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Osteoporosis and Keeping Healthy

There are many things that we can do to help ensure that we lessen our chances of having Osteoporosis. We can lessen our risk by staying away from risk factors if possible. We can learn about Osteoporosis so we can recognize symptoms of the disorder. We can strive to improve our lifestyles so that our bodies can be healthier.

Some of the risk factors for Osteoporosis are unavoidable, like being female (women are 4 times as likely to develop it then men are), aging or having a family history. Other risk factors like excessive alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and lack of exercise are things that we can do something about. We can do things to make sure that we have the nutrition we need to have strong bones.

Sunlight and Osteoporosis

There is a role that sunlight plays regarding our health. Sunlight not only puts most people into better moods, and warms us up after a long, cold winter; but it actually has health benefits beyond those.

Our bodies need vitamin D in order to absorb Calcium. You can be eating tons of leafy green vegetables or taking calcium supplements but if you do not have vitamin D in your body then your body is not going to absorb the calcium.

Our skin has the ability to absorb sunlight and then generate vitamin D in response to that sunlight. When we expose our skin to healthy amounts of sunlight we are ensuring that we have the vitamin D necessary to absorb Calcium. Sunlight will help your bone mineral density.

Calcium is needed in your body for many reasons including to help prevent cardiovascular disease as well as to promote healthy nervous system function and as most of us know, to help us maintain strong bones.

Tests and Detection

The presence of Osteoporosis is usually determined by detecting a fracture on x-ray or by noticing a physical abnormality like humpback posture.

Tests that detect bone mineral density (BMD) tests can also be conducted. They measure the bone density of two many bony areas of the body (hip and spine). This test an actually detect the presence of osteoporosis before a fracture happens. It can also predict a patient's chance for having a fracture in the future. This test is also used to monitor the effect that medication is having on the rate of bone loss if the test is done at intervals of one year or more. If the patient is on Medicare then they will be reimbursed for BMD testing every two years.

Prevention

The best time to prevent osteoporosis is during childhood and the teen years. This is when 98% of skeletal mass is built. This is why it is so important for kids and teens to have a well-balanced diet especially a diet that includes milk and other dairy products for calcium and to have ensured that they get plenty of vitamin D in either the food they eat like green leafy vegetables or they have a supplement that includes vitamin D.

Everyone can make sure they have a balanced diet that contains adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D.

To prevent Osteoporosis you can also include weight bearing and resistance training in your exercise program.

Do not smoke, if you do, quit

Do not drink alcoholic beverage to excess.

See your physician about bone health and how to access your particular bone health and if supplements are necessary for you.