| As a woman gets closer to the age of | | | | As a woman ages, the process where the body |
| perimenopause, there are several health risks which | | | | replaces and repairs bones (called "remodeling") takes |
| cannot be overlooked. One of them is osteoporosis, | | | | longer due to the lack of hormones in the body, |
| and it is especially risky at this time of a woman's life. | | | | which are a major player in this process. When the |
| Here are the reasons you need to evaluate your risk | | | | body becomes less efficient at rebuilding bones it |
| and find ways to make sure you are not a prime | | | | takes longer to accomplish, so any further setback |
| candidate for this bone disease. | | | | such as a loss of calcium or poor diet can inhibit this |
| Most people have heard of osteoporosis, but don't | | | | process even more. |
| know how dangerous of a disease it really is. | | | | The main remedy of course, is to take a calcium |
| Osteoporosis is when the bones become porous and | | | | supplement with vitamin D every day. This is critical |
| lose their strength, sometimes to the extent that a | | | | for all women, but especially pre-menopausal women, |
| persons own weight can damage the bones. I'm sure | | | | due to their falling levels of estrogen. Why? When |
| you've seen older men and women that lose height, | | | | estrogen starts to decrease, it means that less |
| and sometimes have a "hunched over" look about | | | | calcium is being absorbed into the body. Since |
| them. This is due to actual bone loss, and can have | | | | estrogen actually helps the body to absorb calcium, |
| deadly consequences for many. Not only are the | | | | when you have less estrogen you will need to really |
| bones much more brittle and easily broken, but they | | | | increase the calcium intake - to at least 1,000-1,500 |
| take much longer to heal as well. At this stage in life, | | | | MG per day. Since calcium is used in other processes |
| a badly broken bone can lead to debilitating life | | | | in the body, if you don't have enough in your |
| changes. It doesn't have to be that way though, if | | | | bloodstream the body will actually cannibalize it from |
| you take care of your bones. | | | | the bones, so keeping a steady stream of calcium in |
| When a person is young, the bones get longer and | | | | your diet is extremely important. |
| denser each year as you grow. Up until about age | | | | Another way to help keep your bones stronger is to |
| 30, the bones continue to get denser each year, | | | | increase your natural estrogen levels, either by taking |
| then they reach their peak. After that it is a matter | | | | a natural supplement to boost it, or some other |
| of how well you take care of them with nutrition and | | | | means. Talk to your doctor to make sure you are |
| exercise. The problem can arise for women when an | | | | getting what you need - this is something you don't |
| illness or surgery leaves them incapacitated for a | | | | want to second guess. Of course exercise is also |
| time, or when early menopause starts to set in. If a | | | | very important in many ways, and keeping healthy |
| woman's bones never really reach their full density | | | | bones is one of them. Many nutritionists and doctors |
| before this happens, she is at a severe risk of losing | | | | recommend some light weight-training for a woman, |
| more bone mass much earlier in life, and that risk will | | | | which helps to keep the bones strong. The bottom |
| continue into later life as well if steps are not taken | | | | line is, take care of your bones and they will take |
| to correct it. | | | | care of you! |