We hear more and more women being afflicted with “Osteoporosis”. It mostly affects postmenopausal women and could be attributed to negligence in care taken during their younger years.
Osteoporosis is a condition where the bones become brittle and weak due to their low calcium content, putting women at high risk of bone fractures.
Menstruating women in their reproductive years produce hormones, known as estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is a hormone, which plays a vital role in maintaining a normal menstrual cycle and promoting bone strength. Estrogen and progesterone levels fall at the time of menopause causing symptoms such as hot flashes, depression, weight gain and puts the woman at an increased chance of developing osteoporosis.
Calcium, Vitamin D and phytoestrogens from food, along with prescription medicines have shown to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Include foods rich in calcium and Vitamin D in your daily diet. Foods like broccoli, dark green leafy vegetables, chestnuts, hazelnuts, soybeans, wheat germ, salmon, sardines (with bones), shrimp, oysters, clams, tofu, low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, calcium and Vitamin D-fortified juices , milk , cereals are beneficial in improving bone strength. Also, get adequate sunlight to improve your Vitamin D levels.
Include onions, garlic and eggs in your diet as these foods contain sulfur, which is needed for healthy bones.
Phytoestrogens have been gaining popularity, due to their similarity to the hormone estrogen and their potential role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
Foods rich in phytoestrogens are celery, parsley, wheat, soybeans and soymilk, tofu, soy yoghurt, corn, red clover, oats, dried apricots, dried dates, dried prunes, flaxseed, alfalfa sprouts, almonds, blueberries, chestnuts, legumes, chickpeas, fennel, carrots, asparagus, garlic, green beans, hummus, multigrain bread, mung bean sprouts, olive oil, onions, peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, watermelon, broccoli, cabbage, cashews, collards, garlic, green beans, hazelnuts, lentils, peaches, pistachios, raspberries, soybean sprouts, red clover tea, walnuts, watermelon, red and white wine.
Studies have shown that including 40 gms of soy protein in your diet can help prevent osteoporosis by increasing bone mineral density (BMD).
Soybean is a boon for vegetarians as it is a rich source of protein (20gms soybean has 9 gms of protein). It is a complete protein like milk and animal products. It is also a good source of calcium, iron, phytoestrogens and the heart friendly omega-3 fatty acids. Soybean scores over animal products and milk as is cholesterol and lactose free and can be given to people with lactose intolerance.
Soybean can be incorporated easily in our daily meal plan in the form of soy milk, soy paneer/cheese (tofu), soy granules (nutrella and nuggets), soy atta, soy yogurt, and soy nuts. Soy is also a popular food item used in Japanese and Chinese cuisines and is slowly gaining popularity in Indian and continental cuisines.
0 Comments