Some relatively simple lifestyle choices can help our aging bones defy osteoporosis
By Sandra A. Aylward, B. Sc. (Pharm.), Ph.C.
When most people hear the words 80-year-old woman, they visualize a hunched “little old lady” shuffling in a slow, shaky gait. Little old ladies are prone to falls and broken hips that strip them of their mobility and independence. This stereotype is founded on tradition, since for most of this century many women have lived out their last years this way, afflicted by osteoporosis. The good news is that today, at the end of the 1900s, research reveals that there are ways for women of all ages to help protect their bones against the ravages of this debilitating disease.
Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become thin and weak, leaving them vulnerable to fractures, which cause pain and deformity. Everyone begins to lose bone mass after age 35, but women are at higher risk for osteoporosis than men because menopause accelerates the process. From age 50 until death, women have a 40 percent chance of breaking a bone as a direct result of osteoporosis.
You’re never too young to protect your bones. Start making regular deposits to the “bone bank” even before you turn 35. How? Get a good dose of calcium in your diet, exercise and reduce any risk factors you may have, like smoking and consuming a lot of caffeine and alcohol. Talk to your doctor about your personal risk factors. Bone-healthy habits grow even more important as you approach menopause.
Mothers, encourage your daughters to build strong bones now. By increasing milk intake by even one glass a day, teenagers and young women can significantly strengthen and bulk-up their bones.
Calcium is the building material for strong, healthy bones. The best way to get it is through what you eat, and the calcium in dairy products is the most easily absorbed by the body. Milk also provides vitamin D, which aids calcium absorption. If you’re not sure you’re getting enough calcium in your diet, ask your pharmacist, doctor or a dietitian. Calcium supplements are beneficial for some people, and pharmacists can help choose one, if necessary.
Osteoporosis can be treated to greatly reduce the chance of getting painful and disabling broken bones. In addition to calcium and vitamin D supplements and hormone replacement therapy, new non-hormonal medications have hit the market. Many pharmacists across Canada have developed programs to take to women’s groups to raise awareness about prevention and treatment. Talk to your health professional for more information.
Osteo-Quiz
1. What is the daily recommended calcium intake for women aged 19-49?
a) 500 mg
b) 1000 mg
c) 5000 mg
2. For every 100 Canadian women over age 50, how many have osteoporosis?
a) 25
b) 10
c) 2
3. Which bones are most likely to break because of osteoporosis?
a) the small bones of the hands and feet
b) the bones in the neck
c) the bones in the hip, spine and wrist
Sandra A. Aylward, BSc, PhC, is division vice-president, Pharmacy Services, Lawtons Drug Stores Ltd.
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