What is osteoporosis?

It literally means porous bones and develops when the process of bone remodeling becomes unbalanced. Old, worn out bone is naturally reabsorbed by the body and new bone should be produced to replace it. However, if not enough new bone is produced then your bones start to become thin and brittle.

Amazingly enough it is a largely preventable disease

Some UK statistics are quite frightening -

• at least 3 million people suffer from it
• one in two women
• and one in five men are likely to suffer a fracture after the age of 50
• it affects younger people too

Here are some helpful tips to help stop you becoming one of the statistics

• Take regular exercise which stimulates the formation of new bone
• High impact is best
• Try
• aerobics
• gymnastics
• netball
• dancing
• racquet sports
• jogging
• skipping

• Eat calcium rich foods
• These include
• dairy products
• green, leafy vegetables
• salmon/pilchards (tinned and with bones)
• eggs
• nuts, seeds and pulses
• white and brown bread made from fortified flour

• Get enough vitamin D
• Summer (15mins) and winter (30mins) sun will help your vitamin D levels
• Good foods include: oily fish, eggs, butter, fortified milk, and fortified margarine and spreads.

• Eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day
• these foods contain important bone micronutrients

• Avoid canned and fizzy drinks which contain phosphoric acid
• they may cause a loss of calcium from your bones

• Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol

• Avoid aluminium based antacids
• These impair the absorption of phosphates and after 10yrs regular use, double the likelihood of hip fracture

• Cut back on salty foods/salt intake
• table salt increases the loss of calcium through your kidneys