| Osteoporosis is a bone disease which causes a | | | | factors. Having a personal history of low |
| deterioration of bone density and low bone | | | | bone mass, being female, being thin (male or |
| mass. This is dangerous because is causes | | | | female) having abnormal menstrual periods for |
| the bones to become fragile (especially the | | | | women, currently having or have had anorexia |
| hips, spine and wrists) and there is | | | | nervosa in the past, eating a diet low |
| increased risk of broken bones and slow | | | | vitamin D and calcium currently and |
| recovery periods. Osteoporosis can affect | | | | throughout your life, having an inactive life |
| any bone, but special attention is placed on | | | | style, having low testosterone levels in men, |
| the hips and spine, because the breaking of | | | | being a smoker, being a heavy drinker and |
| these bones can result in long term injury | | | | being Caucasian or Asian. However, keep in |
| including difficulty walking, | | | | mind that people with these risk factors are |
| hospitalization, deformity, loss of height, | | | | not the only people who can get this disease, |
| severe pain and even death. You should ask | | | | and all people are at risk and should be |
| your doctor to check you bone density levels | | | | checked for the disease regularly. |
| yearly, since this disease often has no | | | | |
| symptoms at all. When a person finally does | | | | There are certain things you can do to |
| experience any symptoms, they are usually so | | | | prevent your risk of developing osteoporosis |
| far into the disease that what they are | | | | including consuming a diet rich in vitamin D |
| feeling is back pain because of a fractured | | | | and calcium, having an active lifestyle and |
| vertebra. | | | | doing weight baring exercises, quitting |
| | | | smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation and |
| Women are more likely to contract this | | | | taking regular bone density tests. Doctors |
| disease than men, often due to menopause, in | | | | and health professionals both agree that this |
| which bone loss increases. One in four women | | | | is a very preventable disease as long as you |
| are affected with this disease, while only | | | | take proper care of your health. Even if you |
| one in eight men are. Certain people are at | | | | start taking these precautions late in life, |
| a high risk factor for developing this | | | | they will still lower your chance of |
| disease however, and you should be cautious | | | | developing the disease. |
| if you have any of the following risk | | | | |