Osteoporosis affects nearly 34 million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. This condition reduces the density of the bones, making them weaker and more brittle. This thinning of the structure of bones leads to weaker bone crystals that result in a higher risk for fractures from falling, especially in the wrist, hip, and spine.
Osteoporosis can affect a person of any gender, but it is commonly found among women older than 40 or going through the postmenopausal phase due to a sudden decrease in the levels of protective estrogen. In addition to women older than 40, osteoporosis is more prevalent in those with smaller bone structure and especially in those with a previous fracture that occurred after the age of 50. Here are seven ways to prevent and lower your risk of osteoporosis and broken bones:
- Proper Calcium Intake: At the age of 30, women’s bones complete their structural mass and begin going through remodeling where the whole skeleton is replaced every seven years. To maintain a healthy bone structure after menopause, women’s intake of calcium should be approximately 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily as compared to the 1,000 milligrams calcium for premenopausal women. The best sources of calcium include low-fat dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt but there are some other sources such as cereal, juices, sardines, and leafy green vegetables that can work wonders as well. Consider taking a calcium supplement to fill in the gaps.
- Vitamin D: Sunlight is one of the major sources of vitamin D. This compound is extremely useful to avoid the weakness of bones and in order to strengthen them. Vitamin D helps your bones remodel, and it also helps in the absorption of calcium in bones. According to the National Institutes of Health, women should get about 600 international units (IUs) per day until age 50. After menopause, this amount should increase to 800 IUs per day. Some other good sources of vitamin D are cod liver oil, salmon, eggs, yogurt, tuna, and mushrooms.
- Say No to Caffeine: To avoid osteoporosis, curb your caffeine intake, as it pulls calcium out of the bones, diminishing their strength. Some research has found that the intake of high doses of coffee may contribute to hip fractures in women older than 65. Consider switching from coffee to tea, which includes plant compounds that protect bones from its caffeine content.
- Meditate and Stretch: A daily yoga routine can be very fruitful for the structure and strengthening of your bones. Ten minutes of yoga daily for two years can increase the density of bones, especially in the hip and spine area. You can also improve your body balance, thus reducing the risk of falling and fractures.
- Quit Smoking: One way to begin strengthing your bones is to stop smoking. Tobacco smoking is one of the worst enemies of your bones as well as your lungs. The nicotine in tobacco accelerates bone loss in women, especially in post-menopausal years.
- Limit Alcoholic Beverages: Alcohol can have a negative impact on your bone structure because of its toxicity on the bone-forming cells. Intake of alcohol not only weakens your bones but it also affects your liver and produces dark circles. There are many home remedies for dark circles that can be followed to avoid this problem. A glass or two of wine cannot impact your overall bone health, but an excess of everything can be bad. To prevent osteoporosis and fractured bones, avoid drinking any sort of alcohol-based products.
- Eat Omega-3 Enriched Foods: Omega-3 enriched foods and monounsaturated fats are considered to be very healthy for your heart, and they also are good for your bone health by increasing bone mineral content. Studies have found that women eating omega-3 rich foods are less prone to osteoporosis than women without these foods in their diets. They also have better bone structure and density. Omega-3 fatty acids are predominant in fish, including halibut, mackerel, oysters, salmon, sardines, trout, and tuna. Look for dairy foods and juices fortified with omega-3s. You can also find valuable omega-3s in bread, cereal, pasta, peanut butter, walnuts, flaxseeds and naturally in fresh kale, parsley, spinach, watercress, and brussels sprouts.