Health n Fitness Care

Osteoporosis is affecting millions of women across the world. Osteoporosis is an illness that usually targets people after the age of 45 and is more common in post menopausal women. Osteoporosis is often known as the silent disease because there are no symptoms of bone loss and hence there is an urgent need to have more awareness of osteoporosis.

People may not know that they are suffering from osteoporosis until their bones become so weak that they may get a hip fracture or a vertebral fracture by a sudden bump, fall or strain. There is no visible symptom of osteoporosis except for pain and weakness all over the body and the first symptom could be a broken bone. The only visible sign of osteoporosis could be a loss of height with the gradual curvature of the back (caused by vertebral compression fractures).

To prevent osteoporosis, the best way is to protect your bones by indulging in exercises that help in strengthening the bones. Taking care of your bones, by taking sufficient amount of calcium intake, when you are young will pay off later with a reduced risk of hip and other fractures. It is therefore advised that a normal daily health and fitness care should be taken and a regular fitness regime should be followed. Even an inactive person should gradually start a regular fitness regime and slowly increase the intensity.

The following tips should be kept in mind for your regular health and fitness regime to prevent osteoporosis:

• BRISK WALKING: It is the best form of overall exercise which gives you complete toning of muscles and also strengthens your bones.

• JOGGING: This is also helpful to strengthen your bones.

• CLIMBING STAIRS: Climbing stairs is good for bones and is also helpful to burn those extra calories.

• DRINK MILK: Milk is a very good source of calcium which is very much required for strengthening of bones, so make a habit of drinking milk daily.

People with osteoporosis should be careful while planning their health and fitness regime, because any kind of muscle building exercises are not recommended for them.

The requirement of calcium and vitamin D increases in men and women after 65 years of age. The requirement of calcium and vitamin D also increases in lactating, nursing and pregnant women. Eggs, liver and sunlight are good source of vitamin D. For strengthening bones apart from calcium you also require vitamin D, K, B12, B6 and minerals like magnesium, zinc, manganese and silicon.

For the prevention of menopausal bone loss, calcitonin, estrogen replacement therapy, parathyroid hormone therapy bisphosphonate and other medications are useful.

The formation of bones in human body is till the age of 35 years, after which the bone formation is negligible, at this age the bone mass is highest. Post 35 years the bone mass remains steady until the age of 45 – 50 years and after this the bone mass gradually begins to decrease in women due to menopause. Post menopause, most women lose around one per cent of bone mass each year.

Osteoporosis can be detected only over a period of time by conducting few tests. To prevent osteoporosis, it is recommended to have a diet rich in calcium. Include dry beans such as black eyed peas, black beans and kidney beans, turnip greens, broccoli, collard greens, tofu, sardines and fortified orange juice in your diet. Almonds, sunflower and sesame seeds are also a rich source of calcium.

Though the peck bone mass i.e. the amount and quality of bone is genetically linked, osteoporosis is not always hereditary. One should replenish the body’s requirement of calcium and vitamin D constantly in order to make bones healthy and strong.

Therefore during young age one should be active and have a regular health and fitness regime along with good intake of calcium and vitamin D to make the bones stronger so as to prevent osteoporosis in latter years.

Hope the above tips and information on osteoporosis will help you understand the disease better make you take the right steps to prevent osteoporosis.

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