Causes of osteoporosis, and what baby boomers can do about it.

Because no baby boomer wants to experience the pain, stooped posture, and bone fractures that are a result of osteoporosis.

These should not be part of the aging process. And they won’t be with a little prevention.

If you didn’t start healthy lifestyle habits early in your life, start now. It's never to late to eliminate the causes of osteoporosis by dropping bad habits and picking up some healthy ones.

CAUSES OF OSTEOPOROSIS CAN BE NOT EATING RIGHT.

Because the body does not make calcium, nope not a speck. So it’s necessary to include this essential mineral in your daily diet. But what if you're one of the many baby boomers who don’t do that?

Now you have a problem, with not enough calcium in take, the calcium within the bones is used to meet your body needs.

This is not good. When your body goes to your bones for calcium this accentuates bone loss in adults. Baby boomers that are at high risk for developing osteoporosis need to consume the recommended 1200-1500 mg. of daily calcium.

Look for calcium rich dairy products: whole, skim, low-fat, and evaporated milk, buttermilk, and nonfat dry milk, yogurt, ice cream, ice milk, and cheeses, including cottage cheese.

And here’s some whole food sources of calcium: Sardines, Chinese cabbage, Spinach, Rhubarb, Wild canned Salmon with bones, Sardines, Kale, White beans, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Pinto beans, Collard greens and Red beans.

But watch out for calcium-blocking foods. For instance, a high protein diet can increase calcium loss. Also too much caffeine, salt or too many soft drinks can inhibit calcium absorption.

The Mediterranean diet is a great way for most of us to make sure we’re getting a well balanced diet with enough calcium.

But if you don’t think you can get the calcium you need through the Mediterranean diet, talk to your doctor about calcium supplements.

Your doctor will help you evaluate your dietary intake and the need for supplements.

CAUSES OF OSTEOPOROSIS CAN BE NOT ENOUGH VITIMIN D.

Vitamin D exists in the skin as a provitamin, is converted as a result of sun exposure and needed for proper calcium absorption. Safe sun exposure for 10-15 minutes a day when the sun is high can activate the production of vitamin D by the skin.

But sun exposure should not be considered a major source of calcium among baby boomers, because it makes only about a third of what the body requires.

The most significant food sources of vitamin D are seafood: Stick to cold saltwater fish like salmon, halibut, tuna, oysters, and shrimp.

And keep on the look for milk, some brands of juice and cereal that are fortified with vitamin D.

CAUSES OF OSTEOPOROSIS CAN BE LACK OF EXERCISE.

When combined with a healthy diet, exercise helps to maintain bone health. The way it works is, the force exerted on the bones during exercise improves bone strength and calcium absorption.

But before you baby boomers jump into exercise, you should talk with your doctor to develop an appropriate exercise plan. You need to be aware of you musculoskeletal and cardiovascular status before you start any exercise program.

WEIGHT BEARING aerobic activities like a walking or running plan create an impact on bones each time feet hit the ground. These have a particular benefit on bones of the hip and spine. But go easy in the beginning; give your body time to get used to what you’re asking it to do.

HIGH INPACT exercises include activities such as tennis, volleyball, jumping rope, and vertical jumping. Although these exercises improve bone health more quickly because of the increased force they produce on the bones, there is also a greater risk to joints. NOTE: Middle-aged baby boomers, which have experienced a previous fracture, should avoid high-impact exercises.

MUSCLE STRENGTH exercises increase the tension they place on the bones, which stimulates bone growth. Stronger muscles provide a stronger stimulation to the bones. Exercises that specifically improve muscle strength for the hip, spine, and arms are important because these are common fracture sites. So think about getting some lightweights and pumping some iron while you watch TV.

BALANCE TRAINING and flexibility exercises do not directly improve bone density. But the are key in maintaining balance and improving joint flexibility, both of which help to prevent baby boomer falls.

For healthy individuals, shoot for doing some kind of exercise 3-5 times per week. After 12 weeks, time and frequency of exercise can be increased. No more than one day of exercise or five minutes per workout should be added at a time, like we said, go slow and easy to avoid injury and muscle soreness.

CAUSES OF OSTEOPOROSIS FOR WOMEN.

WOMEN. A woman's lifetime exposure to estrogen is a good predictor of bone mass. Women with higher estrogen exposure are more likely to have strong bones.

But all women are at an increased risk for bone loss following menopause, and the risk is even higher if they experience menopause before age 45. Check with your doctor for more information on your situation. Everybody’s different.

CAUSES OF OSTEOPOROSIS MAY HAVE STARTED IN YOUR YOUTH.

Here’s the deal, as a baby boomer, you may be more at risk for osteoporosis than you think because osteoporosis is a silent disease that may have begun in your youth.

And without essential prevention and treatment, it can gradually continue to develop throughout life. But you can do something about it.

Because it’s never too late for you to take steps to improve bone health by making healthy lifestyle changes.

So start today, exercising, eating right and building strong bones.

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