Staying Fracture-Free
Simple tips for protecting your bones
Sep 21, 2009
Aug 12, 2022
Conditions & TreatmentsPew Foundation Scholar in Nutrition and Metabolism
Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine
University of Maryland
Baltimore, MD
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This article has been archived. We will no longer be updating it. For our most up-to-date information, please visit our bone health information here.
A diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis is not a death sentence. Rather, it's a warning that you have to pay more attention to your lifestyle habits and your surroundings. For women don't die from osteoporosis; instead, they die from complications related to the fractures that occur with severe osteoporosis.
If you haven't already, start learning as much as you can about how to improve bone health through exercise and nutrition. Ask your health care professional for guidance. I want to talk to you about the kind of changes you should make in your environment to protect yourself from falls and those life-threatening fractures.
Your Home
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 60 percent of fatal falls in older adults occur in the home. Make sure you don't stumble into that category by checking the following:
Your Lifestyle
Getting Enough Calcium and Vitamin D
So the last time you drank a glass of milk Jimmy Carter was in the White House. Never fear; you can get your calcium from other sources, both supplements and food. The "best" supplement is the one that meets your needs based on tolerance, convenience, cost and availability. In general, choose brand name supplements with known reliability. And take your calcium throughout the day in doses of 500 mg or less; your body will absorb it better.
Good Sources of Dietary Calcium | |
Source | Amount of Calcium |
One, 8-ounce serving of yogurt |
300 mg*
|
1 1/2 cup of part-skim ricotta cheese |
337 mg
|
3.75 oz. canned sardines, including bones |
351 mg
|
One cup cooked collard greens |
226 mg
|
1/2 cup tofu (bean curd), with calcium |
434 mg
|
One cup dried figs |
287 mg
|
*in most commercial brands |
Get creative! Sprinkle half a cup of diced figs over your yogurt and, if you're an adult, you'll meet more than half your daily calcium needs right there! Other ways to increase the calcium in your food is by adding nonfat powdered milk to soups, casseroles and drinks; buying juices, cereals, breads and rice fortified with calcium; and drinking bottled water with calcium.