Losing calcium, we get osteoporosis. This is a disease that in the modern world affects not only grandmothers, but also young people. Woman’s Day has figured out how to restore the health of the body.
Osteoporosis can erode bones for many years, but it shows up unexpectedly. Usually the disease comes with age, when over the years of wear and tear, bones become thinner, lose density and strength. The skeleton becomes fragile, which is why our grandparents manage to get a fracture so easily out of the blue.
However, now the age of the disease has dropped to 30. Why does a healthy-looking young organism suffer from osteoporosis?
The problem, first of all, is the wrong diet. Most people get less than half of the calcium they need from their diet. This is not surprising, because many people have long preferred to drink cola instead of milk. Meanwhile, carbon dioxide interferes with the absorption of calcium. But it’s not just about the soda.
A study conducted by the Institute of Rheumatology with the participation of 2400 women identified the main risk factors.
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So, most often people with low weight are susceptible to osteoporosis, especially those who constantly strive to lose weight and torment themselves with mono diets. The thing is that most diets are built on the exclusion of certain food products from the diet and, as a result, on the deprivation of the body of useful substances, which leads to hormonal disruptions and diseases.
In second place are gynecological surgeries that have affected the ovaries, which produce the lion’s share of female hormones. By the way, this is another reason to visit a gynecologist.
In third place is heredity. As crazy as it sounds, fractures can be passed on from generation to generation: if the mother had them, the daughter’s likelihood of osteoporosis increases.
Another reason for the early development of osteoporosis was identified by American researchers (University of Arkansas). They found that some contraceptives lowered blood calcium levels. But this also affects primarily those who already have a genetic predisposition to the disease.
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At the doctor
The therapist will first of all send you for a biochemical blood test. And although osteoporosis is associated with a deficiency of the female sex hormones estrogen, a decrease in their level is not yet a basis for a diagnosis.
If the doctor orders you to have a blood test for calcium content, then you should know that this has nothing to do with osteoporosis at all. In this disease, the level of calcium in the blood is normal. After all, the fact is that the valuable element is washed out of the bones. So there are no laboratory tests on the basis of which one could make an accurate diagnosis of osteoporosis. However, there is another method that allows you to accurately determine bone mineral density.
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How do we lose calcium
There are many reasons for calcium loss. This could be:
hereditary predisposition (along the female line),
sedentary lifestyle (sedentary work),
frequent long delays in menstruation,
abuse of coffee, alcohol and carbonated drinks,
use of steroids,
smoking,
early menopause or hysterectomy (removal of the uterus).
However, there is also a natural loss of calcium: starting from the age of 25-30, a person loses about 1% of bone tissue per year. But by the age of 50, these losses may become critical. Therefore, every two years it is necessary to conduct a survey.
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Densitometry
Osteoporosis is curable, but only in the early stages. X-ray densitometry will help to detect it. This method allows you to quickly and with high accuracy determine the mineral density of bone tissue: the higher it is, the more resistant the bones to fractures.
The examination will take only 15 minutes (it should be done no more than once every two years). You will be offered, without undressing, to lie on a special table, after which a screen will pass over you and scan your skeleton. The doctor will record the result and hand out the conclusion and pictures. But the diagnosis will be made by a rheumatologist. He will also prescribe you a special nutrition program and prescribe calcium.
If the results of densitometry are normal, then you just need to make sure that the body receives the daily intake of calcium (1200 mg) from foods, primarily from dairy products.
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Bones primarily need dairy products and greens. The main source of calcium is regular milk. A mug of milk is already a quarter of the daily value of a valuable element. Kefir, cheeses and cottage cheese are also useful. If your doctor has not prescribed a separate diet for you, eat foods with a normal level of fat (not fat-free).
Legumes such as beans, peas, lentils, mung bean, nuts, and seeds also contain a large dose of calcium. As well as mineral water and fish.
In order for calcium to be absorbed and to be beneficial, the body also needs a sufficient amount of vitamin D and magnesium. All of them are found in milk, but only in fresh and unprocessed milk. If this is not the case, then legumes will come to the rescue again. Pineapple, parsley and dill are also rich in magnesium.
From pharmaceutical preparations, calcium carbonate and citrate are best absorbed. For women, the daily norm is 1 g (this is equal to about a liter of milk or 250 g of cottage cheese). But what the calcium is made of – from sea shells, shells, etc. – does not matter.
Do sports
The risk of developing osteoporosis is significantly reduced by regular moderate physical activity. Studies have shown that if you walk 1,5 km three times a week, this risk is reduced by three times!
Read more: Calcium Content in Foods
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To replenish the daily dose of calcium, you need to drink one liter of yogurt or milk, eat 200 grams of hard cheese (parmesan, cheddar, Swiss), eat four cans of canned salmon, one teaspoon of sesame oil, 500 grams of almonds or 300 grams of bananas.
Pregnant women especially need a high calcium content. It is important not only for maintaining the health of the body of the expectant mother, but also for the formation of the skeleton of the child and the creation of reserves for the period of breastfeeding.
Calcium content in products (per 100 g)
sesame seeds 1000 mg cheese 1000 mg processed cheese 500 mg cottage cheese 150 mg milk 120 mg kefir 120 mg sour cream 100 mg salmon 210 mg beans 150 mg soybeans 350 mg celery 240 mg parsley 130 mg spinach green onions 100 mg almonds 250 mg hazelnuts 170 mg
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