Osteoporosis Introduction: Healthy bones are like Bank, the more you deposit the more you can make withdrawals. It is really very important to take care of your bones. In human body there is a living tissue called Bone which is continuously broken down and replaced. If old bones are not getting replaced by the new ones then this may lead you to a disease named Osteoporosis. It affects both men and women but especially older women. It is good to eat healthy balanced diet which helps you to improve and maintain overall bone health. Calcium and Vit D are great source for healthy bones which slow down bone loss. After the age of 30, naturally your bone starts losing some of its amount every year.
What is osteoporosis?
It is a condition in which your bones becomes weak, brittle, stooped posture and can cause fracture. This means porous bones. It is a disease called degenerative bone which mainly affects post-menopausal women. In this there is loss of bone density which can lead to many serious effects. Women have high risk of osteoporosis than men.
Risk factors:
Family history
Deficient in Vit D
Cigarette smoker
Low physical activity
Low calcium diet
Excessive use of medications
Older age etc.
Symptoms:
Stiffness
Bone spurs
Loss of flexibility
Tenderness
Joint pain
Grating sensation
Height loss
Cramps
Muscle ache
Receding gums
Decreased grip strength
Prevention:
Following are the foods one should avoid if you have osteoporosis:
Alcohol
Salty food
Meat and other high protein food
Spinach
Beans
Caffeine
Tea/ Coffee
Avoid low calorie diet
Following are the foods to build healthy bones in natural way:
Eat lots of Vegetables
Consume enough Proteins
Get plenty of Vit D
Eat high calcium food
Foods which are good sources of calcium are:
Milk, cheese, dairy products
Tofu
Soya drinks
Nuts
Bread made with fortified flour
Fish Soya beans
Cauliflower
Salmon
Low fat milk
Low fat yogurt
Broccoli
Exercises for Osteoporosis
Jumping rope
Hiking
Jogging
Step aerobics
Tennis
Dancing
Climbing stairs
Brisk walking
Minimize your stress level etc.
Medications for osteoporosis:
Bisphosphonates
• Zoledronic acid
• Risedronic acid
• Alendronate
There can be some side effects of these medications like bone pain ,vomiting , nausea, blood clots , risk of breast cancer or uterine cancer, pain in back , arms and legs .
As found in study of women health that estrogen lowers the risk having fractures so there is a therapy known as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) under which a combination of estrogen and progestin or estrogen alone is given. But it increases chances of other health related problems such as breast cancer, stroke.
Note: Medical information provided in the article is intended only for information purpose and should not be considered as medical advice.
