Good News Tucson - A Family Values Publication

HEALTH TIPS by Rachel Martin MS, RD

Tips To Slow or Prevent Osteoperosis

Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease that affects many women (and men) each year. It is typically seen in post-menopausal women, showing up by about age 60. In men it begins to appear later. "I'm still young", you say, "and have few risk factors" (family history, height, weight, and ethnicity). It's never too soon, or too late to work toward healthy bone!

Bone reaches it's "peak" level in our mid-to late 20's. Treating your body well when you are young is optimal. So, exercise, take calcium, eat adequately, and include calcium-containing foods.
Continue healthy habits as you move through the years. Weight-bearing exercise, as simple as walking, and adequate calcium intake (up to 2000 mg per day), will help keep this disease at bay.
Avoid very restrictive diets that cause your body to be well below the norm for you.
If you are an athlete, and female, pay special attention, as loss of weight and body fat resulting from exercise can lead to some loss of bone.
Have a bone-density screen, done through your heel.
Have a DXA bone-scan every few years, and more frequently as you get older to measure bone-density in your body.
If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia, don't panic! You can do some good weight-bearing exercise, take calcium, and also explore medications-of which there are now several-that will help to slow the process, and perhaps reverse it do a degree.
Check with your doctor, (I'd personally recommend a GYN, but the choice is yours) about hormone testing and bone scans to see how you are doing. From there you can make decisions.
Check with a dietitian and an exercise physiologist as well for more advice!

Rachael Martin, M.S., R.D. is the owner of Eating and Body Image Solutions, a nutritional therapy and consulting business. She also works as a freelance writer and speaker on nutritional topics. Her specialties include mental health nutrition, eating disorders, weight management, longevity nutrition and PCOS.
She can be reached at 235.1568 or at ebis-rd@earthlink.net