Osteoporosis is a disease of your bones that leads to easy fractures in your spine, hip, and wrists. However, the disease affects all of the bones in your body. This condition is a part of aging, but you can prevent it through several lifestyle changes.
Dr. Jason Ablett and the Pinnacle Health Chiropractic team offer help when dealing with osteoporosis. He also assists you with healthy lifestyle changes to strengthen your bones and prevent injury.
Osteoporosis is a chronic disease that weakens your bones and makes them brittle. Your weakened bones are highly susceptible to injury and fractures.
Your bones are constantly breaking down and rebuilding themselves in a process known as remodeling. When you're young, your bones rebuild faster than they break down, which is why they're so strong in your teens and early twenties.
After you hit your mid-thirties, your bone begins to break down faster than it rebuilds itself — this process causes your bones to lose strength and durability.
When you have osteoporosis, your bones break down faster than the average. It also leads to the spongy center of your bone having bigger holes, which affects the integrity and strength.
If osteoporosis is left untreated, your bones become extremely weak and may fracture from something as simple as sneezing.
Unfortunately, this is a trick question. Osteoporosis is considered a "silent" disease. It means you don't typically know you have it until you fall or break a bone.
There are, however, signs that could signal you have osteoporosis. The tell-tale signs of this disease include:
The compression in your spine makes it hard to breathe with osteoporosis. As the vertebrae lose their height or become fractured, they collapse, making less room for your lungs to expand.
Bone fractures are usually the last sign of osteoporosis. The disease is usually pretty far along when you suffer a broken bone.
When you take the time to invest in your health, you can prevent bone loss and osteoporosis.
Dr. Ablett and his team want to help prevent osteoporosis. If you're at risk for this condition, you must seek help and take the necessary steps to keep your bones healthy. Some of the tips Dr. Ablett recommends include:
Calcium is one of the primary nutrients needed for optimal bone health. However, more isn't always a good thing. If you're a woman under 50, try to consume 1000 mg of calcium daily. If you're over 50 and in menopause, you should shoot for 1200 mg of calcium daily.
It would be best if you also kept an eye on your vitamin D consumption. Vitamin D helps your bones absorb calcium, making them strong and healthy. If you're under 70 years old, aim to get at least 600 IU of vitamin D daily. If you're over 70, strive to earn 800 IU of vitamin D in your diet.
Protein is essential, too, as it's in every cell throughout your body. Protein helps your bones stay dense and strong.
Exercise is a critical aspect of bone health. Weight-bearing exercises and lifting weights are especially helpful in preventing osteoporosis. You should try to be active several times per week, focus on resistance training, and use your body weight to stay healthy.
Smoking has a detrimental effect on several areas of your body, including your bones. Dr. Ablett suggests quitting smoking as a significant factor in preventing osteoporosis. Not only do your bones benefit, but you'll feel better and your lungs will work better.
Your weight is also an essential part of your bone health. Being underweight damages your bones, while being overweight puts added pressure on them. Strive for a healthy weight that you can easily maintain through a healthy diet and regular activity.
Call our office today at 425-368-5753 to discuss how you can prevent osteoporosis, or you can schedule an appointment online using the booking tool on our web page.
