7
Staying active
and
on your feet
Milk, yoghurt, cheese, salmon, sardines,
tahini, fgs, almonds and brazil nuts are
all good sources of calcium.
Bread, cereals, fruit and green vegetables
such as broccoli and bok choy also have
calcium, although not as much.
The following menu is an example of
a typical day’s eating that would help
you reach the recommended intake of
calcium (1300 mg per day).
Breakfast: Toast or muesli plus a tub of
low fat yoghurt
Lunch: Wholemeal sandwich with cheese,
chicken and salad
Dinner: Pasta or rice with tinned salmon
or tuna and vegetables such as peas,
broccoli and carrots
Snacking on fresh or dried fruit, cheese,
and nuts and a glass of milk/soy milk
each day will make up the rest. Calcium
‑enriched breads, juice and milk can be
good sources for additional calcium.
Vitamin D and sunlight
Vitamin D is very important for strong
bones. Being low in vitamin D can
affect your muscle strength and play a
part in osteoporosis because without
it calcium won’t be fully absorbed by
your bones.
You get vitamin D in two ways—from
your diet and from sunlight.
Vitamin D is found only in certain foods.
These are:
• milk
• oily fsh such as salmon and
mackerel
• eggs.
Sunlight is another way of getting
vitamin D. Sunlight acts on the skin and
converts it to vitamin D. Six to eight
minutes a day is enough.
Water
Many people don’t drink enough
water. Lack of water can lead to
dehydration, weakness and dizziness,
and is a common cause of older people
falling and hurting themselves.
Drink at least six glasses of fuid a day,
preferably water.