When bones weaken
“Our bodies continually form bone mass
and reabsorb calcium throughout our lifetime,”
says Diana Lamboy, family nurse practitioner at
PeaceHealth Check-up. “This process is called
bone remodeling
. During our childhood and
teenage years, we deposit more bone, giving
rise to a denser, stronger skeletal structure. In
our later years, usually in our 20s and 30s, we
begin to lose bone mass, which, if not replaced,
will weaken bones, sometimes leading to
osteoporosis.”
Osteoporosis
literally means porous bone.
While osteoporosis can occur in anyone at any
age, it is more common among women and
older adults. In fact, women are fve times more
likely than men to get osteoporosis, according
to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Offce of Women’s Health.
There are a couple of reasons for this. First,
compared with men, women typically have
less bone tissue to begin with. Also, because
of hormonal changes that take place around
menopause, women lose bone mass faster than
men as they age.
Checking bone health
Most of the time there are no signs that
osteoporosis is developing. A person may
become aware of the disease only after a fall
results in a broken bone.
But even though there are no telltale
symptoms, your doctor can determine your
bone health with a bone mineral density
(BMD) test.
Taking care of your bones
If tests show you have osteoporosis—or
if you’re at risk for it—your doctor is likely
to recommend a healthy diet that includes
adequate amounts of vitamin D and calcium,
along with exercise, especially weight-bearing
exercise, such as walking.
If your doctor recommends calcium
supplements, be aware that not all products
are the same. If you are taking calcium
citrate (Citracal, for example), absorption
is best if taken on an empty stomach in
doses of 500 mg or less at a time. If you take
calcium carbonates (Caltrate, Oscal, Tums),
absorption is best with a low iron meal, such
as breakfast.
In addition, there are a number of
medications that can help prevent or slow the
progression of the disease. Ask your doctor
which bone-building strategies are right for
you.
For more information
on bone health, visit
www.peacehealth.org/
healthwise and search for
“bone health.”
Start young to build better bones
To help prevent osteoporosis as you get older, start young. In fact, forming good
eating, exercise and other lifestyle habits in childhood can set the stage for healthy
bones throughout life.
Girls acquire up to 90 percent of their peak bone mass by their 18th birthday,
according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
The same is true for boys by their 20th birthday.
But no matter what your age, there are things you can do to nurture strong, long-
lasting bones.
To keep up with our bone health needs, it’s important to get the right amount of
calcium and vitamin D in our daily diets, says Diana Lamboy, family nurse practitioner
at PeaceHealth Check-up, inside Market of Choice. Vitamin D is essential for the
absorption of calcium in our intestines. Excellent sources of calcium include dairy
products (low-fat and non-fat milk, cheeses—especially hard—and yogurt); dark green,
leafy vegetables; calcium-fortifed foods (orange juice, cereals, bread, soy beverages
and tofu); and nuts (almonds).
Lots of physical activity is also good, especially exercises during which the body
works against gravity. Examples of these weight-bearing activities include walking,
hiking, racket sports, and anything that involves running and jumping.
In addition, don’t smoke or drink alcohol. Both get in the way of the body’s bone-
making ability.
To learn more about what you can do to have strong, healthy bones, talk to your
provider. If you don’t have a primary care provider and would like to fnd the one who’s
right for you, call 541-743-4600.
www.peacehealth.org
9