Osteoporosis is a major concern, especially for women over the age of 50. However, this disease can be deadly, and so it is essential you make yourself aware about eight important facts related to osteoporosis, no matter your age.
1. You need to discuss bone health with your doctor: Even if you’re still in your 20s or 30s, you should be concerned about bone wellness as the earlier you start, the easier it will be to prevent osteoporosis.
2. Smoking does more to your wellbeing than causing cancer: Smoking can make your bones become thinner, which increases your risk of fractures and, in turn, osteoporosis.
3. Exercise is essential for good bone health: If you get the recommended levels of exercise, you can reduce your risk of osteoporosis. However, overdoing it will put too much strain on your bones, so consult a doctor or look online for the best plan for you. Weight training and muscle bearing exercises can help prevent the loss of bone mass, while aerobic exercises strengthen your bones and connect tissues.
4. Calcium is not just for kids: You may be concerned about the fat content in milk, but this is all in vain. Milk actually aids weight loss as well as improving your bone density, so eat three dairy products a day, or drink two glasses of milk, to get your recommended 1200mg of calcium.
5. Be wary of menopause: As soon as your body reaches menopause, it stops producing oestrogen. As this hormone is vital for strong and healthy bones, you need to strengthen and maintain them while you still can.
6. Medicines can help, but watch out for side effects: Raloxifene, Biphosphonates and Calcitoni are great osteoporosis treatments, but Raloxifene has been known to worsen hot flashes in post-menopausal women and Biphosphonates can give you runny or constipated stomach.
7. It’s good to have heavy bones: The higher your bone density, the less risk you have of osteoporosis, so get a test to find out your risk factor. It is quick, non-invasive and absolutely painless.
8. There’s no quick fix or magic cure: As it stands, there’s no reliable cure for osteoporosis. This means that prevention is your best bet.