There are some health conditions for which women specifically tend to unfortunately be predisposed to. One such condition is osteoporosis, and if you don’t know much about it then you need to learn and be proactive. Though men can and do develop osteoporosis, women tend to be more exposed to the condition. Though this has become a treatable condition it is one that you can avoid altogether by being aware of the condition and taking steps to try and prevent it.
Understanding the Definition and Implications of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis quite simply means porous bones. Therefore with this disease the density and quality of the bone are reduced over time. You tend to think of this as a disease that affects only older women, and that’s only partially true. The damage may take time to show up but it can start early on in a woman’s life—and therefore be prevented if preventative steps are taken.
What happens with this condition is that as the bones become more porous and fragile, which often happens in women as they age, the risk of fracture increases quite dramatically. The biggest problem with this disease is that the loss of bone is often happening in the background very quietly and there are no symptoms that you can see or even feel. When true osteoporosis sets in, it is often due to many years of bone loss and therefore related damage.
Though these fractures can occur anywhere within the bones, it is of the most concern within the hip, spine, and wrist. These areas of the body already tend to be weakened in women as they get older, and therefore when there is related bone loss the site becomes fragile and the incidence of fractures becomes more prominent.
You may have even seen somebody with a very extreme case of osteoporosis whereby their height or stature is affected. Since the hips and the spine are often problem areas, any fracture to this part of the body becomes extremely problematic.
A woman that suffers from osteoporosis to this part of the body may experience a change in height or the inability to stand up straight, resulting in that “hunched over” stature that has become associated with the disease.
Prevention of This All Too Common Disease
The most important thing to know is that it is preventable. Even if you have a family history of osteoporosis, you can take measures to prevent it from becoming a reality in your own life. It’s important to practice a healthy lifestyle and a crucial component of that in preventing this condition is a sufficient intake of calcium.
Both calcium and Vitamin D taken together ensure that these vital supplements are absorbed into the body properly. They can be your best weapons in fighting bone loss and in keeping the potential problem areas as strong as possible. The stronger the bones, the less likely they can become weakened and without bone loss, the potential for fractures and the onset of osteoporosis is ultimately much less likely.