Central Coast Home & Lifestyle Autumn 2024

What can I do to prevent osteoporosis? Y ou can take action to maintain and improve your bone health at every stage of life. Adequate calcium intake, proper vitamin D levels (to help absorb calcium) and specific exercises are all important for healthy bones. For people with low bone density or osteoporosis these 3 factors are very important. For most Australians, the main source of vitamin D is from exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D is produced when our skin is exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) light from the sun. The amount of sun exposure required to produce adequate levels of vitamin D is relatively low. However, many people do not have adequate vitamin D levels. Sun exposure times will vary based on the season, location and skin type and amount of skin exposed. Calcium is essential for building and maintaining bone. Almost 99% of the body’s calcium is found in the bones. Calcium combines with other minerals to form hard crystals that give your bones strength and structure. A small amount of calcium is absorbed into the blood; this calcium is essential for the healthy functioning of the heart, muscles, blood, and nerves. Bones act like a calcium bank, if you do not take in enough calcium from your diet, the body will withdraw calcium from your ‘bone bank’ for use in other parts of the body. If your body withdraws more calcium than it deposits, your bone density (bone strength) will gradually decline, and you may be at risk of developing osteoporosis.

eggs, avocado, soy based products, tofu, green leafy vegetables, cucumber, celery, chick peas, eat more almonds, dried figs and dried apricots, products fortified with calcium (e.g some breakfast cereals) can help improve your calcium intake. Get the most out of exercise to build strong bones and prevent falls at least 3 times per week.

The best way to get the recommended level of calcium intake for your age is to eat a diet rich in calcium. Calcium content in food varies significantly, so it is important to consume ‘calcium rich’ foods. Dairy foods contain a high level of calcium which is easily absorbed – include 3 serves per day in your normal diet - a glass of milk (250 ml), tub of yoghurt (200 g), slice of cheese (40 g). Canned or fresh salmon or sardines which contain bones,

Make walking part of your routine! Y ou carry your own body weight when you walk. This is known as weight-bearing exercise. Some of the benefits include: increased cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart and lung) fitness, reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, improved management of conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), assists with high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, diabetes, stronger bones, improved balance, increased muscle strength, endurance, and reduced body fat. If it’s too difficult to walk for 30 minutes at one time, do regular small bouts (10 minutes) three times per day and gradually build up to longer sessions. However, if your goal is to lose weight, you will need to do physical activity for longer than 30 minutes each day. You can still achieve this by starting with smaller bouts of activity throughout the day and increasing these as your fitness improves. Physical activity built into a daily lifestyle plan is also one of the most effective ways to assist with weight loss and keep weight off once it’s lost.

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02 4344 9199 peninsulavillages.com.au agedcare@penvill.com.au 91 Pozieres Ave, Umina Beach NSW

21 Home & Lifestyle Magazine | Autumn 2024