Q: Can osteoporosis be prevented?
Osteoporosis is a condition that causes your bones to become porous and brittle over time. It’s most common in post-menopausal women, but anyone can get it.
Osteoporosis increases your risk of fracture from a fall or other trauma. There are several things you can do to help keep your bones healthy and protect yourself against osteoporosis. Eat foods that are rich in calcium and Vitamin D. These are nutrients that are essential for building healthy bones and helping bones to regrow, heal, and replenish themselves. The amount of calcium you need can change at different times in your life, so talk to your doctor or look up the recommended daily allowance for your age group online.
Exercise can also help protect your bones, especially strength training. Studies have found that weight lifting and resistance exercises can help prevent bone loss and may even increase bone density over time. If you haven’t yet been diagnosed with osteoporosis, high-impact exercise like running or playing basketball has been shown to increase bone density and make bones stronger.
If you think you may be at risk of osteoporosis speak to your doctor who may order a bone mineral density test to check for bone density loss.