
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