"As I approach the age of sixty, I have started to make plans for my retirement. I would like to remain active, take care of my grandchildren, visit art exhibitions with my daughter, travel… But my doctor has told me that I suffer from osteoporosis. As I am not familiar with this illness, I am worried. I fear that this disorder will prevent me from living a normal life."

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a disease provoked by a reduction in bone resistance cawsing fractures in ageing people. Its incidence increases with age and the menopause and can be stimulated by an unbalanced diet, namely poor in calcium, vitamin D and proteins during adolescence. The coverage of calcium requirements is therefore vital at all stages of life, not only in adolescence, to prevent the appearance of this illness at adulthood (as primary prevention) but also to prevent the occurrence of fractures in people already suffering from osteoporosis (secondary prevention).
Here we give you a few tips to help you balance your diet and cover your essential requirements.

How to compensate for bone demineralisation in your diet?

• It is important to vary your diet as much as possible,
• Take three to four meals a day, eating slowly and calmly,
• Remember to drink abundantly all day long (at least 1.5 to 2 litres of water per day) especially calcium-rich water,
• Eat at least four dairy products everyday to cover your calcium requirements that move up from 900 mg/jour to 1 200 mg/day for women after 55 and men after 65,
• Also choose foods that are rich in phosphorus (often associated with calcium) and in vitamin D (requirements: 5 µg per day then 10 to 15 µg per day for persons aged over 75),
• Avoid eating magnesium-rich foods (chocolate, dried fruit and oleaginous fruit…) at the same time as calcium-rich food as magnesium competes with the absorption of calcium,
• Exercise, even a little, helps keep your weight down and is good for the morale. If you cannot join a sports club, stimulate your daily energy expenditure by taking the stairs rather than the lift, by walking or cycling with family or friends…
• Remember to consult your doctor regularly to check your bone density or to follow the appropriate medical treatment if required,
• If you do smoke, try to stop if you have the willpower: smoking is dangerous for your bones and could advance the age of the menopause.

Here is a day's balanced menu plan:

A small amount of bread and as much water as you want can accompany your main meals.

Breakfast :

• A cup of white coffee
• A Yoplait plain yoghurt sweetened with cane sugar
• Wholemeal bread lightly spread with margarine
• A freshly-squeezed fruit juice

Lunch:

• Lentil salad
• A 2-egg omelette
• Brussels sprouts
• A portion of cheddar
• Two apricots

Afternoon snack:

• A 20% Calin fromage frais with a few almonds
• An apple

Dinner:

• Grated carrots with lemon dressing
• Ratatouille with pasta spirals and grated cheese
• A Panier fruit yoghurt

Equivalences:

300 mg calcium, i.e. 1/4 of daily requirements =

• A glass of milk (around 250 ml)
• 2 yoghurts
• 300 g fromage frais, i.e. 3 individual fromage frais
• 10 petits suisses
• 25 g gruyere cheese
• 40 g de Saint Paulin
• 60 g de Camembert

Equivalences:

1 µg vitamin D, i.e.1/10e daily requirements (considering that 2/3 of vitamin D intake is synthesized by the skin) =

• A fried egg
• 30 g tuna
• 80 g liver

"Yoplait" advice:

To cover your calcium requirements, eat one dairy product per meal: calcium and phosphorus in dairy products are combined in good proportions, an inseparable duo to help maintain healthy bones .