Osteoporosis and fractures
When I get older, I feel weak when I move. Grandpa Zhang, who has just passed 70 years old, often laments that the years are unforgiving. Lack of strength in the waist and legs, lack of energy to go up the stairs, Grandpa Zhang always thought that this was a sign of old age, and it was not taken seriously that he usually had a pain in his waist and legs. Once, I was walking carelessly, I fell and fractured my hip, and I saw a doctor to find out that it was caused by osteoporosis. And Grandpa Zhang's weakness in his waist and legs may be an early sign of osteoporosis.
What is osteoporosis?
For example: normal people's bones are like compressed biscuits are very solid, and osteoporotic bones are like soda biscuits, which are loose and brittle, and the bones are "crispy" and the loss of them is "calcium".
Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by low bone mass and destruction of the internal microstructures of bone tissue, resulting inIncreased bone fragility, a systemic bone metabolic disease that causes fractures. The whole process is very slow, and there are often no obvious clinical manifestations at the beginning, so it is also called a "silent epidemic".
Osteoporosis is one of the common diseases of the elderly, and its incidence is also increasing. According to statistics, the incidence rate of 60 to 69-year-old women in China is as high as 50% to 70%, and the incidence rate of elderly men is 30%. But a considerable number of people don't take it seriously, and even find out that they have osteoporosis long ago when they break a bone.
How to prevent osteoporosis?
1. Proper exercise and sun exposure.
Insisting on a certain amount of outdoor exercise every day can enhance muscle strength, improve the body's balance, make the gait stable, and not easy to fall. However, the elderly should exercise moderately according to their own conditions, not strenuous exercise, preferably between 3 and 5 p.m., 3 5 times a week.
Elderly people with severe osteoporosis should take some relatively soothing exercises such as tai chi, slow walking, etc. Appropriate outdoor exercise can keep the elderly in a happy mood; Adequate sun exposure can help the body synthesize sufficient amounts of vitamin D.
2. Healthy diet and scientific calcium supplementation.
The safest way for the human body to supplement calcium is to eat a reasonable diet. This is best for older people who have mild degrees of osteoporosis or who don't have osteoporosis to prevent it.
Milk, shrimp skin, soy products, nuts, etc. are all foods with high calcium content.
Usually 300 ml of milk per day is enough to meet the body's calcium needs.
In addition to calcium, you can also supplement some vitamin D, such as: egg yolk, mushrooms and marine fish.
For the elderly, they should increase their intake of high-quality protein, eat a low-salt diet, and eat a balanced diet.
For people who have already developed osteoporosis, under the premise of dietary calcium supplementation, they should take some calcium and vitamin D appropriately under the guidance of a doctor.
3. Good living habits.
Studies have shown that smoking is very bad for bone health, so we must quit smoking and limit alcohol, and avoid excessive consumption of coffee, carbonated drinks and alcoholic beverages, which will accelerate bone loss and cause or aggravate osteoporosis.
To prevent osteoporosis, the elderly should exercise appropriately, eat reasonably, develop good living habits, and maintain a happy mood. In addition, drugs should not be abused, and calcium and vitamin D should be supplemented reasonably under the guidance of a doctor. Through the comprehensive intervention of the above aspects, the occurrence of osteoporosis can be reduced or delayed, and the physical fitness and quality of life of the elderly can be improved.