| If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, you're | | | | calcium supplement as well as vitamin D daily is an |
| certainly not alone. Ten million Americans currently | | | | important step. |
| suffer from this disease, and 80% of those are | | | | Additionally, talk to your doctor about adding weight |
| women. It's something that one out of every two | | | | bearing exercise, as well as general fitness activities |
| women will have to deal with in her lifetime. Just | | | | like walking or bike riding to your routine. If you have |
| imagine a group of ten of your friends and know that | | | | already suffered a fracture, you may benefit from |
| the odds are that five of them will have osteoporosis. | | | | physical therapy to improve your bone health. |
| There is a great deal of information available on | | | | If you smoke or drink excessively, you should consider |
| osteoporosis, and new product development and | | | | the health risks involved in these activities. These both |
| research are being done to help prevent this disease. | | | | decrease the absorption of calcium, which can |
| So what does that mean for you? | | | | weaken bones. |
| One of the most important steps you can take in living | | | | There is a wide variety of treatment options for |
| with osteoporosis is to be informed. Osteoporosis can | | | | osteoporosis. These range from hormone replacement |
| take women by surprise, because there are very few | | | | therapy, which is very effective for women who are |
| symptoms in the early years. You can go decades | | | | menopausal, to other medications that can help slow or |
| without knowing that you have osteoporosis. In many | | | | stop bone loss. Some medications are taken daily, |
| cases, a diagnosis isn't made until a serious fracture | | | | while the newest types of drugs can be administered |
| occurs, which can be devastating. | | | | once a month or even once a year. There are |
| As with most diseases, early detection is a key factor | | | | certainly a number of choices to discuss with your |
| to managing osteoporosis. Bone density scans can be | | | | health provider. Be sure to talk about the benefits of |
| ordered by your doctor on a regular schedule. This | | | | each, as well as possible side effects. |
| way, you know if your bones are weakening over the | | | | You can start tackling osteoporosis even before it |
| years. If a loss of bone density is revealed, there are | | | | starts. It's never too early to build strong bones and |
| steps you can take to improve your condition. | | | | start living a healthy lifestyle. Knowing how to prevent |
| There are many steps you can take to prevent | | | | and treat osteoporosis will help you maintain an active |
| osteoporosis from worsening. Simple changes in diet | | | | lifestyle and avoid life threatening falls and fractures |
| and nutrition can help slow or stop bone loss. Adding a | | | | later in life. |