Osteoporosis: Are You at Risk?

The answer is: probably!

1 in 3 women over 50 will experience a bone fracture as the result of osteoporosis, as will 1 in 5 men.

Osteoporosis has been ominously dubbed the ‘silent disease’ because you can have no symptoms until you experience a fracture.

What’s even more alarming is that 70% of Australian women diagnosed with osteoporosis are still oblivious to their extra risk of fractures. Many women believe they had the same risk as those without the condition, an international study published in Osteoporosis International recently found.

What is Osteoporosis?

The word osteoporosis comes from the words ‘osteo’ which means bone and ‘porosis which implies the thinning or wearing away of something, which basically means the wearing away of bones.

This ‘wearing away of bone’ is generally associated with the hip, spine and wrist. Although these are the most common they are not the only bones that are susceptible to osteoporosis related fractures.

Famous People with Osteoporosis

Sally Field, 2 time academy award winning actress, currently starring in Brothers and Sisters:

“I was amazed at how quickly a woman could go from being at risk to having full-fledged osteoporosis. My bones appeared to be getting steadily thinner without any signs or symptoms I could see or feel […] If Osteoporosis goes undetected and untreated… you could experience a fracture picking up a bag of groceries, or sitting down on a hard bench.”

Joan Rivers, Emmy award winning American comedienne

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be a candidate for osteoporosis. I know now, I should have paid more attention to my personal risk factors; I should have taken better care of my bones. You know what? So should you. So come on, Beat the Break, take responsibility for your bones. Just talk to your doctor about osteoporosis. ”

Are YOU at risk?

Everyone, regardless of age, gender and lifestyle has the potential to be affected by osteoporosis. However, if you have a family history of osteoporosis or fit the following profile, you are one of the many at an increased risk:

• Thin or petite build

• Small boned

• Caucasian

• Heading towards 60

Or if you are experiencing any of the following:

Men: Impotence, lack of libido, low testosterone

Women: Early menopause, no periods for 6-12 months (excluding pregnancy and menopause)

Lifestyle: Diet lacking in calcium, lack of sunlight exposure, prolonged sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking

What can you do?

In a world where everyone has become so diet conscious it is shocking to see how many people are suffering from a condition that can be prevented in many cases.

Bones need calcium, vitamin, magnesium and phosphorus in order to remain strong. It is for this reason that our diet is so important in maintaining healthy bones. The consumption of foods rich in these nutrients plus regular exercise can significantly reduce the effect of osteoporosis.

The intake of dairy products and dark green leafy vegetables are ideal choices when making diet alterations in order to improve bone mass. Limited alcohol intake and quitting smoking are also recommended as both have an affect on bone loss.

The introduction of herbs into your diet has also been proved to assist bone density. Herbs such as red clover have been shown to improve bone mineral density and also to lower LDL cholesterol. A recent study also indicated that the herb black Cohosh and a handful of sesame seeds every morning may help prevent osteoporosis.

At present over 2.2 million Australians are affected by osteoporosis. The safest way to protect yourself is by asking your doctor for regular bone density checkups, as osteoporosis often has no symptoms until the first fracture.

Don’t wait until it’s too late.

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