YOUR DIET AND YOUR BONES

YOUR DIET AND YOUR BONES

YOUR DIET AND YOUR BONES

When it comes to your bones, the old expression “you are what you eat” couldn’t
be more true. Not getting enough calcium increases your risk of developing
osteoporosis, a disease that reduces bone mass, which in turn increases your risk
of bone fracture. For most men, about 1,500 milligrams per day is a good goal.
And you can get most of that by eating calcium rich foods such as milk (including
soy), cheese, fish, and green vegetables such as broccoli and kale. You can also
get calcium-fortified cereals and juices. The amount of calcium you need
depends on your age, overall health, and other factors, so be sure to check with
your healthcare provider before making big changes to your diet or taking calcium
supplements.

ACHIEVING AND MAINTAINING A HEALTHY WEIGHT

Maintaining a healthy weight doesn’t require a lot of effort. Below you’ll find a
number of ways that will help. The more you can follow, the easier it will be:
• Follow the guidelines in the new Food Pyramid, and limit your fat intake to
no more than 30 percent of the calories you eat every day. Choose non-fat
or low-fat options whenever possible. Have baked potatoes instead of

French fries, get your salad dressing on the side and don’t use all of it, and
skip the cheese on your burger.
• Eat slowly, pay attention to how you feel, don’t have seconds unless you’re
really hungry, and stop when you’re full. Despite what your mother may
have said, you do not always need to finish everything on your plate.
• Eat smaller portions.
• Don’t skip breakfast. People who eat a healthy breakfast tend to eat less
during the day, have lower cholesterol (see page 34), and are able to
concentrate better at work and at home.
• Eat out less often. Home-cooked meals tend to be lower in calories and fat
than restaurant-cooked foods.
• Drink less alcohol. Several research studies show that moderate alcohol
consumption may have some health benefits. “Moderate” means no more
than two drinks per day. If controlling your drinking is a problem for you,
avoid alcohol entirely.
• Limit caffeine. One or two cups a day won’t hurt you, but more than that
can cause dehydration, insomnia, anxiety and heart palpitations (irregular
heart beat).
• Get into the habit of reading the ingredients panel on food packages, and
avoid high-calorie, high-fat, high-sodium snack foods or fast foods.
• Avoid any food that contains hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.
These are called “trans fat” and are extremely unhealthy.
• Drink at least eight glasses of water every day.
• Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
WHAT ABOUT VITAMINS AND MINERALS?
Just as with diets, there’s a lot of inaccurate information out there about vitamins
and nutritional supplements. While there’s no question that getting enough
vitamins and minerals is essential, you probably don’t need to take any supplements
if you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet.
H o w e v e r, if any of the following are true, you may need vitamin and/or mineral
s u p p l e m e n t s :
• You regularly eat less than 1,200 calories per day.
• You regularly skip meals.
• You take medication that interferes with your body’s ability to absorb
vitamins and minerals.
• You are lactose intolerant (meaning you can’t digest milk or dairy products)
and aren’t getting enough calcium.
• If you chose to take vitamins, take only the recommended daily allowance
( i t ’s printed on the package). Taking higher does for long periods of time
can be harmful. And be sure to check with your doctor before taking any
nutritional supplements.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Check with your doctor before going on any diet or taking any vitamins
or supplements.