Osteoporosis in Women

Osteoporosis in women is not a age related disease. My friend's 18 year old daughter is getting treatment for spine curvature, due to early stages of osteoporosis. The doctor think it was caught soon enough to correct the problem and prevent any additional damage and her prognosis is good.

We often think of this disease as a disease that starts to show in our 50's or after menopause. More and more cases are turning up in younger women.

The fact is women need to start building strong bones during childhood and adolescence to help prevent osteoporosis later in life. I know what you are thinking this disease is not isolated to women. You are right!

However, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, it is estimated that 10 million Americans have osteoporosis. Here's' the tragic news, of those 10 million, 8 million are women. Therefore. 80% of all Americans with osteoporosis are women. That could me or you.

Osteoporosis in women is a major health concern. It can be treated and prevented but it is under recognized and untreated in Caucasian as well as African American women. The numbers are so high for women because we are 4 times more likely to develop the disease than men.

The disease is a condition where the bones become weak and fragile and can easily break. You must prevent or treat osteoporosis to keep the bones from continuing to become weaker and weaker until they fracture. Hip fractures are the most common along with wrist and spine/vertebral.

What can you do?

You can see your doctor for regular check-ups.
You can make sure you get the recommended allowance of calcium by eating nutrition foods and supplements if needed.
However, calcium alone is not the answer. Your bones need vitamin D to absorb the calcium. I didn't realize this until my doctor pointed it out to me. However if you live in a sunny state, like Texas, you get vitamin D from sunlight.
You can do resistance and strength training to increase bone density.
Low impact and high impact exercises can also help to build bones.

Osteoporosis is not considered a deadly disease but can cause death due to serious injuries. Fractures, curvature of the spine, loss of height and severe back pain can be results of this disease.

Your doctor is the best source to see if you are showing signs of osteoporosis and what treatment if any is needed. Prevention is the best path to take and exercise is the first step. I have taken the first step, have you? Join me today, it's never too late to get started.

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SBI!