How much do you know about Osteoporosis? That it's an old
ladies disease? That it can only affect people with rusty old creaky joints?
What if I told you that Osteoporosis can affect women
as young as 25. Or that around 40% of women will suffer from an Osteoporosis
related fracture in their lifetime?
And men! Don't think that you're safe from this horrible
disease either. Thirteen per cent of men will suffer from a fracture because of
this disease in their lifetime. And it gets worst with age, half of women and a
third of men over the age of 60 WILL have osteoporosis. Furthermore, 20% of
people who have an osteoporosis related hip fracture die from their injury and
a third of those who survive are permanently hospitalised.
The worst thing about this disease is that there is NO CURE
and that it can strike SUDDENLY without warning. Often the first symptom of
Osteoporosis is a bone fracture, by then it is already too late. This is
because Osteoporosis is a disease that causes your bones to gradually lose
their bone density over time. Your bones have
already been considerably weakened once you have suffered a fracture. This is why, especially in the case of
Osteoporosis, prevention is better than cure.
Things such as keeping to a good diet and getting regular
exercise can help to reduce your chances of developing Osteoporosis. In terms
of diet, you should get enough calcium and vitamin D into your system. Everyone
knows that foods such as cheese and milk are great sources of calcium. But how
about vitamin D? Many of us simply do not get enough vitamin D because of our
sedentary lifestyles. Our body naturally creates its supply of vitamin D
through the absorption of sunlight by the skin. But modern living means that we
simply do not spend enough time outdoors for our body to absorb enough sunlight
to create adequate levels of vitamin D. An alternative to this is to take
supplements to boost calcium and vitamin D levels in our body.
Which sag-ways us to the second tip, GET MORE EXERCISE!
Being more active increases the strain on our bones that encourages them to
stiffen and become stronger. And if you are more active, chances are, you are
getting enough sunlight to produce more vitamin D!
So eat the right foods, or take quality supplements,
exercise lots and try to spend at least 30 minutes each day in the sunlight
(consider using a sunscreen though!). If you know someone who suffers from
Osteoporosis please try to be understanding and keep them safe by reducing
their risk of falling and injuring themselves!
If you are worried about developing Osteoporosis, you can
take the FRAX, or Fracture Risk Assessment Tool, test (link below) to calculate
your risk of developing osteoporosis in a ten year period.
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