Treating someone with established osteoporosis is difficult, and therefore the key is to prevent it from developing in the first place.
Identifying your risk factors early can help stop bone loss sooner rather than at a more advanced stage, when it may be more difficult to treat.
Because there are no real symptoms until a fracture happens, we call it the Silent Disease. You cannot feel your bones thinning — it is similar to not feeling high cholesterol and ending up having a heart attack! When a bone finally breaks it may be too late.
BE PROACTIVE AND FIND OUT YOUR RISK!
Common risk factors
Smoking
We all know the damage smoking does to your heart and lungs, but few know that compared to non-smokers, smokers have an up to 1.8 times higher risk of hip fracture.
Excessive alcohol use
If you drink more than two units of alcohol per day, you have a 40% increased risk of suffering an osteoporotic fracture. Moderate drinking is beneficial to overall health and your bones.
Excessive leanness and poor nutrition
A Body Mass Index of below 19 is considered underweight and a risk factor for osteoporosis, especially if you follow a low kilojoule diet low in bone-health nutrients like calcium, protein and vitamin D. Poor nutrition in the elderly is particularly concerning because they are more prone to falls and fractures.
Vitamin D deficiency
Vitamin D, usually made in the skin as a result of sun exposure, is essential for the absorption of calcium and therefore bone health. Few foods contain vitamin D, and nowadays young and old spend less time in the sun — and when we do, we wear sunblock. What all of this boils down to is that vitamin D deficiency has become a global problem.
Frequent falls
Ninety percent of hip fractures occur when older people fall. Poor eyesight, impaired balance, dementia and medication all increase the risk of falling.
Insufficient exercise
If you don’t exercise you lose muscle mass and also bone density. Regular weightbearing and muscle strengthening exercises are therefore very important for bone health. In the elderly, immobility often leads to a hip fracture as a result of poor muscle strength and reflexes.
Eating disorders
Eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia lead to malnourishment and extreme weight loss, and because important nutrients like calcium, protein and vitamin D are underprovided, bone health suffers as a result.
Recent loss of height
If you have lost more than 3cm in the past year, it can be a sign of vertebral (spine) fractures caused by osteoporosis.
http://www.health24.com/Lifestyle/Healthy-you/am-i-at-risk-of-developing-osteoporosis-20170327 – Health 24