To highlight World Osteoporosis Day in 2020, we have enlisted the support of leading horse trainer Jessica Harrington to raise awareness of the condition, Jessica is 73 and leads a very active lifestyle as well as following a balanced diet with lots fruit, vegetables and dairy produce.
Jessica Harrington is one of the world's leading horse trainers and the most successful female trainer ever at Cheltenham. Before becoming a horse trainer, she represented Ireland on the world stage as a three day event rider.
She competed at European and World Championships and also qualified for the 1984 Olympics in LA where she unfortunately had to pull out at the last moment due to a lame horse. She has since gone on to build an empire that is the Jessica Harrington Racing brand, training Cheltenham Gold Cup and Irish Grand National winners to name but a few. Based down in Kildare, JHR is a family run business managed by Jessica, her daughters Kate & Emma and son in law Richie. JHR currently trains over 200 horses and supports 70+ jobs.
"I have always lived a very active life through working with horses and training all my life so I am in good shape for a 73 year old woman. As you get older you need to be really conscious of your bones and the risk of fractures becomes more paramount. There are certain nutrients which play specific roles in the health of our bones, including calcium, protein, phosphorus and vitamin D. Dairy foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese provide many of these key nutrients (calcium, protein, phosphorous – and vitamin D in fortified dairy products). I always have granola with fruit and yogurt every morning and eat a very good varied and balanced diet which helps to keep healthy and strong, and I always follow the daily recommended 3 servings from the 'milk, yogurt and cheese'. As well as a 'bone-friendly' diet, I keep pretty fit with weight-bearing, resistance-style exercises which are particularly important for bone and muscle health, I get a lot of brisk waking in around the race tracks and my grounds every day so it keeps me very active".
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