Love your bones...

Do you know that everyday, calcium is lost in bodily secretions such as urine, faeces, and sweat, or shed in skin, hair and nails? 

OSTEOPOROSIS

You want to pay more attention to it.....because it is a silent disease. You don't want to discover it only when you have fractured a bone.

Throughout your life, your skeleton loses old bone and forms new bone. When you are young, the formation of new bone is faster than the loss of old bone. Thus, your bone gets denser reaching its peak at around age 20.

But as you grow older, your bone loss is faster than new born being formed. As a result your bone gets less dense and weaker. 


Osteoporosis results when new born formation is unable to match bone loss.

In the early stages there are no obvious symptoms. Towards the later stages, you may feel pain in the bones and muscles, especially around the lower back.

People with osteoporosis may also suffer from spinal compression fractures resulting in loss of height and a stooped back called 'dowager's hump'.

While any bone in your body may be affected by this bone-thinning disease, fractures in the hips and spine are of special concern because they often result in hospitalization or even death.

Over the last 30 years in Singapore, cases of hip fractures have increased 5 times in women aged 50 and above, and 1.5 times in men of the same age group. Studies have shown that 1 in every 5 people with osteoporotic hip fracture died within a year.

Women are more prone to osteoporosis losing up to 20% of their bone mass in the 5 - 7 years after menopause. This is due to the fall in the production of the hormone called oestrogen which protects bones.

To ensure strong bones, you must ensure an adequate intake of calcium everyday, as well as Vitamin D because it is necessary for calcium absorption. Adequate exposure to sunlight also helps in the production of Vitamin D.

Bones suffer when there is a lack of physical activity.

Regular exercises can help to build stronger and denser bones.

Weight bearing exercises like brisk walking, jogging, dancing or aerobics put force through the bone thus strengthening it.

Resistance exercises like weight lifting strengthen the muscles and decrease the risk of falling.

Take care of your bones because osteoporosis is largely preventable.

What can you do?

1. Ensure adequate daily intake of Calcium and Vitamin D
2. Regular exercise
3. Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol
4. Reduce intake of caffeine because it decreases calcium absorption
5. Avoid salty snacks. Too much salt can cause bone loss.