Food Cures (40 page)

Follow this program if you have osteopenia or osteoporosis, or a family history of bone density problems.

STEP 1…
START WITH THE BASICS

These are the first things you should do to help preserve bone density:

• See your doctor for advice about osteoporosis diagnosis or prevention if…you are a woman in menopause who has never had a bone density scan…you have ever had an eating disorder…you have taken corticosteroid medications for three or more months at any time in your life.
  
• Take a multivitamin. See guidelines on Chapter 10.
  
• Begin taking calcium supplements with vitamin D
  ₃
  and optional magnesium. If you’re a man, speak with you physician before taking calcium supplements.
  
• Start an exercise program.
  
• If you smoke, quit. Encourage people in your life to quit smoking, too.
  

STEP 2…
YOUR ULTIMATE GROCERY LIST

A nutrition plan is only as good as the foods that you choose. This list contains foods with high levels of nutrients that help strengthen bones, plus some foods used as ingredients in the meal plans and recipes. You don’t have to purchase every item…but these foods should make up the bulk of what you eat for the week. If you find yourself getting bored, try some unfamiliar foods from the list—they may become favorites.

FRUIT

Apricots

Bananas

Berries (boysenberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries)

Cantaloupe

Clementines

Grapefruit and juice (pink, red)

Guava

Juice, calcium-fortified

Kiwi

Lemons (and juice)

Limes (and juice)

Lychees

Mangos

Melon, honeydew

Oranges (and juice)

Papaya

Persimmons

Pineapple

Plums

Prunes (and juice)

Raisins

Tangerines

Watermelon

VEGETABLES

Artichokes (including hearts)

Arugula

Asparagus

Avocado

Beans (black, white, pinto, kidney, lima, garbanzo, navy)

Beets

Bok choy

Broccoli

Broccoli raab

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage (including Chinese, red)

Carrots

Cauliflower

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

Collard greens

Corn

Corn (for meal plan): baby corn or frozen kernels

Endive

Escarole

Kale

Kohlrabi

Lentils

Lettuce (all varieties, especially romaine)

Mushrooms (especially shiitake)

Mustard greens

Okra

Parsley

Parsnips

Peas (black-eyed, split)

Peas, green

Peppers (hot; yellow/red/green)

Pepper, jalapeño

Potatoes, sweet

Potatoes, white

Pumpkin

Radicchio

Rutabagas

Seaweed

Shallots

Snow peas

Soybeans (including edamame)

Spinach

Squash, summer (all varieties)

Squash, winter (acorn, butternut)

Swiss chard

Tomatoes (including cherry tomatoes, green tomatoes; tomato sauce, juice, paste)

Tomatoes, canned, diced, no salt added (for meal plan)

Turnip greens

Watercress

Yams

SEAFOOD

ALL seafood and fish are good sources of protein

Black cod (sablefish)

Herring

Mackerel (not king)

Salmon, wild (with bones)

Sardines (with bones)

Snapper

LEAN MEATS/EGGS/SOY FOODS

Beef, lean

Chicken breast

Eggs

Ham, lean

Natto (fermented soybeans)

Pork tenderloin

Soy crisps

Tempeh

Tofu, extra-firm (for meal plan)

Tofu with calcium

Turkey breast

Veal

NUTS AND SEEDS (PREFERABLY UNSALTED)

Almonds

Cashews

Flaxseed

Peanut butter

Peanuts

Pistachio nuts

Pumpkin seeds

Sesame seeds

Soy nuts

Sunflower seeds

WHOLE GRAINS

Amaranth

Bread, whole grain

Cereal, fortified whole grain

Millet

Oatmeal

Pasta, preferably whole wheat

Quinoa

Rice, brown

Waffles, calcium-fortified whole grain

Wheat germ

DAIRY

Cheese (fat-free, reduced-fat)

Cheese (for meal plan): fat-free, reduced-fat, Cheddar, feta, mozzarella, Parmesan, Swiss

Cheese, soy

Ice cream, low-fat

Milk (vitamin D-fortified fat-free, 1% reduced-fat, enriched/fortified soy)

Yogurt (fat-free, low-fat)

Yogurt, frozen (fat-free, low-fat)

Yogurt, soy

MISCELLANEOUS

Basil, fresh

Bay leaves

Bread crumbs, whole wheat

Broth, chicken, fat-free, low-sodium

Chocolate syrup, light

Cinnamon, ground

Cornstarch

Dill, fresh

Flour, all-purpose

Flour, soy

Garlic

Ginger, fresh

Honey

Hot cocoa, diet (less than 200 calories)

Hot sauce

Margarine, vitamin-D-fortified, soft tub, trans fat-free

Mayonnaise, reduced-fat

Mint, fresh

Mustard, Dijon

Nonstick cooking spray

Nutmeg

Oil, canola

Oil, sesame

Oregano, dried

Paprika

Parsley, fresh

Pepper, black

Pepper, crushed red

Rosemary, dried and fresh

Salad dressing, reduced-calorie

Salsa

Soy crisps

Soy sauce, reduced-sodium

Sugar

Taco seasoning, mild or hot

Taco shells, hard or soft

Thyme, fresh

Vinegar, apple cider

Vinegar, balsamic

STEP 3…
GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND

If you want to do everything you can to prevent or control osteoporosis, here are some additional things you might try:

• Limit the amount of salt you eat.
  
• Limit alcohol consumption to no more than four drinks per week.
  
• If you need to diet for weight loss, do it in a way that is smart for your bones. See Weight Loss, Chapter 3, for more information.
  
• If you are underweight, talk with your doctor to learn the healthiest ways to bring your weight up.