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The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Women: Osteoporosis

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Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis

Prevent "Little Old Lady Syndrome"

If you're 45 years old or younger and think that it's too early (or too late) to start worrying about osteoporosis, think again: The earlier you think about it, the better, says Susan Allen, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of internal medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Missouri Hospital and Clinic in Columbia. According to top women doctors who specialize in osteoporosis, this disease could easily become yesterday's news if, starting now, you eat calcium-rich foods and engage in regular weight-bearing exercise.

"Osteoporosis is 100 percent preventable," says Susan Ward, M.D., clinical assistant professor of medicine and associate director of the Jefferson Osteoporosis Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. According to Dr. Ward, women's bodies were originally designed to not last much past menopause, when estrogen production slows and finally ceases. The lack of estrogen triggers an increase in bone resorption--in other words, bone loss.

BANK BONE NOW

The good news is that the time to lessen your osteoporosis risk is right now. Women doctors offer these proactive measures to prevent or slow the progression of the disease.

Bone up on calcium. Premenopausal women need at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day, says Doris Gorka Bartuska, M.D., director of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism clinical services at Allegheny University of the Health Sciences in Philadelphia. Once past menopause, women should be getting 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams a day, she says.

The best sources of calcium? Low-fat dairy products. Nonfat yogurt (one cup has 452 milligrams), skim milk (one cup has 302 milligrams) and part-skim mozzarella cheese (1 ounce has 181 milligrams) top the list. Of course, taking calcium carbonate, calcium gluconate or other forms of calcium supplements is the easist way to ensure that you get what you need each and every day of the week.

Stay (or get) active. "Incorporate activity into your lifestyle now," says Susan A. Bloomfield, M.D., assistant professor of kinesiology at Texas A&M University in College Station. "The most important thing is to do something active every day." Dr. Bloomfield advises women to alter sedentary routines--for example, she says, "Never sit when you can stand, or ride when you can walk. Any exercise is better than no exercise at all."

When To See A Doctor

Since there is no pain associated with early osteoporosis, it's important to be aware of the risk factors, so that you can head off the disease by taking precautions now. A simple 15-minute test called the DEXA scan (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) measures your bone density and tells whether you're at risk for osteoporosis.

Ask your doctor about having a DEXA scan if you:

* Are thin and small-boned

* Have irregular menstrual periods or fewer than ten cycles a year

* Have a history of eating disorders

* Have a family history of osteoporosis

* Take corticosteroids, anticonvulsants like phenytoin (Dilantin), thyroid medication or blood thinners

* Have generalized bone pain and tenderness

* Experience frequent fractures

Take a walk. "Every woman should have a program that includes weight-bearing exercise," says Dr. Allen. "And one of the very best and easiest is walking."

"Schedule yourself for a daily 20-minute walk," suggests Dr. Ward.

Join a smoking-cessation program. "Smoking cigarettes can lower estrogen levels," says Dr. Bartuska, "and it has a negative impact on bone density."

A study on female twins suggested that a woman who smokes a pack of cigarettes a day may experience a 5 to 10 percent reduction in bone density at the time of menopause, a deficit that could increase the risk of fracture.

Skip coffee and alcohol. "Put both alcohol and caffeine on your no-no list," says Dr. Bartuska. "Both are diuretics that leech calcium from your bones."

In addition, alcohol may be toxic to bone-forming cells and may interfere with intestinal absorption of calcium, say experts. Plus, drinking affects your balance and, as you get older, increases the chances that you'll fall and break a bone.

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