MOST EXCELLENT NEWS!!!
Listen Up!
Had Osteoporosis
Now I Don’t!!!
I am not telling anyone what to do. This is simply information I have gathered, made as straightforward as I could make it,
along with my experience:
I am (my birthday was days ago) 63-year-old, Caucasian, female, who has always been physically active. I have never been a smoker or drinker, and have a healthy body weight and healthy eating habits.
When I was 60 I freaked out when I was found to have osteoporosis. I didn’t like the idea of being on medicine – it has been my observation that too often medicines, especially over a long period of time cause horrible side effects. Also, as much as possible, I want to be in control of my health and change any part of my lifestyle as needed, rather than pop a pill.
I live in a little mountain village and have a good, personal relationship with my health care provider – so that I am not just another patient who gets the standard treatment – because that’s not what I want.
***I know where I made my health mistake – I wrongly thought that with my healthy life style I could forgo supplements.
Information on taking supplements varies. For me it is vital to take supplements along with my healthy lifestyle to maintain my health.
When I calmed down I heard that I was just over the line that marks having osteoporosis. My health care provider agreed with the advice I had from my good friend and retired nurse Judy – take 2 calcium daily, 1 in the AM and 1 in the PM making sure vitamin D is included. Keep up my healthy active lifestyle and healthy diet.
Just FYI an OB/GYN I saw in a nearby town automatically thought that the pharmaceutical recommendation of being on meds for osteoporosis for 2 years (before making a new assessment) was the way to go. ***She and I had just met and did not have a close, individual health care relationship as I do with my health care provider here for years – vital to me.
***Yesterday I got the report from my bone scan 2 days before, that I no longer have osteoporosis!!!
Osteoporosis is a disease in which there is loss of bone mass and density.
Risk factor for osteoporosis that are uncontrollable: gender, age, and ethnicity
Women are 4-times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis.
After age 30, bone mass naturally begins to decline with age.
Caucasian and Asian women are at the highest risk for the development of osteoporosis.
Risk factor for osteoporosis that are controllable: smoking, excessive drinking, underweight, lack of exercise
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH): A BMI of less than 18.5 means that a person is underweight. A BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 is ideal.
Calculate BMI by dividing weight in pounds (lb) by height in inches (in) squared and multiplying by a conversion factor of 703. When using a handheld calculator, if your calculator has a square function, divide weight (lb) by height (in) squared, multiply by 703, and round to one decimal place.
Two easy BMI calculators below
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/in-depth/bmi-calculator/itt-20084938#
Researchers have shown a direct link between smoking and decreased bone density.
Research has shown that regular consumption of more than two alcoholic drinks per day increases the risk of developing osteoporosis. Consuming more than four alcoholic drinks per day may double the risk of osteoporosis related fractures. In the United States, a standard drink is defined as 12-ounces of beer, 5-ounces of wine, or 1.5-ounces of distilled spirits.
Studies have shown that women who sit for more than 9-hours per day are 50-percent more likely to have a hip fracture compared to those who sit less than 6-hours per day. Bone, like muscle, becomes stronger with exercise. The stress of exercise stimulates bone cell activity. Exercise also promotes balance, which can decrease the likelihood of falls and fractures.
Two types of exercises may help prevent osteoporosis: weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises. Examples of high-impact weight-bearing exercises are dancing, hiking, jogging, and tennis. Examples of low-impact weight-bearing exercises are elliptical machines, stair-step machines, and walking on a treadmill. Examples of muscle-strengthening exercises are lifting free weights, using elastic exercise bands, and lifting one’s own body weight with pull-ups or push-ups. Walking is the best exercise for me. I walk with our dogs, in our mountains, on and off throughout the day(s) I also keep hand weights in my bedroom window seat and lift them 3x’s off and on throughout each day. I do a video of Tai Chi. I climb stairs and carry firewood, etc –
At least 30-minutes of exercise most days of the week, provides the greatest benefit to bone health. I wear a Fit Bit.
In addition, the National Osteoporosis Foundation reports some medicines may cause bone loss.
Life is hard enough. Aging is hard enough. Being healthy and strong is everything (to me) doing all I can to stay as healthy and as strong as possible is vital to my happiness! I am getting up from the computer now and bring up firewood and going walking with our dogs again on our nature trail. *Life is Good!