Is It Possible to Prevent Osteoporosis?
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Osteoporosis has always been a difficult condition to deal with. For one thing, it has no symptoms so it's often difficult to spot. Quite often it's hereditary, and is caused by a lack of minerals in the bones, which affects all women aged fifty and over. The good news is that it's possible to prevent osteoporosis.
One of the major components of our bones is a mineral called calcium, which helps to give them their strength and solidity. During and after menopause, estrogens are reduced and this tends to cause calcium to move from the bones into other parts of the body, where it can be harmful. These include the cartilage, tendons, urinary tract and crystalline lens.
Because of this, it's often necessary to control your intake of calcium and more importantly encourage it towards your bones. You can do this with the help of other substances, one of which is vitamin D. If you get the chance, you can produce some of this yourself by doing a bit of sunbathing, obviously taking the necessary precautions, and you can also absorb it by eating oily fish and eggs.
In addition to vitamin D, you'll need zinc, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin K and also silicon. To help you meet these needs and prevent osteoporosis, make sure you eat five or six portions of fruit and vegetables each day.
As you become older, the amount of vitamin D you require increases, and after menopause the recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 400 to 800 units, along with calcium. Be careful not to exceed this amount.
It's a common belief that if your bones are becoming weaker as you get older, then you should reduce the amount of physical exercise you take, so as to protect them. In fact, the opposite is true. The more exercise you take, the stronger your muscles, and the more support your bones have. Stronger muscles also help by increasing the flow of blood to the bones, which in turn encourages bone cells to reproduce.
Here's an interesting fact: If you take part in some sort of physical activity twice a week for a whole year, your bone density will increase by 1% instead of decreasing by 2.5%, which is the norm for most menopausal women who take no exercise. The best and most suitable activities are walking, cycling, stretching and dancing. If you're up to it, jogging and gymnastics are great too.
Although mineral loss in the bones affects all women over fifty, it does so in different ways and to different degrees. Areas most at risk include the thighbone, vertebrae and wrists. Whilst it's true that the main risk factor is hereditary, there are others such as smoking, too little calcium in the diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and a lack of estrogen. By the way, you can have your bone density measured, and the examination is both quick and painless. Why not get it checked?
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