Nutrition
Staying Osteoporosis free with our diet
In this chapter, we will be discussing how we can live an osteoporosis free life with our diet.
People once thought a shrunken, stooped posture was a natural part of ageing, but the real culprit is osteoporosis. The skeleton constantly breaks down and rebuilds itself via cells called osteoclasts and osteoblasts, respectively. However, as we age we tend to lose bone faster than we rebuild it, which decreases the bone density, making it weaker and more likely to fracture/ break.
Osteoporosis is the major underlying cause of fracture in postmenopausal women and the elderly, and it develops silently. It may only be discovered after a fracture which usually involves the hip or the wrist joints, but may involve other joints during a minor bump or fall. Little fractures in the spine may gradually reduce height and also leads to stooped posture.
Osteoporosis can be prevented and its development decelerated through an adequate diet and lifestyle plan.
Foods to include
Calcium rich foods such as; milk, yogurt, anchovies, and sardines.
Potassium rich foods such as; banana, coconut water, tomatoes, and eggplants.
Phosphorus rich foods such as; poultry, nuts and legumes, fish, and eggs.
Vitamin C rich foods such as; oranges/tangerines, limes/lemons, and bell peppers.
Vitamin D rich foods such as; salmon, sardines, and mushrooms.
Vitamin K rich foods such as; cabbage, avocado, and lettuce.
Foods to avoid
Sodas and caffeine rich drinks
Red meat and meat products
Processed foods
High fat diet and fast foods
Highly salted foods
Lifestyle modification
Going for walks, especially early morning for that early morning sunshine Vitamin D, jogging, skipping and other weight bearing exercises may help preserve the bone density.
Moderation of alcohol and cessation of cigarette smoking cannot be over looked.
In conclusion, many of the conditions we blame on old age have very tangible ways of being avoided in our youth. Let’s not wait till it’s too late; let us change our lifestyles and diets now, so that we can continue to easily get up and go when our youth begins to depart.
The writer Dr. Bernice Korkor Asare is the CEO of Holistic Health Consult
“Your diet your health, your health your wealth”
E-mail: holistichealthconsultgh@gmail.com
In March 2025, world leaders gathered in Paris for the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit, the most important global gathering on malnutrition of the decade. Over $30 billion in new financial commitments were pledged globally by more than 170 actors from 82 countries. Ghana was there. Ghana made commitments. The question now is: are those commitments enough, and will they be delivered?
Ghana made 10 commitments at the 2025 N4G Summit. One of the most significant is a pledge to spend at least $6 million annually from 2026 for the procurement of essential nutrition commodities including ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS), iron-folic acid tablets, vitamin A supplements, and anthropometric equipment for measuring child growth.
This financial commitment is meaningful. For years, Ghana’s nutrition programmes have depended heavily on donor funding, leaving services vulnerable to aid cuts and supply disruptions. A domestic budget line for nutrition commodities signals a shift toward ownership and sustainability. It also directly supports Ghana’s Nutrition for Growth commitments from the 2021 Tokyo Summit, several of which remain off track.
The Bigger Picture
The 2025 N4G Summit was about more than funding. It called for systemic change: embedding nutrition in food systems, health coverage, climate resilience, and gender equality. Every dollar invested in nutrition is estimated to return $16 to the local economy. Yet malnutrition still costs Ghana an estimated 6.4 per cent of its GDP annually. That is not a public health statistic. It is an economic emergency.
The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) has acknowledged that converting summit outcomes into actionable change requires transparent policy dialogue and locally driven solutions.
Commitments made in Paris must be tracked, funded, and implemented in Ghana’s communities. Programmes must move from pilot scale to national coverage. That will not happen without sustained political will, dedicated domestic financing, and public accountability.
Commitments made on global stages matter. But they only become meaningful when they translate into services in communities. The question is not what Ghana promised in Paris. It is what Ghana delivers at home.
Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition project
Cabbage is very rich in fibre, the main supplier of roughage. This helps the body retain water and it maintains the bulkiness of the food as it moves through the bowels.
Thus, it is a good remedy for constipation and other digestion-related problems.
Ingredients
-1 large cabbage
– 4 large fresh tomatoes
– 1 large onion
– Pepper
-Garlic
-2 large salmon
-1 tin of mackerel
-2 large green pepper
-Salt to taste
Preparation
-Chop cabbage roughly and wash in a large pot of water
-Pour vinegar on it and wait until you make other preparations. Then drain.
-Heat coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat
-Cook and stir onion in hot oil until onion turns dark brown.
-Blend tomatoes, green pepper, garlic and onion and add to the oil
-Add tomato paste, mackerel and salmon to stew
-Add cabbage, stir and cover to cook for 7 – 10 minutes
-Allow to simmer when it is soft and serve with rice, yam etc.
