Preventing Osteoporosis
Know Your Facts About Osteoporosis
Defend against developing osteoporosis by building strong bones. A healthy lifestyle is critical for keeping
your bones strong. You can take several steps to prevent osteoporosis—in fact, the disease is largely preventable
for most people. However, while prevention is easy, there is no cure for people in the advanced stages of this
disease. Take these five steps to prevent osteoporosis.
1. Get daily recommended doses calcium and vitamin D every day. You need calcium for properly functioning
nerves, muscles, and heart. Calcium is also needed for blood to clot. Deficiencies in calcium are thought to
contribute to osteoporosis development. Nutrition surveys report that women and young girls consume less than half
the amount of calcium needed for healthy bones.
Healthy calcium intake ranges between 1000 and 1300 mg a day. Try taking a calcium supplement to make up the
difference if you cannot get the calcium you need from the foods you eat.
You also need vitamin D for your body to absorb calcium properly. Without vitamin D, your body leeches calcium
from your bones. You can absorb Vitamin D by exposing your skin to sunlight and from eating foods rich in vitamin
D. You can consume healthy amounts of vitamin D (400 to 800 IU) by eating fortified day products, saltwater fish,
liver, and egg yolks.
2. Engage in weight-bearing exercise – Good bone health depends on regular exercise. Exercising regularly in
adolescence and childhood means you are more likely to reach your peak bone density than those who are not active.
Best exercises to build healthy bones include walking, dancing, jogging, hiking, racquet sports, and
stair-climbing. You can also begin by lifting small weights (two to five pounds.) If you have not been exercising
regularly, or if you’ve never lifted weights before, check with your healthcare provider before beginning an
exercise program.
3. Take a bone density test and take medication when advised – Medications such as biphosphonates, calcitonin,
estrogens, parathyroid hormone, and raloxifene are approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration for the US)
for the prevention of osteoporosis. These medications can also treat osteoporosis, although as stated before, there
is no complete cure for the disease.
You can diagnose osteoporosis and determine your risk for future bone fracture through a Bone Mineral Density
test. As osteoporosis develops undetected for decades until bone damage occurs, early diagnosis is crucial. Don’t
wait until it’s too late to take a Bone Mineral Density Test.
A Bone Mineral Density test measures the density of your bones. It determines whether you need medication to
help maintain your bone mass and can help reduce further bone loss and fracture risk. A Bone Mineral Density test
is noninvasive, easy, and painless.
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