Osteoporosis
This page on HealthMBA.com is about the effects of the degenerative bone disease osteoporosis and the ways that you can maintain the health of your bones as you age through proper diet. Although there is no cure for osteoporosis, there are a number of things you do for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis as you become more at risk for the disease. This article includes a list of over the counter medications and effective supplements to your diet that can help restore the strength to your bones.
Osteoporosis is a disease that gradually depletes the bones of its structural strength and leads to susceptibility to fractures and breaks. It is a condition that becomes more common and dangerous as you age and requires special attention and care to avoid the damaging and painful effects. With this disease the density of the bones actually diminishes and the structure becomes porous, thinner and weaker, more at risk for suffering a break or fracture. Left to progress on its own, osteoporosis will cause the calcium in the bones to gradually deplete and the bones can ultimately become fragile, leading to a break in the hips or the spine, the areas under great strain. Osteoporosis treatment begins with a diet that is high in calcium to counter the effects of the body's depletion. This helps to replenish this mineral in the bones so that the rate of loss will at least be slowed.
The condition of calcium depletion is most prevalent in older women, especially at menopause, and they are in the greatest need of following a special diet and seeking medical consultation. During menopause the levels of estrogen in a woman's body can change, and medical research has shown that there is a link with this change and a drastic reduction in calcium and density in the bones. Beyond supplementary calcium in the diet there are also other medications that can help to strengthen the structure and rebuild the density of the bones to help reduce the risks of fractures from osteoporosis. The medical tests used to monitor the density of bones involve either X-ray or ultrasound imagery. These tests can view through the bone material to determine whether there has been significant loss of the structural material. This could be included as a standard test along with a wellness physical in later years, but it is mainly used for screening to detect areas that are at risk for fractures.
The best way to prevent or hold back the disease of osteoporosis is to make a habit, even in your younger years, to take in a lot of calcium and vitamin D to help build up the density and strength of your bones. This includes dairy and soy milk, whole sardines, orange juice, leafy green vegetables and yogurt. There are also numerous non-prescription dietary supplements high in calcium and other minerals to help replenish the structure of the bones. Other medications such as bisphosphonates, calcitonin and estrogens have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but it is a good idea to consult your physician for the best treatment strategy.
