My mum is worried she has the on set of Osteoporosis so I thought i'd look it up and as usual once you start delving into medical information you relate little aches and pains to yourself and start worrying that you're coming down with every kind of disease.
However I 've supposed to have maximised my peak bone mass by the end of my 20's and now into my 30's i'm supposed to maintain bone strength! As detailed below from the BBC health site.
Risk factors
The risk factors for osteoporosis include:
Getting older, although in some cases it can also affect children and adolescents.
Loss of oestrogen as a result of the menopause (especially early menopause), hysterectomy (especially if the ovaries are removed), infrequent periods (especially linked to anorexia or excessive exercise).
Long-term use of high-dose steroids.
Family history (ie, a genetic tendency).
Lack of exercise.
Smoking.
Excessive alcohol consumption.
Low testosterone levels in men.
Diagnosis
Many people don't discover they have osteoporosis until they break a bone as the result of a relatively minor fall. Screening tests - usually involving a bone density scan - do exist, although you may have to pay for them privately.
Prevention
The most important thing you can do to prevent osteoporosis developing is to keep your bones strong and healthy while you're young. The aim is to maximise peak bone mass, reached at the end of your 20s. If this is high, you'll have greater bone reserves to help you face the natural loss of ageing. If you're already in your 30s, the priority is to maintain bone strength.
This can be achieved through:
A calcium-rich diet.
Exercise, especially weight-bearing. Tennis players, for example, have a 30 per cent higher bone density in their serving arm than in their non-serving arm. Try running, cycling or bouncing on a trampoline for at least 30 minutes three times a week. Simply jumping up and down 50 times a day will keep your bones strong.
So I need to take up tennis, drink milk and jump about alot- okay I do one of those already but I think I need to get my trannies on and start working out- working out where to do my jumps without being noticed!!
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Isn't aging fun! I'm naming all my new freckles as they appear.
My Nan had osteoporosis, I was always told that it was because she avoided dairy products when she was young because she was worried about putting on weight. Eat lots of cheese and green veg. Stilton and brocolli soup (yum) is ideal
mmmmm that soup sounds delicious!
Osteo isn't big in Japan where there is no dairy in the diet. Milk is not the best way to absorb calcium. do the weight bearing stuff and eat tofu and greens. Alcohol isn't good for your bones so I know I'm doomed.
Post a Comment