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Last Updated: Aug 6th, 2008 - 09:50:39 |
Osteoporosis Tutorial
Osteoporosis is accelerated bone loss. Normally, there is loss of bone mass with aging, perhaps 0.7% per year in adults.
Five Steps to Bone Health and Osteoporosis Prevention
Building strong bones, especially before the age of 30, can be the best defense against developing osteoporosis, and a healthy lifestyle can be critically important for keeping bones strong.
There are several steps you can take to prevent osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is largely preventable for most people. Prevention of this disease is very important because, while there are treatments for osteoporosis, there is currently no cure. There are five steps to prevent osteoporosis. No one step alone is enough to prevent osteoporosis but all five may.
Exercise for Your Bone Health
Vital at every age for healthy bones, exercise is important for treating and preventing osteoporosis. Not only does exercise improve your bone health, it also increases muscle strength, coordination, and balance, and leads to better overall health.
Calcium Intake Tools
Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General highlighted calcium’s major contributions to bone health regardless of an individual’s age. Yet most Americans do not get the recommended amounts of calcium they need every day to promote strong bones. The following tools were excerpted from the Surgeon General’s report in an effort to help individuals achieve their daily calcium goals.
Medications to Prevent and Treat Osteoporosis
Although there is no cure for osteoporosis, several medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can help stop or slow bone loss, or help form new bone, and reduce the risk of fractures.
Osteoporosis and Asian American Women
Asian American women are at high risk for developing osteoporosis (porous bones), a disease that is preventable and treatable. Studies show that Asian Americans share many of the risk factors that apply to Caucasian women. As an Asian American woman, it is important that you understand what osteoporosis is and what steps you can take to prevent or treat it.
Other Nutrients and Bone Health At A Glance
Good nutrition is important to keep bones strong. We hear a lot about getting enough calcium and vitamin D. But research suggests that many other nutrients also are beneficial for bone health, while some nutrients and other components of our food have potentially adverse effects on bone health.
Osteoporosis and Hispanic Women
It is a common misconception that osteoporosis only affects white women. But, according to the Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis, in the United States, the prevalence of osteoporosis in Hispanic women is similar to that in white women. Fortunately, osteoporosis is preventable and treatable. As a Hispanic woman, it is important that you understand your risk for osteoporosis, the steps you can take to protect your bones, and, if you have the disease, the options for treating it.
Osteoporosis: The Diagnosis
Osteoporosis is a condition of low bone density that can progress silently over a long period of time. If diagnosed early, the fractures associated with the disease can often be prevented. Unfortunately, osteoporosis frequently remains undiagnosed until a fracture occurs.
Osteoporosis in Men
Osteoporosis is a disease that causes the skeleton to weaken and the bones to break. It poses a significant threat to more than 2 million men in the United States. After age 50, 6 percent of all men will experience a hip fracture and 5 percent will have a vertebral fracture as a result of osteoporosis.
Juvenile Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis literally means “porous bone.?It is a disease characterized by too little bone formation or excessive bone loss or a combination of both. People with osteoporosis have an increased risk of fractures. It is most common in older people, especially older women.
Osteoporosis: Coping With Chronic Pain
Osteoporosis often causes very painful fractures, which can take many months to heal. In many cases, the pain starts to go away as the fracture heals. Most new fractures heal in approximately 3 months. Pain that continues after that is generally considered chronic pain. One cause of chronic pain is vertebral fractures. When a vertebra breaks, some people have no pain, while others have intense pain and muscle spasms that last long after the fracture has healed.
Calcium and Vitamin D: Important at Every Age
The foods we eat contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients that help keep our bodies healthy. Two nutrients in particular, calcium and vitamin D, are needed for strong bones.
Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Guide for Asian Women Aged 50 and Older
When you think about your health, you probably do not think about your bones. But keeping your bones healthy and reducing your risk of fractures by preventing osteoporosis is very important throughout life and especially as you get older. Here is some important information to help you.
Osteoporosis and African American Women
While African American women tend to have higher bone mineral density (BMD) than white women throughout life, they are still at significant risk of developing osteoporosis. The misperception that osteoporosis is only a concern for white women can delay prevention and treatment in African American women who do not believe they are at risk for the disease.
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