Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a very painful disease that makes the bones porous and brittle and can lead to fractures that are hard to heal, especially in women over the age of 65.  Last year a survey taken by the National Osteoporosis Foundation found that over 50 percent of women do not think that they are risk for this disease.  While it is true the disease is most likely to develop in women over 50, younger women need to take measures to slow the process down in their 20’s and 30’s. Remember, women who are pre-menopausal need about 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily, while women who are post-menopausal need about 1,200 milligrams. Here are some things you can do to prevent bone loss:

Exercise - While cardio exercise such as swimming, cycling and even Pilates are great for your body and can tone you up, that is not enough to build your infrastructure.  You need weight bearing exercise.  Strength training, running and low-impact exercises have all been shown to stimulate bone formation. This helps your body adapt to the pressure of gravity and builds more bone cells.

Bone density check - Right now the screening tests call for bone scans at age 65. However, with more and more women going through menopause in their 40’s, the recommendation now is to get tested in your 50’s. I had my first bone density scan 4 years ago and that gave me piece of mind. It is a very easy, non-invasive test. 

Eat foods to strengthen bones - Although low fat dairy gets high marks for its calcium content, your body needs more nutrients to stay strong. Studies show women who consumed the most Vitamin C had much higher bone density than those who did not. Make sure you stock up on Vitamin C rich foods such as broccoli, peppers and citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits.  Veggies, such as kale and spinach, are also high in Vitamin K, which boosts production of osteocalcina, the protein that binds calcium to bone tissue.  Vitamin D is responsible for the actual deposit of calcium in your bones.  Vitamin D foods include orange juice, fish, like salmon, mackerel and tuna, fortified milk, cheese and egg yolks. 

Avoid foods that increase bone loss – Some foods actually rob the body of calcium.  Caffeine, meat and alcohol are all on this list as well as processed foods.  Processed foods are usually very high in sodium and when your kidneys excrete excess sodium some calcium is usually swept along with it. Limit your intake of sodium to less than 2,000 milligrams a day.  Excessive amounts of alcohol actually slow or destroys the cells responsible for building bone. 

Take supplements - Calcium, a co-dependent mineral, is totally reliant on Vitamin D to strengthen the bones.  Without sufficient levels of Vitamin D, very little of the calcium will be useful to your body.  It is important to get about 1,000-1,200 milligrams of calcium a day and at least 400-800 units of Vitamin D with it.

There are other factors that impact bone loss.  Smoking is definitely one of them.  By embracing a healthier lifestyle now, you can avoid this debilitating disease.  It’s never too early to start, and never too late to make improvements.