3 Important Steps That May Help You Prevent Osteoporosis
If you are a Caucasian woman who smokes, has a small body size, and has a family history of osteoporosis, you are at a high risk for developing osteoporosis. While this condition does not usually affect women until they are past menopause, there are steps women can take when they are younger to reduce their chances of developing this irreversible condition. Here are some of the steps you can take that may help you prevent osteoporosis from taking root in your body.
Start Exercising
Osteoporosis is a condition that causes the bones in the body to weaken. When this happens, it is almost impossible to reverse the effects it has, and this is why preventing it is always better than trying to deal with it once you have it. The problem with osteoporosis is that it can lead to hunching of the back, and it can cause you to break bones easier. Exercising is one of the best things you can do to prevent your bones from weakening, and it also offers a lot of other great benefits for your health.
If you can exercise 30 minutes a day, you may have a better chance of preventing your bones from weakening. The best types of exercises to use are ones that focus on strengthening your muscles. This can include aerobics, swimming, and jogging. When you perform these exercises, your muscles become stronger, which helps them stick to your bones. This is great for increasing the strength of your bones.
Take A Calcium And Vitamin D Supplement
Calcium is one of the most important minerals for your bones; however, your body is not able to absorb it properly if you do not have enough Vitamin D. This is why many calcium supplements also contain Vitamin D. You can obtain calcium and Vitamin D by eating the right foods and by drinking milk, but it can be hard to give your body the total amount it needs each day on food alone.
Taking a supplement is a great way to get the amount your bones need, and if you start taking a supplement when you are in your 30s, it could have a profound effect on the health and strength of your bones. The recommended amount of calcium you should take if you are under 50 years old is 1,000 mg a day. The amount of Vitamin D you should take is 600 international units (IU). If you consistently take both calcium and Vitamin D every day, your bones should stay really strong.
Get Bone Density Tests
The third good habit to get into is getting bone density tests. Your doctor may suggest getting these when you are in your 30s if you are in a high-risk category for developing osteoporosis. When you get a bone density test, it typically involves getting an x-ray of a bone in your back or hip. The doctor will then measure the amount of mineral in this particular bone, and this will reveal how strong your bones are.
If your bones are starting to weaken, your doctor may tell you that you have osteopenia, which is the first stage of osteoporosis. Luckily, if you have this condition, there may be ways to prevent it from worsening. In most cases, doctors will recommend exercising more and increasing your intake of calcium and Vitamin D. There are medications that can also help prevent the condition from worsening.
Osteoporosis is something most people can prevent, but preventing it is a lot easier if you start when you are young. If you would like to learn more about this, contact a doctor today.