Osteoporosis is a disease where your bones become soft and weak making them susceptible to fractures
Simple activities such as coughing, sneezing, hugging, picking up the newspaper or lifting groceries can cause the bones to break
Affects the entire body - bones of the back, hip, wrist and ribcage are more likely to fracture
It occurs in both men and women of all ages and different ethnicities
It develops slowly and can go undetected for years while the bones are being robbed of calcium
What are the consequences of Osteoporosis?
Broken Bones
Back Pain
Loss of height
Stooped rounded shoulders
Humped Back
Loss of Independence & mobility
Low self esteem
Fear of falling
Depression, nervousness, fear
Death
Osteoporosis Facts
More women die from osteoporosis related fractures than from cancers of the breast, ovaries & uterus combined
Men over 50 are at a greater risk of an osteoporosis related fracture than from developing prostate cancer
Approximately, 20% of women and 34% of men will die within one year from a hip fracture and 75% will have some form of permanent disability
In the first 5 to 7 years after menopause, women can lose from 5% to 30% of their bone mass
About 40% of women past menopause will fracture a bone
1 out of 2 women and 1 out of 5 men will sustain fractures due to osteoporosis
Canadians spend an incredible $1.3 billion a year for the treatment of those stricken with the disease
Research estimates that as many as 40% of 50 year old women will suffer an osteoporotic fracture some time during their lives
One in six women over the age of 70 will break a hip and one quarter will break a vertebra
1.6 million hip fractures occur each year – equivalent to one every 20 seconds!
By 2020, the world’s population of seniors will double
By 2040, the number of osteoporotic fractures will triple
How can you prevent Osteoporosis?
You should eat a well balanced diet rich in calcium & vitamin D &/or take supplements
Aim for 1500mg of calcium/day & 1000 IU of vitamin D/day through diet &/or supplements
3 to 4 servings of dairy products/day gives you enough calcium for the day e.g. one glass of milk has 300 mg of calcium and 200 IU of vitamin D, ¾ cup of plain yogurt has 300 mg of calcium, 1 ¼ cube of cheese has 250 mg of calcium
There are also other calcium-rich foods e.g. orange juice with calcium; salmon/sardine with bones, almonds, beans & many more
About 40% of women past menopause will fracture a bone
Be physically active – moderate exercise helps maintain or improve bone density, improves balance, reduces risk of falling & risk of fractures and dramatically improves quality of life
Do weight-bearing activities like walking, dancing, low impact aerobics, hiking, golf, tennis, climbing stairs, bowling, jogging
Do strengthening activities like weightlifting with dumbbells, wrist and ankle weights or even household objects like cans of soup
Do balance training like tai-chi or yoga
Practice proper postural & fall prevention techniques
Stop smoking
Drink moderately, not excessively
Reduce intake of caffeine
Limit yourself to less than 3 small cups of tea, coffee or cola
