Osteoporosis…The "Silent Disease"

Support your Bones with Healthy Habits

Proper food choices and regular weight-bearing activity are important throughout life to maximize bone mass during the younger years and to minimize bone loss with aging. Hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women can also help protect rapid depletion of bone mass that occurs at this time of life. Food choices

1. Choose a variety of foods from all the food groups daily to supply nutrients for good general health, as well as for good bone health:

• Bread, cereal, rice and pasta group (6-11 servings daily)
• Vegetable group (3-5 servings daily)
• Fruit group (2-4 servings daily)
• Milk, yogurt, and cheese group (2-3 servings daily)
• Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group (2-3 servings daily)

2. Be sure to choose sufficient calcium rich and vitamin-D rich foods each day. Both of these nutrients are essential for dense, strong bones.

• Calcium sources include: low-fat or nonfat yogurt, nonfat or 1% milk, cheese, broccoli, kale, collard greens, canned fish with bones (salmon), tofu (soybean curd) processed with calcium, calcium fortified processed foods such as some brands of juice, bread, cereal, and snack bars.
• Vitamin D sources include fortified nonfat or 1% milk, or margarine.

3. Eat only moderate amounts of protein (approximately 15% of calories) and fiber rich foods (25-35 grams fiber daily) to avoid interference with calcium absorption and storage.

• High protein foods are meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and milk.
• High fiber foods are grains, fruits, and vegetables.

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