| It
doesn't hurt, so why worry?
We associate
osteoporosis with older people with bent backs - from a mild
"dowager's hump" to being unable to stand up straight.
The truth is that 20 million American women have osteoporosis.
And 80 percent of them don't even know it!
Osteoporosis
is a chronic, progressive condition that steals bone from
the body, often leading to fractures of the hip, wrist, and
spine. Many older people suffer disability and even death
from fractures related to osteoporosis. While one in two women
will suffer from an osteoporosis-related fracture in her lifetime,
one in eight men will, too! Apparently, many people confuse
osteoporosis with arthritis and wait for swollen joints and
pain before being tested. Even though osteoporosis is painless
(until you suffer a bone fracture), it is extremely important
to find out how healthy are your bones, and if necessary to
make lifestyle, dietary, and sometimes other changes to improve
their condition.
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Risk
Factors for osteoporosis:
1. Being female-especially thin, Caucasian or Asian.
2. Having family history of osteoporosis.
3. Being older.
4. Being physically inactive.
5. Taking cortico-steroids, thyroid medications, anticonvulsants,
anticoagulants, Dilantin, diuretics, antacids with aluminum,
and drugs that alter digestion, such as Ranitidine.
6. Smoking.
7. Heavy consumption of alcohol.
8. Heavy consumption of carbonated beverages, coffee.
9. Low intake of calcium and vitamin D.
10. Chronic diseases of the kidney, lung, stomach, and intestines.
11. Hormonal changes because of menopause or hysterectomy.
12. Lactose intolerance, low stomach acid.
What
You Can Do to Prevent or Slow Osteoporosis
Exercise
One of the
best lifestyle changes you can make is in the area of exercise.
Weight-bearing activity for 20 minutes three times a week is
helpful. Try walking, jogging, playing racquet sports, lifting
weights, or doing aerobics.
A healthful
diet makes a big difference. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables
and fruits. Enjoy nuts and seeds. Experiment with broccoli,
kale, collard greens, cabbage, and turnip greens. Try tofu,
salmon, sardines, grains and low fat dairy products, such
as milk and yogurt (a glass of low fat milk and a cup of yogurt
adds 600 mg of calcium to the diet a day). Drink eight 10-ounce
glasses of water a day (herb teas, juices, or other liquids
are not a substitute for water). Avoid caffeine, carbonated
colas, alcohol, baked goods, and junk food. Watch your animal
protein intake.
Don't
smoke.
Include more
calcium in your diet. Most Americans get only about 600 mg of
calcium a day, but a recent report from the National Academy
of Sciences says adults 51 and older need 1,200 mg/day. The
National Institutes of Health's recommendations are 1,000 mg/day
for postmenopausal women taking estrogen; 1,500 mg/day for postmenopausal
women not taking estrogen, and 1,500 mg/day for men and women
65+. If you're in the market for a supplement, be sure you take
one that's highly absorbable, such as microcrystalline hydroxyapatite
concentrate (MCHC), or one of the malates, fumarates, succinates,
glutarates, or citrates. But don't overdo. Taking more than
double the recommended amount of calcium may put some people
at risk for developing kidney stones. You may also want to supplement
other nutrients, such as vitamin D, C, magnesium, zinc, and
silica after talking with your doctor of chiropractic.
The National
Osteoporosis Foundation says that although weight-bearing
exercise is generally recommended, people with osteoporosis
should consult their health care practitioners before beginning
a new exercise program. The Foundation cautions against sudden
or excessive strain on the bones during exercise. People with
osteoporosis need to be careful when lifting heavy objects-including
grandchildren. Take steps to avoid falling.
Talk to
your doctor of chiropractic to see what else you can do to
maintain and improve the health of your bones. Your doctor
of chiropractic is a highly trained expert on helping you
maintain good health. Studies show chiropractic patients are
hospitalized less than the general population. And chiropractic
health care ranks number one in patient satisfaction.
Online
Resource: To learn more about osteoporosis online check
out the National Osteoporosis Foundation web page at: www.nof.org
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