The average bone density of people has fallen in the last 20 years with various studies suggesting that a poor lifestyle may be the root cause. This is causing a higher number of osteoporosis cases with women more susceptible to the illness. According to the American National Osteoporosis Foundation, a shocking:
- 50% of women over the age of 50 will suffer from a fracture which is related to osteoporosis.
- One-third of women aged 65 and over will have fracture of the spine
- 20% of women who suffer from hip fractures will die within 6 months due to complications such as pneumonia
Lifestyle
50% of women over the age of 50 will suffer from a fracture which is related to osteoporosis.
With the average life expectancy of women getting ever higher, the problem of osteoporosis does not look likely to improve, especially when the increasingly poor lifestyles of women are taken into account. Issues like:
- Dieting
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Smoking
- No exercise
Are responsible for the massive increase in cases of osteoporosis.
Traditionally, this disease affects older people and is rare in women under the age of 50. However, the poor lifestyles exhibited by modern women have medical experts fearing that cases will begin pre-menopause. Lower levels of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone in post-menopausal women are usually blamed for cases of osteoporosis.
The number of fractures attributed to osteoporosis is rapidly approaching 2 million per year in the United States. At the moment, it is estimated that treatment of osteoporosis fractures are costing the American health system more than $14 billion per year.
Diet
There is little doubt that an improvement in lifestyle is required in order to curb the excessive amount of cases. Vitamin D and calcium are two of the most important supplements that can be taken yet the majority of the population take insufficient amounts of both. The American population does not consume enough vitamins and minerals from their diet either with fruit and vegetables replaced by processed food which has little or no nutritional value.
The problem with nutrition begins from childhood. Children’s bones continue to get stronger until they reach the age of 25. This is their peak bone density and it is important to ensure they have a healthy diet up until that point. However, it appears that American youths are not being encouraged to eat healthy foods with childhood obesity at an all-time high.
Exercise
Another issue is the sedentary nature of modern lifestyles. Those who have office jobs for example will go to work, come home, switch on the TV, drink an alcoholic beverage and eat ready-made meals. Scientific studies have shown that a moderate level of exercise is required in order to fight osteoporosis. Women should be looking to exercise at least three times a week and for more than 90 minutes in total.
If possible, do some light weight training as it has been shown that this form of exercise can increase bone density by up to 8% in 12 months. Those who are unable to jog should at least attempt brisk walks which also improve bone density as well as mobility.
Scientific studies have shown that a moderate level of exercise is required in order to fight osteoporosis.
Progesterone
It is now believed that lack of hormone production is a major cause of osteoporosis.
Conventional wisdom states that once women go through menopause, they become estrogen deficient. In actual fact, almost 70% of women under 80 years of age produce as much estrogen as they need. They are actually lacking in progesterone.
A Women’s Health Initiative Study in 2002 showed that women who took Synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy reported less incidences of hip fracture but more cases of heart attacks and cancer. It was necessary to find a means of allowing women to take progesterone without any side effects.
Progesterone levels fall to almost zero once menopause hits with symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, lower libido and water retention among the complaints women have. Progesterone has been found to increase the bone density of women by 3-5% every year until their bone density returns to pre-menopausal levels. Modern bioidentical progesterone treatments have minimal side effects and can be easily ordered online.
When combined with a healthier diet and lifestyle, bioidentical progesterone can significantly reduce the chances of women suffering from osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis can be a silent and deadly disease, which often lies undiscovered for a long time. Not only is this in itself a dangerous condition, the fatality rate associated with osteoporosis-related fractures is shockingly high! Raloxifene can drastically reduce these risks by preventing and treating osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. It helps preserve and increase bone mass and has been proven to significantly reduce the risk of fractures. And unlike hormone-based medication, Raloxifene is a lot less prone to negative side effects. You might be getting a little older, but your bones don’t have to.
