Hi, I'm Cathy with Level Up RN. In this video, I'm going to continue my coverage of topics from our Level Up RN Nutrition Flashcards. Specifically, I'll be talking about nutritional guidance for key musculoskeletal disorders, including osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and gout. At the end of the video, I'm going to give you guys a quiz to test your understanding of some of the key points I'll be covering. So definitely stay tuned for that. And if you have our Flashcards, go ahead and pull out your Flashcard on musculoskeletal disorders, so you can follow along with me.
Let's start by talking about osteoporosis, which is a metabolic bone disorder that causes a decrease in bone mass. This leads to fragile bones and an increased risk for fractures. In terms of nutritional guidance, adequate calcium is essential for preventing bone loss, and vitamin D is needed for the absorption of calcium. In terms of exercise, weight-bearing exercise helps to maintain bone density. Examples of weight-bearing exercises include walking and dancing, for example. Swimming is an excellent exercise for cardiovascular health, and it's easy on the joints, but it is not a weight-bearing exercise. So it's going to be less effective in maintaining bone density.
Next, let's talk briefly about osteomalacia, which is a disorder that causes soft bones due to insufficient vitamin D intake. It is similar to rickets, which is shown here, which is a childhood musculoskeletal disorder that is also caused by insufficient vitamin D intake. Treatment of osteomalacia and rickets includes increased intake of vitamin D-rich foods, such as fish, taking a vitamin D supplement, and getting sufficient sunlight exposure since sunlight is a key source for vitamin D.
Lastly, let's talk about gout, which is a metabolic disorder that causes hyperuricemia, so high levels of uric acid in the blood and causes uric acid crystals to be deposited in the joints. Particularly in the big toe, as shown here. This results in pain, inflammation, and acute arthritis. In terms of nutritional guidance, an individual with gout should avoid purine-rich foods because when purine is broken down in the body, uric acid is a by-product. Examples of purine-rich foods to avoid include red meat, organ meat, and shellfish. In addition, individuals with gout should avoid high-fructose drinks and alcohol and avoid starvation dieting and fasting, which can trigger a gout attack. And then finally, individuals should increase their fluid intake and lower stress levels whenever possible.
All right. It's quiz time, and I've got three questions for you. Question number one. Swimming is an example of a weight-bearing exercise that can help maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis. True or false?
The answer is false. Swimming is a great exercise, but it is not a weight-bearing exercise.
Question number two. Osteomalacia is caused by a deficiency of blank.
The answer is vitamin D.
Question number three. Individuals with gout should avoid foods rich in blank, such as red meat and organ meat.
The answer is purines.
All right. That's it for this video. I hope it was helpful. Take care and good luck with studying.
