Everything You Need to Know About Osteoporosis
Everything You Need to Know About Osteoporosis
We often hear that as people age, their bones become more fragile and more likely to fracture, or that the elderly “shrink” or get “bent over” with age. This is all linked to osteoporosis – a gradual thinning and weakening of the bones due to excessive loss of bone mass which usually begins in the mid-thirties and into the senior years. Women who are at the highest risk are those who are older of Caucasian or Asian descent and are past menopause.
What Are the Lifestyle Choices to Manage Osteoporosis?
You can make lifestyle choices to keep your bones healthy through:
Calcium
Calcium – including adequate amounts in your daily diet, as 
women who are between 18 and 50 years of age require 1,000 mg daily which increases to 1,200 mg after 50 years of age. Natural sources of calcium can be obtained from:
women who are between 18 and 50 years of age require 1,000 mg daily which increases to 1,200 mg after 50 years of age. Natural sources of calcium can be obtained from:- Dairy Products – Low-fat yogurt or milk
- Soy products such as tofu
- Dark leafy green vegetables including broccoli and cabbage
- Almonds
- Canned salmon or sardines with bones
- Cereals and orange juice that have been calcium-fortified
You can also take calcium supplements if your daily diet does not give you enough calcium.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D – helps your body absorb calcium and improves the function of muscles. Sunshine is a natural source of vitamin D but many people use sunscreens or avoid the sun altogether due to the risk of skin cancer.
The recommended dose for those over 50 years of age is 800 to 1,000IU daily.
Ask your pharmacist about calcium and vitamin D supplements as they come in a variety of forms and strengths.
Exercise
Exercise – helps build strong bones and slows osteoporosis. Ensure that you are including both forms of the following types of exercises in your routine:
- Strength-training exercises
- Weight-bearing exercises
Avoid
Avoid – the following will reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis:
- Quitting smoking
- Reducing alcohol
- Preventing falls
Speak to your medical professional or pharmacist for more information.
The material in this flyer was sourced from: www.mayoclinic.org; www.osteoporosis.ca. It is intended for information purposes only and should not be used in place of consultation with a healthcare professional. Participating retailers/pharmacies, vendors, and/or agencies are not responsible for errors, omissions, or inconsistencies with respect to the information contained in this flyer and do not accept liability whatsoever for reliance by the reader on the information contained herein.