Healthy Aging: Building Bone Strength People often associate healthy aging with cardiovascular diseases or cancer, but osteoporosis affects over half of postmenopausal women and one out of six white men over age 50 – it’s a preventable condition which causes bones to become fragile and increases the risk of fracture.
Prevention of osteoporosis starts with proper nutrition, especially adequate calcium intake to promote bone strength. Dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese provide great sources of calcium but there are other sources as well. Choose fortified orange juice, dark green vegetables, nuts and beans as they all contain significant amounts of this nutrient compared to processed food which often lack it altogether.
Regular exercise is another key component in maintaining bone health. Exercise can take many forms, from walking and playing basketball, gardening and swimming – to running or gardening with friends! Exercise with friends increases fun factor and keeps you motivated!
Other essential aspects of healthy aging include making informed food selections, practicing safe handling techniques and attending recommended screenings. FDA has resources available to them that will assist older adults in building these positive lifestyle habits.