Common Habits That Cause Osteoporosis

7. Hormone Levels Can Also Be a Problem

Women who have passed menopause are at a very high risk of osteoporosis. At menopause, estrogen levels drop dramatically, and low sex hormones increase the risk (via Mayo Clinic). Men with low testosterone levels are also at increased risk, even though osteoporosis mainly affects women. If you are a woman and are beginning menopause, prioritize talking with your doctor about what you can do to prevent osteoporosis. You may not avoid natural fluctuations in your hormones, but you can take steps to evade extreme swings. Keeping the sugar and caffeine intake down to a minimum can go far in keeping your hormone levels stabilized (via U of M). Exercising, not smoking, and avoiding steroids are also necessary.

6. Gastrointestinal Surgery Increases Your Risk

Many people turn to gastrointestinal surgery as a last resort when they cannot lose excess body weight. While the surgery can be life-enhancing and even lifesaving for some, it can carry the side effect of increased risk of osteoporosis. Many gastrointestinal surgeries dramatically reduce the surface area of the stomach, thereby limiting the number of nutrients that you can absorb. If you have had a procedure that may limit nutrient absorption, talk with your doctor about what you can do to reduce your risk of osteoporosis. You may need to take vitamin supplements, in addition to focusing on eating nutrient-dense foods that are high in calcium (via healthgrades).

If you are considering gastrointestinal surgery, see any other viable options first. Perhaps you could consult with a nutritionist to work on a plan to lose weight without getting surgery. Many people can begin shedding those stubborn, excess pounds when they eliminate the junk food from their diet and start exercising regularly. However, some people need the extra help provided by surgery. Gastrointestinal surgery is sometimes necessary, but it should be a last resort. Not only does any surgery carry with it significant risks for a myriad of health problems, but gastrointestinal surgery also increases your risk of osteoporosis.

5. You Are Never Too Young, or Too Old, to Begin Caring for Your Bones

Whether you are still a teenager or are postmenopausal, you are not too old or too young to begin caring for your bones. You may be decades away from developing osteoporosis, but the steps you take today to improve your bone health will make a difference later in your life. Improved bone density earlier in life will increase the chances of good bone density later on (via NIH). You may already be in the early stages of osteoporosis, and you can still take action to help mitigate the effects of this debilitating disease. Adjusting your diet, exercising as you are able, and talking with your doctor about medications can help limit and possibly even reverse the progression of osteoporosis, helping you live as long and healthy a life as possible (via Mayo Clinic).

4. The Test for Osteoporosis Is Easy and Painless

If you or your doctor suspects that you may be developing osteoporosis, the way to test for the condition is relatively easy. You lay on your back on a table, and a machine that uses low-level X-rays scans your hips and spine to determine bone density (via NIH). If your bone density is below a certain level, your doctor will diagnose you with osteoporosis and want to begin treatment immediately. Depending on your situation, treatment may or may not reverse the osteoporosis that has already set in (via healthline). Often, the best outcome to hope for is to stop or significantly slow down the progression of the disease so that you can continue living as normal a life as possible.

3. Treatment for Osteoporosis May Include Medication

Were you diagnosed with osteoporosis? Your doctor will talk with you about a treatment plan to help prevent fractures. Hopefully you can slow, if not reverse, the progression of the disease. According to the test results from your bone-density exam, the treatment plan will be based on your probability of experiencing a bone fracture within the next ten years. If you are likely to break a bone within the next ten years, your doctor may prescribe medications known as bisphosphonates (via NIH). Bisphosphonates prevent the loss of bone density. However, it may include some unpleasant side effects. Make sure you have a conversation with your doctor about any other conditions you may be experiencing (via healthline). He or she could decide to prescribe a medication that is not bisphosphonate but will otherwise help prevent bone loss.

2. Treatment Will Also Involve Lifestyle Modifications

If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, your doctor may want you to speak with a nutritionist about dietary habits that will help ensure the most robust bones possible. He or she may also talk with you about exercise and may recommend that you begin doing water-based activities. Why? Because water-based exercises have dramatically less impact and are not as likely to harm your bones (via healthline). If you have any habits that could make you more likely to break a bone, make sure you talk with your doctor. You may need to make some significant lifestyle modifications. Yes, this may sound upsetting. However, making the lifestyle modifications before you break a bone to prevent that from happening is much more pleasant than waiting until after you break a bone.

1. Make Sure You Prevent Falls

Falling is the primary reason people with osteoporosis experience a broken bone, so if you receive a diagnosis of osteoporosis, do everything you can to prevent yourself from falling (via Mayo Clinic). Instead of climbing on a chair to change a light bulb, ask someone else to do this task for you. You may think that changing a light bulb is too menial to need help with. However, you really don’t want to fall off the chair and be stuck on the floor with a broken bone. That goes double if there is no one to help. You may want to have a home-health nurse do a walk-through of your home to determine what fall risks may be present and talk with you about preventing falls.

A diagnosis of osteoporosis will undoubtedly lead to major changes in your life (via healthline). If you do not make those changes on your own, you will be forced to make even more significant changes when you experience a broken bone. The best course of action is to begin working to reduce your chances of developing osteoporosis. Those habits will continue to serve you well if you do receive a diagnosis. Why? Because they will help slow the progression of the disease and keep your bones healthy for as long as possible. The diagnosis does not have to be the end of a productive and meaningful life. That is, as long as you do your best to maintain your health.