Stand Tall Canada Week May 26-30, 2014
Video clip above: Dr Rick Adachi, Rheumatologist, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and Professor, Department of Medicine, McMaster University and Kim Thompson from the Hamilton Chapter of Osteoporosis
How tall are you standing? Did you know that losing height could be a sign of osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a disease in both men and women that causes bone mass loss and deterioration. According to Osteoporosis Canada, at least 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men will suffer from an osteoporotic fracture during their lifetime.
The disease is often referred to as a pediatric disease with a geriatric consequence. This is because the cause of the disease can be linked to the lack of developing healthy eating habits as a child. In fact, adequate calcium intake during ones youth can be the best defense against developing osteoporosis later on in life.
“Keeping bones strong begins early in life and can affect us well into our senior years. That is why developing healthy eating habits in children that include calcium rich foods is so important. One of the biggest myths is that chocolate milk is not healthy for children and that fruit juice is a better option. Some parents even believe that diet soda, because it is sugar free, is a healthier option than chocolate milk. Milk and chocolate milk are excellent sources of calcium and 15 other vitamins and minerals. A real bonus is that milk contains Vitamin D which is essential to help your body use the calcium from food” says Helen Van deMark, Registered Dietitian and Manager, Professional Practice Leader Clinical Nutrition at St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton.
Helen has also provided some tips on calcium and how to know that you are getting enough:
Tips for Kids:
- Offer children water, milk and chocolate milk instead of juice, fruit drinks and soda
- Avoid all types of soda (regular or diet).
- Offer fresh fruit instead of fruit juice
- Avoid caffeine drinks (sweetened coffee drinks are becoming increasingly popular among children)
Tips for Adults:
Find out how much calcium you need every day:
- Adults over the age of 50 need 1200 mg Calcium per day.
- If you are at risk for developing Osteoporosis, the recommendation is 1500mg per day.
How do you know if you are getting enough?
Generally, the foods you eat every day provide about 300mg of Calcium. The balance of your calcium needs should come from calcium rich foods such as milk, fortified soy or almond milk, yogurt and cheese. Generally 1 serving of a high calcium food provides about 300mg of calcium. Most adults need to have 3-4 servings of calcium rich foods every day.
Calcium Supplements
If you are not getting enough calcium from the foods you eat, you may need a Calcium supplement. Speak to your health care provider before starting a Calcium supplement. More is not necessarily better. To improve the absorption of Calcium, you should take calcium supplements in smaller doses (maximum 600mg at one time) throughout the day.
Osteoporosis Canada volunteers across Canada will be hosting Stand Tall Clinics, May 26 – 30, 2014 in various communities across the country. Visit one of the Stand Tall clinics sponsored by Dairy Farmers of Canada in your community to have your height measured and to receive more information on this “silent thief”. Click here to learn more about the Stand Tall Clinics.
For more information about osteoporosis, visit Osteoporosis Canada at www.osteoporosis.ca or visit your primary healthcare provider.