Do seniors over 60 years old need to eat foods high in calcium every day?
Answers
People above 70 need more calcium and vitamin D to help sustain their bone health than the amount they needed in their younger years. To meet these needs, choose calcium-rich foods and beverages and aim for three servings of low-fat dairy products every day.
Other sources of calcium include:
• Fortified cereals and fruit juices
• Dark green leafy vegetables
• Canned fish with soft bones
• Fortified plant-based beverages
• Green leafy vegetables such as kale and okra
• Milk, cheese, and other dairy foods
Sources of vitamin D include:
• Fatty fish, such as salmon
• Red meat
• Liver
• Egg yolks
• Fortified foods, like breakfast cereals
• Mushrooms
• Spinach
• Orange
If you take a calcium multivitamin or supplement, it’s advisable to choose one that contains vitamin D.
Seniors’ need for calcium is the same as an average-aged adult. There’s no need to consume excessive amounts of calcium-rich foods like dairy. My mum panicked about her shortage of calcium in her blood and added a large amount of calcium-rich food to her diet, and not surprisingly, her intestines weren’t working very well for quite a while.
On the contrary, seniors’ bodies must be provided with at least 1000 mg each day. Lesser this amount can have an unfixable impact on different body parts. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is key to reaching their aim of 1000 mg a day. Having too much of the same food category can make seniors sick. They need to spread this minimum amount in different meals and types of food to have a better diet.
Osteoporosis is a disease that affects bones and joints, making them so vulnerable to the point where they break easily, especially joints like the hip joint and wrists. Professionals call osteoporosis a “silent disease,” as one may not notice any changes in their bones and movements until they break a bone – often in a destructive way.
Calcium deficiency is one of the three common causes of osteoporosis, so you can imagine the significant role calcium consumption plays in a senior’s daily diet. Professionals recommend everyone, especially seniors, to consult with a dietary professional and follow their schedule, as a low calcium intake can cause conditions like osteoporosis.
A high calcium intake may also result in super dense bones that are too dry and prone to breaking and other injuries.
Every senior should consult with professionals about their calcium intake before deciding whether to consume a high dosage of calcium in their diet or not. The chances are that your professional consulting session will involve a medium dosage of calcium intake only if you don’t have a particular condition that requires otherwise.
Yes, more than ever needed. A senior needs foods high in calcium and
vitamin D more than they need at younger ages for complete nutrition.
