Osteoporosis has been defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a disease characterized by a low content of calcium in the bones, which, consequently, progressively lose bone tissue making them more and more fragile.
It was once thought that osteoporosis was associated with increasing age and that, for this, you had to worry about it only at some point in life. Today, it is shown that the onset of osteoporosis is related to lifestyle that a person has maintained the course of his life.
To combat the osteoporosis is necessary starting from an early age getting regular exercise and adopting a healthy and balanced diet. Here are some simple tips:
1.) Take daily calcium-rich foods. The daily requirement of calcium depends on age and sex, but in general is estimated around 800-1000 mg. Calcium-rich foods are not only dairy products, but calcium is also found in healthier foods that contain little fat such as oily fish and shrimp and also in plant foods: sesame, walnuts, almonds, cabbage and legumes. Even some mineral water or drinking water have a high calcium content and support in respect of the daily requirement of calcium. A good habit to reduce the risk of osteoporosis is drinking half a glass of milk or 100 grams of grain in the evening.
2.) Calcium to be properly assimilated by the body needs foods containing vitamin D and nutrients that help the body to metabolize and remove it: Vitamin D (found in cod-liver oil, eggs, salmon, etc.); B vitamins (found in fish, meat, etc.); magnesium (contained in nuts, legumes, chocolate, etc.); isoflavones (contained in soy products); phosphorus (contained in cereal’s legumes and fish, etc.).
3.) To prevent and fight osteoporosis in addition to eating certain foods, you should reduce the consumption of others, such as: salt that promotes the excretion of calcium in the urine; some vegetables such as beets, tomatoes, spinach, because rich in oxalic acid that combines with calcium and limits the absorption; ready-made foods and nuts; foods and grains in large quantities because being rich in bran restrict the intestinal absorption of calcium and sausages, coffee (up to two per day).
