Osteoporosis is a disease of the

bones. It happens when you

lose too much bone, make too

little bone or both. As a result,

your bones become weak

and may break from a minor

fall or, in serious cases, even

from simple actions, like

sneezing or bumping into

furniture.

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*Bone loss where bone breakdown goes faster than

bone buildup usually begins in the mid-30s. Bones

begin to lose calcium the mineral that makes them

hard faster than they can replace it. Less bone

remodeling takes place and the bones begin to thin.

*For women, the loss of bone density speeds up during

the first five to seven years after menopause and

then slows down again.

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Osteoporosis usually develops slowly over several years, without any symptoms. However, after a certain amount of bone loss, the following may occur.

*A bone fracture after a minor injury such as a fall

This is often the first sign or indication that you have osteoporosis. If you have osteoporosis, the force of a simple fall to the ground from the height of a standard chair or less is often enough to fracture a bone. A simple fall to the ground such as this does not usually cause a fracture in someone without osteoporosis. A bone fracture after a minor injury like this is known as a fragility fracture.

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*These symptoms can occur if you

develop one or more fractured

vertebrae. A vertebra affected by

osteoporosis may fracture even

without a fall or significant force

on it. The vertebrae can become

squashed with the weight of your

body. If severe, a bent forward

posture may affect your ability to

go about your usual daily

activities and may also affect

your breathing, as your lungs have

less room to expand within your

chest.

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Milk and other dairy products –

including cheese, yogurt,

cottage cheese and even ice

cream – are some of the best

sources of calcium, which is

crucial for strong bones. Non-

dairy calcium sources include

leafy green vegetables like

broccoli and kale, canned

sardines with bones, and

fortified soya milk.

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*Your skin makes vitamin D in response to sun exposure, and your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium and build healthy bones.

*Food sources of vitamin D include fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna, egg yolks, cheese and fortified milk, juice and cereal products, but vitamin D also comes from sunlight exposure. Depending on where you live and you skin pigmentation, you may get enough by spending as little as five to 30 minutes in the sunlight a couple of times a week.

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*When the muscles pull against the bones during exercise, it stimulates the bones and tells them that they are needed. Any weight-bearing exercise such as walking, hiking, climbing stairs and weightlifting can increase bone density. As little as 15 to 30 minutes a day can be helpful. Weightlifting does not need to be with heavy weights either, it can be with as little as 2 – 5 pound hand or ankle weights.

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*Corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone, weaken bones by decreasing the amount of calcium absorbed in the intestines and increasing the amount excreted by the kidneys. One way to minimize the risk of bone damage is to take the lowest dose for the shortest time possible to decrease inflammation. If only one or a few joints are affected, injecting corticosteroids directly into the joints may relieve inflammation without the bone damage of oral corticosteroids.

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*Stress reduction can include

specific activities aimed at

invoking the “relaxation

response” such as yoga, tai chi,

meditation, massage and prayer.

It may also include getting more

sleep, taking a vacation, getting

psychotherapy to help with toxic

relationships, and making an

effort not to “burn the candle at

both ends”.

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