Saturday 22 October 2016

Staying Healthy - Bone Health



Bone health


It's very important for people with dementia to keep their bones as healthy as possible. This is because people with dementia are at risk of falls, and bone health makes a big difference to the effect of a fall.

Calcium and vitamin D are important for maintaining strong bones. Vitamin D deficiency is common in the UK, particularly in older people. The Department of Health recommends that people over the age of 65 take vitamin D supplements.

Good sources of calcium include milk, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, tofu and yoghurt. Vitamin D can be found in eggs and oily fish, but most vitamin D is made in the skin in response to sunlight.

The recommended daily intake of calcium is 700mg, which is the amount found in about one pint of milk.

About 20 minutes of sunlight exposure (without sunscreen) every day throughout the summer is thought to provide a person with enough vitamin D for the whole year.

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