It is important to always take good care of your health. This includes getting regular checkups at a hospital and seeing your doctor if you notice any unusual changes in your body system.
There are several kinds of diseases; some are less commonly known than others. One of the diseases you should be worried about as a woman is an osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that attacks the bones, causing them to become weak and brittle. This illness makes your bones so weak that a little fall or serious cough could cause a fracture.
What are the causes of osteoporosis?
A major cause of osteoporosis is a lack of calcium in your body. Low calcium intake diminishes bone density and puts you at risk of fracture. Also, it negatively affects the bone formation process, making your body slow to form new bones to replace old bones.
Other causes may be abnormal bone structure, eating disorders, race (most white and Asian women are at greater risk than other races), certain hormone levels, constant use of steroids or some medications etc.
Old age also plays a huge role. After the age of 30, bone mass gradually deteriorates. At this point, your body needs to be able to replace old bones quickly. Hence if that’s not possible due to some factors, you risk osteoporosis. The most common age for this disease is over the age of 60. According to surveys, it is in the range of 10% of all women and increases to 40% over 80.
Common symptoms of osteoporosis
Often, women are unaware that they have osteoporosis because they have not had symptoms or cannot recognize them.
Here are a few easily recognizable symptoms of osteoporosis:
- You constantly suffer from chronic back pain that medications cannot easily solve.
- Inability to stand or walk without hunching as your spine seems bent.
- Your bones seem to fracture easily once there is a small accident.
How to prevent osteoporosis
Here are a few things you may do to prevent osteoporosis.
Everyone knows that nutrients like calcium greatly help care for bones and teeth. Therefore, it is important to turn to foods high in calcium, such as cow’s milk, small fish, tofu, beans and whole grains, green leafy vegetables, and food groups high in vitamin D such as egg yolks, lean meats, and liver. Note, however, that these meals should be eaten in the right amount.
Also, if you suffer from excess weight, it is recommended that you start dieting and exercising more. A lot of weight overburdens your bones which in turn causes them to deteriorate quickly.
Do not use steroids or drink caffeinated drinks all the time. The same goes for smoking. If you take these precautions seriously and engage in proper diets and exercise, you have a lower risk of osteoporosis.
