Osteoporosis is a serious, silent and costly disease.
Due to the fact that osteoporosis may cause limited mobility, people may feel physically and mentally isolated because they are unable to join in activities outside their home.
Currently, osteoporosis is responsible for more than two million broken bones – which carry hefty medical cost upwards toward $20 billion. In five short years, it is predicated that osteoporosis will be responsible for more than 3 million fractured and broken bones and more than $25 billion in medical expenses annually.
Conditions, disease and medical procedures that may contribute to bone loss include, but not limited to:
- Breast Cancer
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Eating Disorders
- HIV/AIDS
- Inflammatory Bowel Disorder
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Organ Transplants
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Premature Menopause
- Prostate Cancer
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Weight Loss Surgeries
Due to the fact that we are unable feel weak bones – until they break, osteoporosis is known as silent disease – some signs you may want to watch out for include:
- Back pain due to a collapsed vertebra.
- Reduction in height – over a period of time.
- Poor posture.
- Bones that break very easily.
The risk of developing osteoporosis depends, in part, on how much bone mass is developed during the early formative years. However, there are some unchangeable risk factors such as your age, race, sex, and family history. Fear not – as there are some preventative measures that can be taken to ensure that your bones are healthy throughout your entire life.
Prevention
- Protein consumption. Protein is a building block of bones.
- Healthy weight. Aim for a healthy weight as being overweight can increase fractures and so can being underweight.
- Make sure you are getting the proper amount of calcium, about 1,000 milligrams a day.
- Vitamin D. This important vitamin helps to absorb calcium that is needed for bone health.
- Avoid excess alcohol consumption.
- Avoid tobacco use in any form.
- Weight bearing exercise and balance exercises help to keep bones and muscles strong.