Osteoporosis - are YOU at risk?

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a condition which cause the bones to lose their strength, become weak and brittle and, most likely to break and fracture. While these fractures can occur in various areas of the body, they commonly affect the hip, wrist and spine. Our bones are constantly being renewed and when old bone is broken down, new bone is produced.

During your youth, your body makes new bone faster than old bone that is broken down – which of course increases your bone mass. By your early 20’s most people reach their peak bone mass but as you age, bone mass is lost much faster. Osteoporosis therefore depends in part on how much bone mass you achieved during your youth. The more bone mass you have acquired, the less likely you will be to develop osteoporosis.    

Initially you will not experience any symptoms in the early stages of bone loss. Over time as osteoporosis weakens your bones, you may experience back pain caused by a fracture, gradually lose height, develop a stooped posture or sudden, unexpected fractures. 

If left untreated many people experience much suffering and pain from this debilitating condition. Fortunately, it’s not all bad news and osteoporosis is preventable and treatable!  

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Are you at risk?

There are a number of factors that can increase your risk of developing osteoporosis and include:   

• Gender

Women are more likely to develop osteoporosis than men as their bones are thinner, lighter and have a longer life span.

• Age

As you become older, your risk of osteoporosis increases. Women over 50 years old are more susceptible to osteoporosis.

• Bone structure and body weight

Both men and women with small body frames have a greater chance of developing osteoporosis. Petite or thin women have less bone to lose than women with larger frames and more body weight, and the same applies to small boned, thin men.

• Ethnicity

Research shows that women of Caucasian or Asian descent are more likely to develop osteoporosis than women of other ethnic backgrounds.

• Family history

If your parents, grandparents or sibling experienced signs of osteoporosis like a fractured hip, you are most likely at risk too.

• Hormone levels

Menopause can increase a woman’s risk of developing osteoporosis because of the drop in estrogen levels. Studies show that the average woman loses 10% of her bone mass in the first five years after menopause. Men also experience a reduction in testosterone levels as they age.

• Certain diseases

Certain conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid problems (underactive or overactive thyroid), celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney or liver disease, eating disorders as well as lupus and cancer can cause bone loss.

• Some medications

Long-term use of prescription medications such as cortisone or prednisone can also increase your risk of developing osteoporosis.

• Low calcium intake

If your dietary intake of calcium is low, your risk of developing osteoporosis also increases. Not getting enough calcium leads to early bone loss, increased risk of fractures and diminished bone density.

• Smoking

Smoking has also shown to increase your risk of fractures and can contribute to osteoporosis as well as many other health problems.

• Excessive alcohol consumption

Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can lead to thinning of the bones and increase the risk of osteoporosis.

What you can do to prevent osteoporosis and maintain healthy bones

Increase your intake of protein

Eating protein is essential for bone health. Many people such as vegetarians and vegans as well as older adults don’t always get enough protein into their diet. Include a good variety of lean meat, chicken, legumes, dairy products, eggs, soy and nuts into your daily diet to ensure that you getting enough protein. Chia Seeds and Hemp Seeds are also an excellent and convenient source of plant protein, especially for vegans and vegetarians!

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Maintain a healthy body weight

As you know being underweight increases your chance of fractures and bone loss but being overweight can also increase the risk of fractures in your wrist and arms. Maintain your ideal body weight as far as possible.

If you are underweight, make an effort to increase your dietary intake and include more weight bearing exercises into your exercise routine. If you are overweight, start a weight loss program using a healthy eating plan and regular exercise. Of course, losing weight can be challenging and sometimes an extra boost is needed to get you started – try Feelgood Health’s all- natural weight loss remedies, EcoSlim and Detox Drops to keep you slim and trim the healthy way!  

Add more calcium

Did you know that both men and women between the ages of 18 and 50 need 1000 milligrams of calcium per day? When a woman turns 50 years old and a man, 70 years, the daily amount increases to 1, 200 milligrams. Get good sources of calcium from low fat dairy products, dark, green leafy vegetables, canned salmon or sardines with bones, soy and calcium fortified orange juice and cereals.

Include calcium supplements such as Solgar’s Calcium, Magnesium & Boron or bone, teeth and joint health as an additional source of calcium.  

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Add more Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps to improve the body’s ability to absorb calcium and also promote bone health. Get Vitamin D by going outside and enjoying the sunshine. For people who are unable to have access to sunlight or have to avoid it, include a good vitamin supplement into your daily routine. Luckily, most multivitamin supplements contain vitamin D – we recommend Solgar Vitamin D3 to get a good of dose of vitamin D.  

Regular exercise

By now we all know that exercise is good for overall health and wellbeing. It is also vital to slow down bone loss and build strong, healthy bones. Incorporate strength training exercises with weight-bearing and balance exercises into your regimen. Strength training strengthens bones and muscles in the upper spine and arms. Try walking, jogging, running, lifting weights, Tai Chi or Pilates to keep bones and joints strong and healthy.

Stop smoking and reduce alcohol use. Because nicotine use and alcohol consumption have been linked to a greater risk for osteoporosis and can affect bone health and strength, this is just one more reason to stop smoking and cust down on daily alcohol consumption! Give yourself a helping hand with Feelgood Health’s Crave-Rx and Triple Complex NicoTonic, two excellent natural remedies to help with nicotine withdrawal.  

Herbal and vitamin supplements for bone health

Include the following herbal and vitamin supplements to promote healthy bones:

MobiLive: Avoid bone loss associated with cortisone and other anti-inflammatory drugs and use this herbal remedy as a natural anti-inflammatory to ease symptoms of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and degenerative joint disease

Solgar Ultimate Bone Support: this supplement contains advanced calcium complex with added Vitamin D3, K2, Zinc and Boron. It helps to support bone health, strength and density and assists in the prevention of brittle bones and osteoporosis

Solgar Extra Strength Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM: this essential daily supplement is excellent for joint and cartilage health and the added MSM will also help to reduce joint pain.

Solgar Calcium Magnesium Plus Boron: Easily absorbed calcium & magnesium supplement for healthy bones, teeth and nails.

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It’s important to be aware of the risks of osteoporosis before it sneaks up on you. The earlier you take steps to reduce your risks and increase bone health the better! Remember, to make the necessary lifestyle changes, increase your calcium intake and exercise, exercise!