What is Osteoporosis?
Mayo Clinic describes Osteoporosis as a chronic condition that causes bones to become weak and brittle, making it easier for them to break. This most commonly occurs in the wrist, spine, or hip. Osteoporosis is also known as the “silent killer” because you can’t feel or see your bones getting thinner. You won’t know there is an issue until you break a bone. Therefore it is important to take preventative care seriously and go to your yearly physician check-ups.
You may be at a higher risk if:
- If you have low sex hormones, either from passing menopause or from treatments for prostate or breast cancer.
- If you have too much thyroid hormone due to overactivity or taking too much thyroid hormone medication to treat an underactive thyroid.
- If you have a lower calcium intake.
- If you have an eating disorder and are underweight.
- If you have had gastrointestinal surgery.
- If you have a long-term use of medications associated with seizures, gastric reflux, cancer, or transplant rejection.
- If you have any of the following diseases:
o Celiac disease
o Inflammatory bowel disease
o Kidney or liver disease
o Cancer
o Multiple myeloma
o Rheumatoid arthritis
- If you have more than two alcoholic drinks a day.
- If you use tobacco.
- If you spend a lot of time sitting.
How to Prevent Osteoporosis:
The best solution to preventing Osteoporosis is to stay active and eat healthy! Here are just a few of the many things you can implement that will help with the prevention of having Osteoporosis.
1. Calcium – Your daily calcium intake for those between the ages of 18 and 50 should be 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day. This amount will increase to 1,200 milligrams when women turn 50 and men turn 70. You can find calcium in low-fat dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables, canned salmon, and many more items. If it is difficult to get the recommended amount of calcium in a day, consider taking calcium supplements to help reach the targeted amount.
2. Vitamin D – Vitamin D improves the body’s ability to absorb calcium and improves bone health. Most people are going to need at least 600 IU of vitamin D daily. Once you reach 70, the recommendation increases to 700 IU. You can receive Vitamin D through sunlight, cod liver oil, trout, salmon, many types of milk and cereal.
3. Exercise – Exercising can help build strong bones and slow down bone loss. You should combine strength training exercises with weight-bearing and balance exercises to get a full body strengthening of your bones. Some exercises that would help strengthen your bones are walking, jogging, tai chi, stair climbing, etc.
Don’t let Osteoporosis sneak up on you. Get ahead of the problem and take control of your body to prevent yourself from having this chronic disease.
Tria Health Helps Control Osteoporosis
Tria Health offers Chronic Condition Management through our Pharmacy Advocate Program. Osteoporosis is one of the many chronic conditions that Tria Health targets. Clinical Pharmacists provide one-on-one telephonic counseling for members and act as their personal advocate to help them navigate through the health care system. Through reviewing a member’s medications and lifestyle habits, Tria Health’s Pharmacists can make recommendations that will help control their chronic conditions and help them feel better!
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