Evaluation

Individually: Evaluate the entire assignment in terms of what you learnt, the skills you utilized and developed, the success or not of your food choices, your time management for both practical and research sections, ideas for improvement. (600-800 words on your blog).

Osteoporosis is a common condition affecting over 1 million Australians in which bones become fragile and brittle leading to a higher risk of fractures, than in normal bone. Osteoporosis occurs when bones lose minerals, such as calcium, more quickly than the body can replace them, leading to a loss of bone thickness. Women are at greater risk of developing osteoporosis than men, particularly after menopause, because oestrogen levels are reduced. Osteoporosis is neither a choice or allergy, but a disease of the bone that is developed commonly in women, in later life. Osteoporosis is developed because bone is made up mostly of minerals such as calcium and the bones in our bodies are constantly being broken down and replaced with new bones. This bone-building cycle takes about 100 days and is influenced by the hormones produced in our bodies  as well as by the levels of calcium and vitamin D. Osteoporosis occurs when bone tissue and minerals are lost faster than the bone is replaced. This disease has no restriction on a person’s food choices but it is vitally important for anyone with the disease to have a high calcium and vitamin D diet. This diet would also be suitable for anyone that wanted to help prevent their chance of developing osteoporosis elderly adult. A high intake of calcium in needed in their diet because bones act like a calcium bank, if you do not take in enough calcium from your diet the body will withdraw calcium from your ‘bone bank’ for use in the other parts of the body. If your body withdraws more calcium than it deposits over a long period, your bone density will gradually decline and you will be at risk of developing osteoporosis. Food sources that are high in calcium include fortified sot milk, low fat cheese, salmon, sardines. Vitamin D plays an essential role in bone health by improving the absorption of bone building calcium, supporting growth and maintenance of the skeleton and regulating levels of calcium in the blood. Food high in vitamin D include milk, ham, tofu, swiss cheese, eggs, soy milk and canned salmon. Soybean products such as soy milk, sprouts, tofu and tempeh, are good sources of plant oestrogens and may help to slow down the loss of calcium from bones in women post-menopause. A diet for someone with osteoporosis or trying to prevent osteoporosis should have a moderate intake of protein foods because excess protein ends to increase calcium loss in the urine. Protein foods include red meat, chicken, fish, eggs and cottage cheese. Their diet should be low in alcohol, salt and caffeine as they tend to decrease calcium from bones. There should also be a low intake of phosphate because it competes with calcium for absorption in the bone. Sources of phosphates include red meat and phosphate preservatives in food and beverages, especially cola drinks. The long term effects of osteoporosis include fractures, spinal curvature and loss of mobility. Fractures are the most common effect from osteoporosis because the bones become weak and fracture even after a relatively minor accident. Even if a fracture does not occur, the spinal bones  may become weak and crush together. As this happens the spine curves, which can result in back pain, height loss, and difficulty breathing since there is less space under the ribs. Although bones heal in around two months, recovering from a fracture may require help from a physiotherapist in order to help regain mobility. Throughout this assignment I have learnt that your diet has a huge impact on your lifestyle and that what you eat as a young child can determine whether you suffer with a disease or not in your later life. We had about 1-5 weeks for planning and 1 week to do the praq. As long as you kept up to date with the research, then the time allocated for the assignment was generous. During the praq lesson there was an entire period for four of us to make 3 recipes for the high tea. Each recipe had a flow plan so it was easy to follow the recipe step by step. Georgia, Jamzin, Sophie and all worked well together and pitched in to help one another with each recipe. The end result looked appealing and appetising. 

High Tea Platter: Banana Bread, Apple & Custard Tarts, and Rice Pudding