What can you do to protect your bones?
Osteoporosis and the broken bones it can cause are not part of normal aging. Osteoporosis prevention should begin in childhood and continue throughout life.
1. Get enough calcium and vitamin D and eat a well-balanced diet.
2. Engage in regular exercise.
3. Eat foods that are good for bone health, such as fruits and vegetables.
4. Avoid smoking and limit alcohol to 2-3 drinks per day.
What Women Need to Know
Females are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis and broken bones.
• Of the estimated 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, about eight million or 80% are women.
• Approximately one in two women over age 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis.
• A woman's risk of breaking a hip is equal to her combined risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer.
There are multiple reasons why women are more like to get osteoporosis than men, including:
• Women tend to have smaller, thinner bones than men.
• Estrogen, a hormone in women decreases sharply when women reach menopause, which can cause bone loss. This is why the chance of developing osteoporosis increases as women reach menopause.
Uncontrollable Risk Factors
• Being over age 50.
• Being Female.
• Menopause.
• Family History.
• Low Body Weight/Being Small and Thin.
• Broken Bones or Height Loss.
Controllable Risk Factors
• Not Getting Enough Calcium and Vitamin D.
• Not Eating Enough Fruits and Vegetables.
• Getting Too Much Protein, Sodium, and Caffeine.
• Having an Inactive Lifestyle.
• Smoking.
• Drinking too much alcohol.
• Losing Weight.
There are also medications and diseases that can cause bone loss and increase your risk of osteoporosis.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Getting enough calcium and vitamin D are essential to building stronger, denser bones early in life and to keep bones strong and healthy later in life. Calcium and vitamin D are the two most important nutrients for bone health.
Calcium-Rich Food Sources
Dairy products, such as low-fat and non-fat milk, yogurt and cheese are high in calcium. Certain green vegetables and other foods contain calcium in smaller amounts. Some juices, breakfast foods, soymilk, cereals, snacks, and bread have calcium that has been added.
Vitamin D Sources
There are three ways to get vitamin D:
• Sunlight
• Food
• Supplements
Three Steps to Unbreakable Bones
You’re never too young or too old to improve the health of your bones. Osteoporosis prevention should begin in childhood. But it shouldn't stop there. Whatever your age, the habits you adopt now can affect your bone health for the rest of your life. Now is the time to take action.Resources and References. To learn more about Osteoporosis, please visit the following Foundations.
World Osteoporosis Day
International Osteoporosis Foundation
