Osteoporosis is one of the diseases that particularly attacks the elderly, due to the weakening of bones with age. Osteoporosis can be combated through healthy nutrition and regular exercise.
German Professor Uwe Maus, head of the orthopedic department at the German Society for Orthopedic and Accidental Surgery, explained that osteoporosis is a disease in which bone density and structure deteriorate severely, as its ability to store minerals that give it strength decreases, which raises the risk of fractures – especially in the forearm. And the wrist and hip – when exposed to a fall.
Mouse added that osteoporosis is a common health problem among the elderly, as the bone structure weakens with age.
Menopause
Mouse added that women are more susceptible to osteoporosis, especially during menopause, due to hormonal changes in the body at this stage.
Some medications also increase the risk of osteoporosis, such as cortisone medications that are used to treat lung diseases, for example.
Professor Mouse added that other risk factors also include genetics and smoking.
Signs of osteoporosis
Maus pointed out that osteoporosis can be inferred by noticing some signs, such as frequent falls and loss of some centimeters of height (the person becomes shorter), in addition to an increasing back curvature.
Proper nutrition
For his part, Dr. Filipald Walter, an orthopedist at the Marjanovic Medical Center in Munich, Germany, pointed out that osteoporosis can be combated through proper nutrition, as the body must be adequately supplied with calcium, which is important for bone health.
Food sources of calcium are milk and dairy products such as cheese and yogurt, in addition to green vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli.
Walter also stressed the importance of adequately supplying the body with protein, given that it is of great importance for muscle health, which in turn protects bones.
As a general rule, the body should be supplied with protein at a rate of one gram per kilogram of weight, meaning that someone who weighs 70 kg should eat 70 grams of protein daily.
It is also necessary to supply the body with vitamin D, which helps the body store calcium in the bones. Since this vitamin is called the sunshine vitamin, the body can be supplied with it through exposure to sunlight daily.
The body can also be supplied with vitamin D by eating foods rich in it, such as fatty fish such as salmon, herring, and mackerel, in addition to fish oil and egg yolks.
In case of severe deficiency, nutritional supplements containing vitamin D can be used.
Sports are important
In addition to proper nutrition, exercise is also of great importance in combating osteoporosis, especially muscle-strengthening exercises, as well as sports that work to enhance balance and neuromuscular coordination, such as yoga and Pilates, which reduces the risk of falling.
Whoever does not find himself able to perform muscle-strengthening exercises can resort to water sports, such as running in the water and doing fitness exercises in the water, as they are considered light on the joints.
2024-01-21 14:49:08
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