Osteoporosis is a condition that more often affects post-menopausal women. In many cases, osteoporosis may only be noticed when a minor incident causes a significant bone fracture. If you are post-menopausal, there are ways you can reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis:
Don't Skip Vital Nutrients
Much of the information on nutrients is focused on women during their childbearing years. Although you are post-menopausal, you should continue to pay attention to your intake of vitamins and nutrients, although your needs may change. It is important to start or continue taking multivitamins that contain the daily recommended value of vitamin D and calcium. Other important nutrients include trace minerals, such as magnesium and phosphorous. Many manufacturers of multivitamins have specific variations for post-menopausal women to make selecting the right product easier.
To aid in acquiring the right nutrients for bone health, try to include foods that are high in calcium and vitamin D. Include a serving of dairy or dairy alternatives at each meal throughout the day. For example, add milk, half and half, or cream to your morning coffee, tea, or smoothie. Yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, and sour cream are other ways you can increase calcium throughout the day.
Include Regular Exercise
Regular exercise is important for building and maintaining strong bones. If you are already physically active, it is much easier to maintain bone strength throughout your post-menopausal years. For women who are just starting to exercise, low-impact workouts, such as walking or aerobics videos for beginners are good places to start. Eventually, you should incorporate strength training exercises that use free weights, resistance bands, or your own body weight. Safely adding resistance to your workouts is one way you can increase bone density and reduce your risk of osteoporosis later in life.
Have A Bone Density Scan
It is important to talk with your doctor about the best age to begin bone density scans. In general, it is recommended to start screenings at age 65. If you have certain risk factors that increase your chances of developing osteoporosis at an earlier age, your doctor may wish to begin screenings earlier. Some risk factors may include early-onset menopause, a history of falls, or being a smoker. If you have certain chronic diseases, such as inflammatory arthritis, or a history of using corticosteroids for autoimmune diseases or respiratory conditions, you should ask your doctor how this changes your screening age. Both inflammatory arthritis and corticosteroids can contribute to lowered bone density, making you more vulnerable to osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis can be a devastating condition, especially since it may go undetected until you experience a broken bone. Making good lifestyle choices and having appropriate screenings can reduce your risk for osteoporosis and help you start treatment early if it occurs.
Contact a medical center for postmenopausal osteoporosis information and assistance.
Share29 July 2017
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