Are you feeding your bones?

4 August 2009

Are You Feeding Your Bones? is the theme of this year’s National Healthy Bones Week (August 2 to 8), a joint initiative by Dairy Australia and Osteoporosis Australia.

Eating foods which contain Vitamin D and calcium helps to keep them strong. Not getting enough calcium is one of the causes of osteoporosis, where the bones become fragile and break more easily.

Any bone can be affected by osteoporosis, but the most common sites are hip, spine, wrist, ribs, pelvis and upper arm. Osteoporosis is often called “the silent disease”, as there are often no signs or symptoms until a fracture occurs.

Inverell-based dietitian Ailsa Liffamn said osteoporosis affects both men and women, particularly older people as bones lose a little calcium each year, especially when there is not enough calcium in the diet.

“Lifestyle factors which increase osteoporosis include smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, a diet lacking in calcium, lack of exposure to sunlight and lack of exercise,” Ms Liffman said.

“Having family members with osteoporosis also increases your risk of getting this disease.”

Take action to reduce your risk of osteoporosis:
• Have 3 to 4 serves of calcium rich foods every day. A serve is 240ml of low fat or full cream milk or soy milk fortified with calcium, 30g of cheese, or 200ml of yoghurt or custard. Oranges, orange juice, almonds, sesame seeds and broccoli also contain some calcium.
• Get enough vitamin D – sunlight (UV rays) on skin produces vitamin D. Top this up with vitamin D-fortified foods such as table margarine, some milk products, some breads and cereals. Certain fish (such as herrings) also contain vitamin D.
• Do regular weight-bearing exercise.

Acknowledgement: www.osteoporosis.com.au

To make an appointment to see Dietitian Ailsa Liffman at either Inverell, Glen Innes or Tenterfield, contact the following Community Health Centres: Inverell (02) 6721 9600, Glen Innes (02) 6739 0100, Tenterfield Hospital (02) 6739 5200. GP referrals are recommended, but not essential.

(HNE-1943)

Contact: Carisa Green

Phone: (02) 6767 7135 or 0428 106 183