How to Protect Your Bones

Celebrate National Osteoporosis Month this May by taking action to Break Free from Osteoporosis. The National Osteoporosis Foundation, established in 1984, is dedicated to preventing osteoporosis, promoting strong bones for life and reducing human suffering through programs of awareness, education, advocacy and research.

It is estimated that 10 to 54 million Americans have osteoporosis, with 80% of cases being women. Osteoporosis is often called a silent disease. Nearly 10 million Americans have osteoporosis and almost 34 million have low bone density, which puts them at a high risk for osteoporosis and broken bones.

Are you at risk?

There are many factors that determine who will develop osteoporosis. Some of these include:

Women have a greater risk of developing osteoporosis because women have less bone tissue and lose bone more rapidly than men.
Women older than age 45 or 50.
Early menopause.
Women who stop menstruating before menopause because of conditions such as anorexia or bulimia, or because of excessive physical exercise.

View more risk factors here

So what can you do?

Getting enough calcium, vitamin D, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and regular exercise is important for your bone health.

Calcium helps keep your bones strong and is used for nerve function and muscle movement. If you don’t supply enough calcium to meet the body’s needs, your body will take calcium from your bones. You can get calcium from dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt, as well as calcium-fortified foods and some leafy greens like collard greens, kale, and bok choy.

Vitamin D is needed to absorb the calcium you consume and it helps with muscle performance and balance. Without enough vitamin D, bones can lose mass and weaken. You can get vitamin D through exposure to sunlight in addition to foods such as cod, salmon, tuna, swordfish, sardines, egg yolks, and liver. Vitamin D can also be found in foods such as fortified milk, orange juice, cereal, and yogurt.

Stay active!

It is very important to lead an active lifestyle to help prevent osteoporosis. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends getting 30 minutes of weight-bearing exercises, such as dancing, walking, low-impact aerobics, and gardening and strengthening exercises, such as free weights, weight machines, or elastic exercise bands two to three times a week.

You can read more about Exercising for Osteoporosis Prevention here

Your turn to take action. What will you do to reduce your risk of Osteoporosis? Share below in the comments section.