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National Osteoporosis Awareness Month: No bones about it. Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease that affects 44 million Americans or 55% of men and women ages 50 and older. Characterized by fragile, porous bones that break easily, this disease can be treated — and better yet — prevented. The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) has designated May as National Osteoporosis Awareness Month to show us how. What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis, often called the “silent disease,” weakens and thins bones such that they become fragile and can fracture — sometimes without any warning signs. Bone is living tissue that undergoes changes throughout our lives. It is formed up to the age of about 30, making our childhood and teenage years the most critical for building bone mass. Kids who reach optimal bone mass during these years are less likely to develop this disease. After age 30, however, the body begins to break bone down faster than it replenishes it. This is particularly true for women after the onset of menopause. And because of this, women are at higher risk and more commonly diagnosed with osteoporosis than men. To determine your risk, ask your doctor about getting a bone mineral density test. This is a painless, non-invasive test that accurately detects osteoporosis before a bone breaks. How to Prevent Osteoporosis Did you know that while lowfat dairy foods are the ideal source for calcium, there are many other foods that can boost your calcium intake? See our suggestions and recipes below.
• Increase your intake of calcium Calcium is essential to developing and maintaining bone strength and plays an important part in preventing osteoporosis. Calcium requirements recommended by the National Institutes of Health: Age Group Milligrams Per Day Birth – 6 months 400 6 months – 1 year 600 1 to 5 years 800 6 to 10 years 800–1200 11 to 24 years 200–1500 Women and men aged 25 to 50 years 1000 Women pregnant or nursing 1200–1500 Postmenopausal women (50-65) 1500 (1000 if taking estrogen) Women and men over 65 years 1500
Simple Ways to Boost Your Calcium Intake:
While adequate calcium intake plays a key role in preventing osteoporosis, don’t forget to incorporate vitamin D into your diet and to engage in regular weight-bearing and resistance exercises in your daily routines. To learn more about how these factors are involved in osteoporosis prevention, be sure to log onto the National Osteoporosis Foundation’s Web site at www.nof.org Calcium-Rich Recipe Ideas In addition to the meal and snack ideas previously suggested, you can boost your intake of calcium in so many delicious ways. Here are a few tantalizing recipes to get you started. Calcium never tasted this good! The Chicken Stroganoff with Yogurt has 86 milligrams of osteoporosis-fighting calcium, but it’s the flavors that make it such an exceptional dish. For dessert, enjoy a creamy, sinfully rich-tasting Banana-Granola Yogurt Parfait, which you can prepare in advance. Chicken Stroganoff with Yogurt Prep time: 12 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Total time: 42 minutes 2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 tbsp. trans fat-free margarine 1 tbsp. olive oil 3 cups sliced mushrooms (8 oz.) 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp. flour 1 tbsp. paprika 1 (8-oz.) carton plain yogurt 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley or 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley flakes Egg noodles (optional) Caraway seeds (optional) 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. In a large skillet melt margarine; add olive oil and stir-fry chicken, half at a time, until browned. 2. Arrange chicken in a shallow baking dish. Add mushrooms to skillet and cook until tender. Add lemon juice and cook for 1 minute. Spoon mushrooms over chicken. 3. Add flour and paprika to pan juices. Stir in yogurt and mix well. Spoon over chicken. 4. Bake for about 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with egg noodles tossed with caraway seeds, if desired. Serves 6 Per serving: 213 calories, 6g carbohydrate, 38g protein, 1g fiber, 5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 90 mg cholesterol, 150mg sodium, 86mg calcium
Banana-Granola Yogurt Parfait Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Total time: 35 minutes 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats 2 tbsp. wheat germ 1/4 cup sliced almonds 1 tbsp. honey 1/2 tbsp. melted butter 2 tbsp. raisins 1 medium banana, sliced 1/2 inch thick 1 (6-oz.) carton vanilla yogurt 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. To make granola mixture, combine oats and wheat germ in large bowl. Spread on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven. 2. Pour baked oats and wheat germ mixture into bowl. Stir in almonds, honey, butter and salt. Spread on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes more, or until lightly browned, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool to room temperature and stir in raisins, breaking up large granola clusters. 3. For each parfait spoon 2 tablespoons granola into 3 parfait glasses or dessert dishes. Alternate layers, using banana slices, yogurt and granola. Serves 3 Per serving: 257 calories, 43g carbohydrate, 9g protein, 5g fiber, 8g fat, 2g saturated fat, 6mg cholesterol, 44mg sodium, 100mg calcium |
