A greater cause of immobility in women than strokes or heart attacks, osteoporosis, also known as brittle bone disease (when your bones become weak and fracture easily), results in disability, pain, loss of independence and even death.

The most common cause of osteoporosis is having too little calcium and other minerals in your diet and poor absorption of calcium and other minerals from your diet. But your risk also increases with age, especially after the menopause.

Other important risk factors are a slight build, family history of the disease, early menopause and chronic bowel problems like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis. Some of these risks, like family history, can’t be changed but you can lessen the risk and there are many others that you can change and plenty of ways you can defend yourself against the onset of this disease. It’s never too late to start because diet and lifestyle changes can slow and reverse the symptoms at any age. The recommendations that follow can all help reduce your risk of osteoporosis:

• Change your lifestyle: Women who sit for more than nine hours a day are twice as likely to have hip fractures than those who sit for less than six hours a day. So if you have a sedentary job or lifestyle you should build more exercise into your life. Activity is crucial because it helps build strong bones and muscles, so make sure you follow the menopause diet and exercise guidelines. Don’t become a gym junkie though – excessive exercising as well as dieting and overeating can increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
• Avoid faddy diets: Without enough vitamin D and calcium and other minerals your body cannot defend itself against osteoporosis. Obsessive, crash and yo-yo dieting is a bad idea as it deprives your body of the nutrients it needs to keep your bones healthy.
• Stop smoking and drink in moderation: Women smokers generally have lower bone density and after the age of 40 they lose bone faster than non smokers. Excessive alcohol consumption interferes with the way your body handles minerals including calcium, increasing the amount you get rid of and decreasing the amount you absorb.
• Eat for strong bones: Calcium is an important mineral for the formation and continuing strength of your bones and teeth and a diet rich in it is your first step in protecting yourself against osteoporosis. There are many foods besides dairy products that contain calcium and you can obtain good supplies by consuming a variety of different foods. Tinned pilchards and sardines eaten with their bones contain more calcium weight for weight than milk and they are also rich in Omega 3 essential fatty acids. 200g (7oz) of cooked kale or 350g (12oz) of cooked broccoli contain the same amount of calcium as 225ml (8fl oz) of milk.
• A sufficient calcium intake is only half the story though as you also need to absorb it. To do that successfully you need to avoid foods too high in protein or salt or too many fizzy drinks as these foods can all leech calcium from your bones. Tofu, soya milk and beans contain silicon and natural plant hormones that are protectors of bone health as women approach menopause.
• In addition to calcium you also need to get plenty of vitamin D as without it your body can’t put calcium into your bones. Your body manufactures its own vitamin D when your skin is exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun and 10 to 15 minutes daily exposure without sun block is perfectly safe in the early morning or late afternoon. The best dietary source is oily fish, although there are small amounts in eggs and cheese. If you don’t go out into the sunlight at all you should take a bone supplement containing vitamin D.
• A strong skeleton also needs omega 3 fatty acids from flax seeds and fish oil and vitamin K from green vegetables which is vital for hardening calcium in your bones. magnesium, found in nuts, seeds and peanut butter, is another vital mineral because it helps your body absorb calcium and vitamin D.
• Lose excess weight but don’t get too thin or exercise too much: Your body needs some fat to produce oestrogen which is produced in fat cells; thin women, especially those who diet and over exercise, are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis and/or menopause symptoms.
• Finally, watch your stress levels: When you are anxious your adrenal glands pump out a number of hormones including cortisol which can increase your risk of brittle bones and fractures.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 8th, 2007 at 2:28 pm and is filed under Osteoporosis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.