Serene City Hospital Center

Take Steps to Prevent Osteoporosis

IN SENIORS' HEALTH

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You may not give your bones much thought beyond hoping they'll stay strong. But your bones are living and growing, and they can benefit if you'll care for them through nutrition, exercise, and other approaches. Loss of bone density and strength does generally happen for men and women over 30, but porous bones, or osteoporosis, should not be a normal part of your aging. Men, Women, and Osteoporosis Men don't experience the same rapid loss of bone mass in their 50s as women do in the years following menopause, but by age 65 or 70 men and women lose bone mass at about the same rate. Nevertheless, anyone can suffer from osteoporosis at any age. The good news is that because of improved medical information and technology, osteoporosis is no longer the unavoidable condition it once was. Diagnosis and treatment are available earlier now, and the disease can be slowed. In addition, it can be prevented. Bare Bones Background According to the Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center (www.osteo.org), throughout your life and your body, old bone is being removed (resorption) and new bone is being added (formation). Osteoporosis develops when removal happens too quickly or addition happens too slowly. Prevention Steps There are certain things in your personal background or perhaps the history of your family that have affected your current bone situation and probably cannot be changed. But because your bones are living and growing, there are a number of factors that you can do to enhance development and minimize loss.
  1. Balance your diet, and make sure it contains plenty of calcium. Good sources of calcium include dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream), dark green vegetables (broccoli, collard greens, bok choy, and spinach), sardines, salmon, tofu, almonds, and foods fortified with calcium (cereals, breads, and orange juice).
  2. Exercise regularly, particularly weight-bearing exercise in which you are working against gravity, such as walking, hiking, jogging, stair-climbing, weight training, dancing, and tennis.
  3. Stop smoking. Smoking can decrease your absorption of calcium from the foods you eat.
  4. Avoid alcohol, or drink alcohol only in moderation. Regular alcohol consumption may be damaging to your bones.

Who Needs to Be Concerned about Osteoporosis?
We know that osteoporosis can develop in both men and women at any age, but will it develop in you? Here are risk factors that the Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center (www.osteo.org) says indicate you may be more likely to develop it.
  • Age—The older you become, the greater your risk.
  • Ethnicity—If you are a Caucasian or Asian woman, your risk is higher than if you are an African-American or Hispanic woman, but all these groups are at significant risk.
  • Gender—Women's bones are generally smaller than men's bones, and post-menopausal women lose bone more quickly than men of the same age do, therefore women are at highest risk.
  • History—If you or your parents have had fractures, you may be at increased risk for fractures.
  • Size—Women with small, thin bones are at greatest risk.
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