Osteoporosis and Bone Health (Site Logo)

What are Bones? Bones are both Flexible and Strong! Bones are living and growing tissue that are made up of three major components: 1. Collagen is a protein that gives bones a flexible framework 2. Calcium-phosphate mineral complexes that make bones hard and strong 3. Living bone cells that remove and replace weakened sections of bone Bones are both Flexible and Strong!

make too little bone, or both. What is Osteoporosis? Throughout your life, you constantly lose old bone while you make new bone. As you age, you can lose more bone than you form. For most women, bone loss increases after menopause, when estrogen levels drop. Women can lose up to 20 percent or more of their bone density. When you lose too much bone, make too little bone, or both.

Osteoporosis Facts 44 million Americans have low bone density or osteoporosis. By 2020, half of all Americans over age 50 are expected to have low bone density or osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is commonly called a “silent disease.” Some people learn that they have osteoporosis after they lose height or break a bone. Broken bones in the spine can occur without any noticeable pain. Both calcium and vitamin D are needed for bone health. Vitamin D helps your body use calcium. If you don’t get enough vitamin D, or if your body doesn’t absorb it well, you are at greater risk for osteoporosis.

“A woman’s risk of breaking a hip due to osteoporosis is equal to her risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer combined; a man age 50 or older is more likely to break a bone due to osteoporosis than he is to get prostate cancer.” Quote is from National Osteoporosis Foundation.

Risk Factors for Osteoporosis Uncontrollable Controllable •Being over age 50 •Being female •Menopause •Family history •Low body weight/being small and thin •Broken bones or height loss •Not getting enough calcium and Vitamin D •Getting too much protein, sodium and caffeine •Having an inactive lifestyle •Smoking •Drinking too much alcohol •Lack of exercise There are also certain medications and diseases that can cause bone loss and increase your risk of osteoporosis.

Exercise for Strong Bones There are two types of exercises that are important for building and maintaining bone density: weight-bearing activities muscle-strengthening exercises Weight-bearing exercises include activities that make you move against gravity while staying upright. Brisk walking Dancing Stair climbing Low impact aerobics Muscle- strengthening exercises include activities where you move your body, a weight or some other resistance against gravity. Lifting weights Using elastic exercise bands Using weight machines Lifting your own body weight Functional movements, such as rising up on your toes

Nutrition for Bone Health The food that you eat can affect your bones. You should eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of dairy, fish, fruits, vegetables, and foods fortified with calcium and vitamin D. When women turn 50 and men turn 70, the need increases to 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 800 IU (international units) of vitamin D per day. Good sources of calcium and vitamin D include: Low-fat dairy products Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale & collard greens Tuna, canned salmon, or sardines with bones Soy products Calcium-fortified cereals, breads, and orange juice

Sources http://www.nof.org/ http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/osteoporosis/DS00128/DSECTION=prevention