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