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| Food and Nutrition Home Page >Sunshine and bones |
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Sunshine and bones |
Bone pain is a very common problemI especially among women of all age groups Bone pain may at times cripple them and they may some time be unable to perform
their routine activities. Mild boneIi . ache is also trouII blesome and makesI the patients irritaIble,uninterestedI and anxious.
Bones keep us mobile and erect, they support our body and also maintain constant supply of Calcium and other substances to the body to carry out many vital functions. Calcium and phosphorous are the essential elements of bones. Vitamin D, Parahormone and Calcitonin hormones are needed for maintenance of normal structure and functions of the bones.
If women avoid Calcium, vitamin D rich food or they don't get enough sunshine or lack of exercise, it will affect the bone leading to bone ache. Bones are not the fixed structure, they are constantly being absorbed and new bones are being laid down. The deficiency of vitamin D and/or Calcium can cause mild to severe disorders like rickets in children, osteomalacia or tetany in adults and osteoporosis in elderly individuals.
Osteomalacia is more common in cloistered nuns, office workers, institutionalised elderly persons, and residents of smoggy areas. Osteomalacia is more frequently observed in ladies who observe 'purdah' or cover their body with 'burkah', live in large families in ill ventilated rooms. Even the disease can occur in ladies who are suffering from chronic liver or kidney disease or suffering from chronic di-. arrhoea. Young ladies who are dieting and if not consuming balanced diet may also succumb to the disease. It can occur often in the ladies who are pregnant and not consuming sufficient amount of food. |
Symptoms |
Muscular weakness, bone pain, tenderness, backache, waddling gait, difficulty in walking or climbing are common complaints of the disease. Softening of bones due to loss of Calcium
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Osteomalacia |
The word means "Soft bones". This leads to bone ache especially in young women during pregnancy or while breast-feeding their baby. It is due to mainly lack of vitamin D in the body that is required. for healthy bone formation.
Osteomalacia occurs most often in women who have insufficient amount of Vitamin D in diet or exposed to little sun light, women who are frequently pregnant or lactating.
from bones causes deformity of bones especially of spines and pelvis. Bones can't withstand the trauma and can fracture easily.
Severe osteomalacia may cause t'roblems . during labour, tetany or spontaneous fracture or fractures by mild trauma. Which may not II
be even perceived by the patients. Iii Osteomalacia can also affect the child in the womb and the baby may be born deformed or . underweight. Mild Calcium or Vitamin D deficiency may be responsible for short stature. |
Why this Deficiency? |
Osteomalacia is due to lack of Vitamin D which may be due to inadequate exposure to sunlight as Vitamin D can be formed in skin by exposure to ultra violet rays of sun. Sun ray exposure to face and arms for about 15 minutes is sufficient to manufacture the days need in fair skinned individual while dark complexioned individuals should be exposed to sun for longer period and wider area of the body. Lack of Vitamin D may also be due to lack of vitamin D in diet or mal-absorption or due to kidney or liver diseases. Mild osteomalacia is common feature in women and women suffer from mild to moderate pain.
Rickets
If vitamin D deficiency occurs in children the bones become too soft and weak to bear the weight of the body, they have bowlegs, knock-knees, their skull is misshaped and chest is deformed. These children's muscles are weak and soft, may suffer from tetany. Children suffering from rickets have delayed milestones and can easily suffer from infectious disease as their immunity is decreased. Lack of Vitamin D will lead to delayed dentition in children and stunted growth. These children are irritable fretful, flabby, pot boiled. Rickets ,can develop in children born to mother suffering from osteomalacia or breastfed children not exposed to sunlight.
Prevention of Osteomalacia and Rickets
Cause of these diseases is Vitamin D deficiency. It is not present in vegetarian diet like cereals, vegetables and fruits. But it is found in sufficient amounts in eggs, fatty salty fishes. Fish liver oils are the richest source of vitamin D and one teaspoonful of cord liver oil is sufficient to fulfil our daily need of vitamin D.
Fortunately, Vitamin D can be formed in skin by ultraviolet rays of sun light that is why vitamin D is called as 'Sun shine Vitamin'. But ultra violet rays can't penetrate clouds, window glass, clothing or when the skin is highly pigmented.
How To Avoid Bone Ache
All persons should drink at least 250 ml. of milk per day, those allergic should drink a glassful of carrot juice freshly squeeze and eat green leafy vegetable and women of childbearing age should consume half litre of milk daily. When pregnant or breast-feeding the women should consume more skimmed milk that will meet the Calcium requirement. Women while pregnant or breast-feeding must take Calcium supplementation.
Exposure to sunshine for 15 minutes per day of hand and face for fair skinned women and for more parts and for longer time for dark skinned person will meet the vitamin D need of the body. So don't always stay indoor. Come out of home and office for sunshine.
Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and cigarettes. So also, avoid excess of coffee, soft drinks or high fat diet.
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Vegetables and Fruit.
Many foods especially vegetable ghee, oil, skimmed milk and brad may be available in the market fortified with vitamin D. So consuming these foodstuffs will give enough vitaminD.
Regular weight bearing exercise for at least 20-30 minutes for 3-4 times per week will strengthen the bones.
Osteomalacia is preventable. If it occurs, it may lead to bone ache, functional limitation, disability and overall a lesser quality of life. Above measures will enable you to enjoy life without an aching back or bone pain and you can live an active unburdened life at present and also in future.
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