Preventing Osteoporosis

Minimize the Risks of Developing Osteoporosis

You may not know you have osteoporosis until you have a fall and break a bone, so preventing osteoporosis or minimizing the risks of developing it makes good sense. Maintain strong healthy bones by eating well, taking the right kind of regular exercise and following a healthy lifestyle.

If you really want to take steps towards preventing osteoporosis, the sooner you start the better. Ideally you should begin to take this seriously before you reach forty! Whether you know you are at risk of osteoporosis or not, it makes good sense to take the following steps.

• Take regular exercise - some of the best aerobic activities such as walking, jogging, or running are ideal as they are 'weight bearing'. Cycling and swimming, whilst being good form of exercise aren't weight bearing so don't quite fit the bill.
• Stop smoking - if you need reminding, read about the health risks of smoking. Smoking is just plain BAD. Excuse me for shouting, but if you want to live a longer healthier life, you must quit smoking NOW
• Calcium and Vitamin D - You must get enough of these important nutrients. Foods that are good sources of calcium include spinach,collard greens, cheese, cow's milk, green beans and broccoli.

  The best sources of vitamin D are fish such as salmon and mackrell, very few foods contain it naturally and some have fortified vitamin D added. Most people get their vitamin D from exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D is necessary for the body to process the calcium

• Keep the amount of Alcohol you drink to safe levels, as a rough guide no more than two drinks a day

By following these simple steps now, you can go a long way towards preventing osteoporosis developing. We are aiming to ensure your bones remain strong throughout your whole life. Good bone density is good!

If this all seems too far in the future to be worth considering now and wonder why I'm emphasizing it so much, its because I have first hand experience of how much it can affect not just your life but your family too. Read on for my story.....

My Mum and Dad enjoyed a very long and happy marriage and despite my Dad's blindness they were physically active, and socially involved in the community. Mum was a tower of strength in the final days of Dad's life and seemed invincible - as Mum's do!

However, not too long after Dad died Mum fell and broke her pelvis. Then followed several months where she was often inexplicably in pain - her neck, shoulders, back, chest - there didn't seem to be any logic or explanation, but it all added up to her not being able to look after herself any longer and she moved to a care home. In a relatively short space of time she had lost her husband and now her independence.

The consequence of all this was that Mum was frequently in pain from her bones fracturing, simply as she moved. Her back was so curved she couldn't sit in a chair properly, and being lifted by carers she ran the risk of more fractures. Now if all this sounds extreme, it isn't. It made me determined that I would do everything possible to prevent osteoporosis taking control of my life. I'm equally determined to tell other women the facts about preventing osteoporosis.

If you are experiencing back pain there could be a number of reasons for this, or it could be connected with osteoporosis. One of the main causes of back pain is poor posture and sitting in a slumped position.

More Information About Osteoporosis at the following pages

Back from Preventing Osteoporosis to Healthy Lifestyle Success home page

Osteoporosis Risk FactorsAs osteoporosis is very difficult to detect in the early stages its important to know the risks and how you can prevent it.

What is osteoporosis? - Definitions and explanations from some leading authorities in the US, UK and Australia.

Exercise for osteoporosis An introduction to the importance of exercise in preventing osteoporosis.

Exercises for osteoporosis Videos featuring Manny Castro demonstrating basic exercises which can make a real difference to the health of your bones. Don't be put off by the description "Senior Physical Fitness" on the videos!