What is osteoporosis ? Osteoporosis is a bone disease that affects millions of women around the world. Women who suffer from this condition usually have bone mineral density (BMD) levels that are way below than the normal BMD levels; making them more prone to getting fractures. You will also notice that the elderly women, and sometimes even men, who have causes of osteoporosis are usually slouched and bent. Since inadequate bone density is not something that is tangible, individuals who suffer from this problem only realize that they have it when they begin developing bone fractures easily.
Reasons Why Women Are More Prone To Osteoporosis
Although men can also have bone-density woes, women are more at risk at developing this debilitating condition. One major reason why women are more susceptible to causes of osteoporosis is due to hormonal imbalance. When a woman reaches menopause, the level of estrogen produced by the body start to dwindle. Experts believe that during menopause, women could lose their bone mineral density for a period of five to eight years. As a result, women's bones become weak and easy to break after the menopausal stage.
Another reason why women are more susceptible to causes of osteoporosis is that their bone structure is smaller or narrower than men. You do not need to be a genius to figure that the smaller your bones are, the more you are affected even by just a slight decline in your BMD level. Here are the steps you need to take in order to prevent osteoporosis:
Start Early
Prevention is always better than cure. In the case of osteoporosis, the earlier you start strengthening your bones, the higher your chances of not developing the disease even after menopause. You see, when you reach puberty, your bone mass would have developed by around 25%. By the age of 18, your bone mass development is already about 90%. The bone mass development peaks between the age of 25 and 30. After the age of 30, you may not be able to add substantial amount to your bone mass. All you can do at this time is to ensure that you maintain your bone density levels.
Aim To Reach Your Daily Calcium Requirement
Calcium is a crucial component of a healthy bone. If you want your bones to be strong, you need to make sure that you reach the daily requirement of calcium everyday. One of the best sources of calcium is milk and other dairy products, such as yogurt, cheese and eggnog. Other good sources of calcium include brocolli, spinach, rhubarb, salmon, tofu, okra, sesame seeds, bok choy, sardines and almonds.
Let The Sun Shine On You
In order for calcium to be absorbed efficiently, you need Vitamin D. You can get a good dose of this essential vitamin for free just by letting the sun shine on you. The best hours to bask in the sun, even for just 10 minutes, is early in the morning. However, it is important to note that too much sun exposure, particularly from 10 am to 4 pm, can cause skin cancer.
Exercise Your Way To Stronger Bones
If you want to prevent fractures, you also need to strengthen the muscles surrounding your bones and joints. As we all know, our muscles support our bones. Even if you have strong bones, but your muscles are weak, you still are at risk of hurting yourself, especially when you are performing strenuous activities and other sports. Thirty minutes of exercise, particularly weight training, three times a week is ideal.
Since not all the needed nutrients for a healthy bone mass can be obtained from the food that you eat everyday, it is best to take supplements. Just make sure that your supplement has high calcium and vitamin D content.
By Sharon Bell
