After you have prepared this list, note what to do for your bones. Talk to your doctor about other signs that you have and the methods by which you can prevent osteopenia and fracture.
1. Low body weight. Weight affects your bone density. Some women maintain their weight through diet low in calories and thus bone density is affected.
For example, a woman who weighs less than 57 kg is 10 times more prone to bone loss compared to a woman who weighs 68 kg or more. The risk increases when the amount of body fat decreases. Women tend to follow the drastic diet to maintain a low body weight, quit often and thus lose the dairy and the main source of calcium (vital for strong bones).
2. Genetics. Mother or your grandmother had lost height? This leads to a higher risk of reduced bone density. Osteopenia and fracture risk increases if your mother or grandmother had suffered fractures or bone loss.
Genetic predisposition may contribute up to 60 - 80% in the development of osteopenia. For this reason it is important to find diseases suffered by mothers and our grandmothers. It often happens that family members share the same lifestyle, diet, lack of exercise or smoking. You can change your lifestyle for your health.
3. Age. The risk increases with decreasing bone density with age. Approximately 90% of women over 75 have suffered broken bones. A low bone mass is found in approximately 50% of women age 50 years, 66% in women of 60 years, 86% in women 70 years and 93% in women over 80 years.
4. Early Menopause. As long as your body gets estrogen, bone loss or fracture risk is lower. If you start menstruating later in adolescence or if it ends before 40 years, your body produces less estrogen and Thus will be more prone to osteopenia.
5. Previous fractures. If you have suffered fractures as an adult, other risk is much higher bills. If you have a spine fracture may occur another fracture in less than a year, if nothing is done. And a spine fracture can double risk of hip fractures. Is a reason strong enough to make your bone density test and take action?
6. Certain drugs. Taking corticosteroid medicines such as prednisone or other corticosteroids, often leads to premature bone loss.
7. Lifestyle. Certain habits such as smoking can lead to bone loss. Smoking can double risk of losing bone density. Smokers tend to consume a greater quantity of alcohol, not to keep active, eat less and all these lead to premature bone loss. It seems that smoking has an anti-estrogen effect on bone, and women who smoke tend to reach menopause by at least 2 years earlier than who are not smoking.
Alcohol abuse can lead to loss of bone density that affects bone formation and reduces the body's ability to absorb calcium. But a moderate consumption does not affect your bones.
8. Diet low in dairy products. Calcium is key to strong bones. It is very important for bone health, especially in youth, when bones grow.
Some studies have shown that less than 25% of adolescents get enough quantity of calcium daily through food or supplements.
9. Irregular menstrual cycle. Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) or other menstrual irregularities can increase the risk of occurrence of fractures. Amenorrhea can occur because of strenuous physical activities we and is common to athletes, especially gymnasts.
10. Thyroid Problems. An excessive amount of thyroid hormone can lead to bone loss. This occurs when the thyroid is overactive (hyperthyroidism) or drugs when used to treat thyroid hormones rich active thyroid (hypothyroidism).
11. Rheumatoid Arthritis. This type of arthritis is most common in young women. It causes pain, swelling and joint stiffness. This condition increases the risk of bone fractures and thinning. |
