Virginia Beach, VA Caregivers Provide Diet Options For Seniors Looking To Better Prevent Or Manage Osteoporosis
You’ve probably heard of osteoporosis before but, if you’ve only heard about ways to treat it, you’re missing crucial information. Did you know that there are simple ways you and your loved ones can help prevent osteoporosis from occurring in the first place?
Give us a call at (757) 204-1108 to learn more!
Let’s Look At Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a common disease that is caused when bones lose minerals, like calcium, faster than they can be replaced, causing them to lose thickness and become weak. This loss of thickness can happen to any bone in the body and foten, there aren’t even any warning signs before a fracture.
This is why osteoporosis is called the ‘silent disease’.
When left untreated numerous health complications can occur because of repeated fractures such as, chronic pain, loss of mobility or independence, and, in extreme cases, even premature death.
Add Some More Calcium
So now you know a little more about what osteoporosis is, how can you help protect your loved one? Well, an excellent place to start is by encouraging them to add more calcium rich foods into their diet or take a supplement.
Much like exercise, this can help strengthen bones at any age!
The biggest stars of the calcium show are often dairy products like milk, yogurt, or cheese but, they are just the start! Other calcium rich products include:
- Veggies: spinach, okra, collards, white beans, and kale
- Fish: sardines, salmon, trout, and perch
- Almond Milk: it has 2x more calcium than cow’s milk!
- Calcium Fortified Foods: breakfast cereal, oatmeal, and some orange juices
Vitamin D: The Key To Bone Health
Vitamin D is essential to bone health because of the role it plays in calcium absorption. When the body doesn’t get enough vitamin D, it cannot produce enough of the hormone called calcitriol (known as Active Vitamin D) and must take it from existing stores in bones. This prevents the growth of new, strong bone.
There are three ways you can get vitamin D: through skin from sun exposure, from supplements, and through diet.
Recommended vitamin D rich foods include:
- Fatty fish, such as tuna, mackerel, and salmon
- Fortified foods like cereals, some dairy products, or soy milk
- Orange juice
- Beef Liver
Is That Everything?
While diet is certainly a large part of osteoporosis treatment and prevention, it is important to remember that it isn’t the only factor contributing to bone health. Things like lifestyle choices, medications, and menopause can all potentially cause loss of bone thickness.
Your senior’s physician will be able to determine whether they should take an osteoporosis medication in addition to making dietary changes.
Why Choose Comfort Keepers® In Home Care?
At Comfort Keepers®, we understand that you may not be able to keep up with everything in you life, your family’s life, and your senior loved one’s life down to the smallest detail. That’s where our caregivers can step in to help!
All of our caregivers are taught our unique approach to personal care called Interactive Caregiving™. What this means is, your loved one will be not only be supported physically, through a healthy nutritious diet that includes plenty of calcium and vitamin D, but mentally and socially as well.
Our goal is to provide support for seniors to do the activities they love, with the people they love and we accomplish this by giving them an active hand in their care. They will work with their caregiver to plan tasty meals, fun activities, and more in order to secure their independence and make their golden years shine brighter.
If you’d like to learn more about our philosophy of Interactive Caregiving™ and how our caregivers use it to help your loved one improve their health, while maintaining their independence and dignity at home, please contact us online or call us at (757) 204-1108. Our agents are available 24/7 to answer your questions and schedule your free in home consultation.
