Osteoporosis is a bone disease that causes bones to become porous, weak and brittle. Because bones have become so weak, fractures happen much more easily. Minor things like falling, bending over, even coughing or sneezing can result in fractured bones. Hips, wrists, and spine are the most common osteoporosis-related fractures, but they can happen anywhere in the body.
No one is immune to osteoporosis unfortunately, but some are at a greater risk than others. Women, for example, experience about twice as many osteoporosis-related fractures as men. Aging and osteoporosis have a positive correlation, in that your risk increases as your age does. Family history is also important to know. If people in your family have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, chances are, you will develop it as well. Smaller framed people are also at a greater risk for osteoporosis, possibly because their bones are already smaller.
Although those risk factors are out of your control, there are plenty that you’ve got a say in. Osteoporosis was once thought to be a natural part of the aging process, but it is now known that it can be prevented and treated. The following are risk factors that you can control.
· Diet low in calcium and vitamin D. Calcium is essential for building and maintaining healthy bones. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium more efficiently. Increasing intake of both can help lower your risk.
· Tobacco use. It is known that the use of tobacco contributes to weakened bones. The exact mechanisms by which this occurs, however, are unclear. Quit smoking, and you'll decrease your risk.
· Excessive alcohol consumption. This will interfere with your body’s ability to absorb calcium, therefore weakening the bones and increasing osteoporosis risk.
· Sedentary lifestyle. Lack of exercise is harmful to the body for endless reasons, and an increased risk of osteoporosis is no exception. Any weight bearing exercise is beneficial for reducing this risk; running, walking, dancing and weight lifting though, seem to be exceptionally helpful in strengthening bones.
It’s never too late (or early) to take steps to prevent osteoporosis. Even if you already have it, its’ severity can be slowed and even reversed with lifestyle changes! If you currently have osteoporosis, your doctor might prescribe medication to you as well. Because osteoporosis often doesn't show symptoms until you fracture a bone, the National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that women 65 or older and men 70 or older get a bone mineral density scan. If you have any of the risk factors mentioned above, it is recommended you get a bone mineral density scan sooner.
If you’d like more information as I’ve only provided an overview, please visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation’s website at www.nof.org
No comments:
Post a Comment