Osteoporosis is a bone disease most commonly found in postmenopausal women. It is estimated that 25 percent of women and 20 percent of men will develop osteoporosis in during their lifetime. One out of two women living in the United States over the age of 50 will suffer a bone fracture at some point during their lifetime.
You want to prevent osteoporosis, not deal with it. A program that includes weight training, high-impact exercises and proper nutrition will help. What you eat daily seems to have an effect on bone density. Foods such as green peas, broccoli, salad, spinach, and asparagus are high in calcium, contain other important nutrients, and should be consumed on a regular basis. Fortified orange and apple juice are great sources of calcium. Oats and green tea add to overall bone health. But beware: Consumption of acidic foods, sugar, soft drinks, table salt, and caffeine induces calcium removal from the body.
It is important for people who have osteoporosis to be involved in a properly structured fitness training program. The program must include exercises that lead to an increase in bone density while reducing the risk of fracture. Exercises and daily movements such as hip flexion and overhead lifting of any kind should be avoided in order to prevent fractures. Calcium supplements are important. But according to Kathy Keeton—founder of Viva, OMNI, and Longevity magazines and author of the book Longevity—they are not enough. You also need strength training to retain calcium.
Here is the good news: One of my clients has been able to increase bone density, avoid fractures, and increase her height by half an inch over the past year. She has followed an exercise program designed to increase bone mass while reducing the risk of fracturing. Walking is a good place to start, but understand that there is a diminishing return when performing this exercise over a long period of time. Weight training and other exercises that put force on the skeletal system should be considered mandatory for those with osteoporosis.