Osteoporosis Prevention is the Only Cure
You could say that forty years of osteoporosis prevention is worth a pound of cure, except for just one problem: there is no cure for osteoporosis. It is a chronic illness that affects 55% of women over 50 years of age, and although it is not inherently fatal, it generally leads to death. There are medications and treatments available that can improve the quality of life of an osteoporosis patient, but these treatments can only help so much.
Beginning in early life, the body is building up bone mass, making deposits to the "bone bank." This continues until around the age of 35 years, at which point the bones reach their peak density. After this time, the bone bank is no longer growing. In fact, if the body is deficient in calcium, it will draw what it needs from the bone bank, decreasing bone mass and eventually leading to osteoporosis. Prevention is simple - eat a healthy, balanced diet, take calcium and vitamin D supplements, and get plenty of weight-bearing exercise.
Osteoporosis Prevention is Vital
Fractures are the primary concern with osteoporosis, and they can incapacitate the patient, leaving her bedridden for months or even years. This devastating disease is often responsible for women losing their livelihood, independence, and quality of life. Once osteoporosis develops, treatment options focus on improving quality of life by increasing mobility and reducing the risk of fractures. The home must be made safe to minimize the chance of falling, and the patient has the option of taking medications to counteract the effects osteoporosis has on cognitive function and balance. The patient can also undergo education on techniques to take care of herself and reduce the risk of fall or injury. Physical therapy can be prescribed to improve the patient’s muscular control.
Calcium and vitamin D supplements and medications help to restore some of the bone mass that has been lost. However, nothing can replace all of the lost bone density caused by osteoporosis - prevention is the only means of maintaining bone strength. This is why osteoporosis prevention is so important. The best form of osteoporosis prevention is a lifelong habit of getting the right amount of calcium in the diet, coupled with weight-bearing exercise.
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Who has ever heard of male osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a women’s disease, right? Wrong. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, today in the United States there are two million men affected by this disease. An additional 12 million are currently at risk.
Osteoporosis is a significant health threat, and affects nearly forty-five million Americans. Women are twice as likely to develop this disease as men, but every person is at risk. There is no cure for osteoporosis once the disease takes hold. Therefore, prevention through exercise and calcium supplementation is the key to maintaining bone health.
The process of keeping bones healthy is one that must begin early in life to prevent bone loss and the development of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a serious disorder that causes bones to become thin and weak. Calcium and other minerals are pulled from bones when calcium intake is insufficient, and this results in a loss of density and bone strength.
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