Osteoporosis is a bone disease that commonly affects older women. In osteoporosis, bones become fragile and brittle, increasing the risk of breaks and fractures leading to disability and a lower quality of life.
In osteoporosis, the body’s ability to create more bone becomes limited, so more bone is being broken down than replaced.
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Some may believe that osteoporosis is an inevitable part of aging, but it’s not, and you can work toward reducing your risk of it along with keeping your bones strong by following these simple tips.
9 tips to prevent osteoporosis
Eat more calcium-rich foods: Aside from milk, there are plenty of foods that can provide you with calcium including dark leafy greens, salmon, sardines, oats, almonds, navy beans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, tofu, and broccoli.
Eat mineral-rich foods: Along with stocking up on your calcium, you will want to ensure you have a variety of other minerals as they are equally as important to maintain healthy bones. This means eating foods like leafy greens, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, legumes, a variety of fruits, figs, celery, brown rice, nuts, seeds, onions, poultry, and whole grains.
Exercise regularly: Weight-bearing exercises have been shown to help strengthen bones. Examples of these types of exercises include weight-lifting, brisk walking, jogging, yoga, or using a mini trampoline.
Don’t smoke: Smoking has been linked to greater bone depletion.
Only take medications if they are necessary: Some medications have been linked to bone depletion, so if you don’t absolutely need a particular medication, speak to your doctor about stopping or switching it. Some of these medications include anti-depressants, corticosteroids, thyroid medications, and seizure medications.
Have a grapefruit every day: Animal studies of consumption of grapefruit found that it slows down the rate at which bone is broken down.
Reduce stress: Stress has been linked to osteoporosis, so finding healthy and safe ways to reduce stress can help keep your bones strong.
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Take horsetail: This herb has been found to improve the ability of cells to build bone. Horsetail may also reduce the risk of bone infections.
Get sunlight and vitamin D: Vitamin D and calcium together are a powerful combination of strong bones. The best way to get vitamin D is through sunlight, so ensure you are getting adequate amounts of that, safely. Vitamin D is also in some foods, too, so you can add more vitamin D-rich foods to your diet.
Related: Osteoporosis: Causes, symptoms, diagnostic tests, and how to treat
