Osteoporosis, which means Porus bones, is a health condition in which the bone quality and density of the affected person will tend to get reduced with time. Needless to mention, when your bones get more fragile and Porus, the likeliness of it getting fractured will be phenomenally high. On top of that, this is a slow process and usually, people start exhibiting the associated symptoms only in an advanced stage. In fact, there will be no signs of osteoporosis until the first fracture in most cases.
Note that bones are living tissues and it keeps on changing and strengthening from birth to young adulthood. Ideally, the bone of a person will be most dense during the early 20s and is known as the peak bone mass. As a person grows older, bone loss will naturally occur but will be replaced with new bone cells. However, in the case of a person suffering from osteoporosis, the pace of the development of a new bone will be much lesser when compared to the bone loss pace.
Thankfully, you can prevent this health condition by making some lifestyle changes even before the occurrence of osteoporosis. Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘prevention is better than cure’? It is to be noted that two of the main factors that play a key role in determining whether or not an individual is likely to develop the health condition are genetics and the environment.
Furthermore, bone thinning is a normal process after a person passes 25 years of age and it cannot be cured completely. Of course, thicker your bone, more time will it take to develop osteoporosis. So, it is your responsibility to take the necessary measures to make your bones thicker and prevent osteoporosis. Some of the effective osteoporosis prevention tips are listed below.
Childhood to adolescence
It is always better to invest in your bone health from a very young age. In fact, this is the best time to design and adapt a healthy lifestyle to tackle osteoporosis. Many studies report that a child who practices a healthy lifestyle is 50% less vulnerable to osteoporosis. Some of the vital steps a child or teenager may practice in this case include;
- Avoid under-nutrition or proteins malnutrition
- Design a healthy diet with adequate calcium intake
- Take part in regular physical activities
- Ensure an adequate supply of vitamin D
- Avoid smoking
Adulthood
For youth, the bone mass acquired is the main factor that determines the likeliness of developing osteoporosis in the future. On a related, the risk of developing osteoporosis will be reduced based on the peak bone mass. One a person achieve peak bone mass, the remodeling process where an old bone is replaced by a new one will begin. This continuous renewal of bone is necessary to maintain decent bone strength throughout your life. To maintain this, follow the tips given below.
- Avoid under-nutrition
- Ensure adequate calcium intake
- Take part in weight-bearing activities regularly
- An adequate supply of vitamin D
- Avoid heavy alcohol consumption
- Avoid smoking
