Most times when during discussions about diseases that affect women, all we hear about are breast cancer and heart disease. However, there is a disease that will affect at least fifty percent of women who live past the age of 50 years.
Osteoporosis is a disease in which the bones become fragile and more likely to break. If not prevented, or if left untreated, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks. These broken bones occur typically in the hip, spine and wrist. Hip fractures require surgery and can impair your ability to walk. It may cause permanent disability and even death. Spinal fractures can cause loss of height, severe back pain, and deformity.
- Proper Nutrition Get your daily recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D. If you are under the age of 50, you want at least 1000 mg of calcium daily and 400 – 800 IU of vitamin D. If you are over 50, you want at least 1200 mg of calcium and 800 – 1,000 IU of vitamin D.
- Exercise Engage in regular weight-bearing and muscle strengthening exercises. Examples of these exercises include yoga, Pilates, weight training, walking, jogging, running, jump roping, and dancing.
- Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle Avoid smoking, street drugs and excessive alcoholic beverage intake.
- Talk to your Physician Discuss your bone health with your physician during your annual gynecological exams and physical exams.
- Get Tested Have a bone density test performed and take medicines, if necessary.
If you are over 50 and menopausal, you can take the questionnaire FRAX (WHO Fracture Risk Assessment tool) to find out your 10 year risk of having a fracture – www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX. For more information on the topic of this blog, please visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation website at www.nof.org.
Tags: Bone Health, Dr.Osuagwu, Osteoporosis
