According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, 15% of all women will break a bone in their lifetime. And the risk of breaking a bone increases dramatically as one ages, from 3 in 1,000 at age 55 to 45 in 1,000 at age 75. Thus, this is a major health risk for post-menopausal women. All signs indicate that bone health will continue its climb up the popularity ladder as the U.S. population ages and lives longer.
In 2015 the health trend everyone will be talking about will be bone health. It’s one that if you start early (or even start today) will help you reduce your likelihood of having weak and brittle bones and less susceptible to osteoporosis (or its precursor osteopenia).
The key to bone health is to start today to keep them healthy. Here are 5 tips to increase bone strength:
- Start young. Bones reach peak density when you’re in your 20’s. If you’re saying “too late” and are going to stop reading this blog post…don’t lose hope. You can start today to improve the health and strength of your bones. Talk with your doctor or a nutritionist about your diet and getting enough calcium and vitamin D in the foods you eat.
- Know your T-Score. Osteoporosis is often called a “silent disease” because you won’t display obvious, outward symptoms until a bone breaks—not a sign you want to wait for. A bone mineral density (BMD) test can tell you how strong your bones are.
- Don’t smoke and limit your drinking and meat in moderation. This is the answer to everything…moderation. Definitely don’t smoke. Smoking increases the rate of bone loss.
- Stay active. Weight bearing exercises strengthen bones by stimulating bone-building cells called osteoblasts.
- Recognize that genetics play a role in your bone health: Yes, there is only so much we can do to help keep our bones strong. Our bones will be developed based on the genetics of our folks. Genes determine a lot of factors that affect your overall bone health—including your bone size, bone mass, when you’ll go through menopause, and how well your body uses calcium and vitamin D. These traits are passed down from father to son and mother to daughter. By knowing your family history, you can take appropriate steps to intervene, including earlier screening and use of medication.
Join us on Facebook throughout 2015 as we discuss with #NurseGina ways to improve our bone health/strength, exercise tips, and other recommendations to help prevent the onset of osteoporosis.