Bone Density, A Determining Factor in Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition that affects women and causes the bones to become porous and thin. It is a serious and painful disease that will make your bones weak and brittle over time. There are little to no symptoms early in the disease and by the time symptoms begin presenting themselves, the disease may have already progressed. That’s why it is important to have bone density screenings before you start to suffer from the discomforts of bone pain and tenderness, lower back pain or neck pain, fractures with little impact, a stooped posture and a loss in height.

Your physician can order a bone density test, which will indicate early signs of osteoporosis. You usually have to go to a hospital or other imaging center to have the tests made. The test takes just a short amount of time and involves no pain.

The disease affects women twice as much as it affects men and it tends to affect Caucasian and Southeast Asian women more than any other race. Obviously the older you get or if you have a family history of osteoporosis in your family, you may have a greater chance of developing the disease. Even bad habits like smoking and caffeinated soda consumption have been linked as causes as well.

So considering these factors, it might be time to kick any bad habits you might have. Smoking and excess alcohol consumption can wear done your bones eventually. Too much caffeine can present problems with sleep and since it is a contributing factor to osteoporosis, then it should be limited as much as possible. Soft drinks are high in sugar, caffeine and empty calories and should be avoided, too.

Instead, eat dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale. Drink low fat milk and eat low fat cheeses and yogurts. Any kind of canned fish like salmon and sardines will also help to protect your bones. Also add soy into your diet. The estrogens found in soy have been shown to help maintain bone density. Your doctor may even suggest a calcium supplement.

Another great deterrent to osteoporosis is exercise! Building up strong bones starts with a healthy women’s fitness program. Fitness4Her is a diet, exercise and journal program developed exclusively for women of all ages. Designed to enhance the beauty of the female body, Fitness4Her will help you find exercises that work for you and help you work toward your fitness goals.