A Bone of Contention: Prevent Osteoporosis

Recently I broke my hip when I fell off my bike and hit the pavement. The break was at the neck of the femur. I now sport 3 bolts in my body that have been doing a wonderful job keeping me together.

When something like this happens, one of the first things a woman wants to know is, what is the strength of her bones. Most pre or post-menopausal women have a concern that her bones are becoming brittle and will eventually break down. The fear is whether or not they have osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease in which the bones become extremely porous, are subject to fracture, and heal slowly, occurring especially in women following menopause and often leading to curvature of the spine from vertebral collapse.

Although osteoporosis does not have a cure, there are things you can do to keep your bones stronger. All bones are rejuvenating themselves everyday. It is a process called resorption and formation. Our bones are breaking down and rebuilding throughout our lives. If resorption takes place in excess of the reformation state, the result can be osteoporosis.

Women who are concerned about the strength of their bones can ask their doctor to perform a bone density test. This test will reveal the bone mass density and the mineral content in a given volume of bone, used as a measure of bony health and in the diagnosis of osteoporosis. The test takes about 5-10 minutes and is painless.

What can a woman do if she wants to prevent her bones from becoming brittle? One option is to take either a medication called Fosamax or Actonel. Some women take additional estrogen to help slow down the breakdown and boost bone density. These medications can have side-effects so extreme care by a physician would be advisable.

Another option, one that is less risky, would be to increase your calcium intake to levels between 1200 and 1500. Couple the calcium with vitamin D of 400 to 800 IU daily. Another extremely important thing you can do is begin weight bearing exercise such as walking, hiking, jogging or weight training.

Some osteoporosis inhibitors to consider are those high in calcium and vitamin D. Consume calcium and vitamin D enriched foods such as fortified dairy products, dark leafy vegetables, soybeans, salmon and shrimp. During times when you are lacking in these foods, a daily calcium supplement can be very effective. If you are sensitive to the larger doses of calcium, take smaller doses more frequently.

The combination of weight bearing exercises, calcium with vitamin D, and proper nutrition will do a lot to prevent your body from breaking down.