The three most important preventive factors are ensuring your body receives the calcium and vitamin D it requires; regular weight-bearing physical activity such as walking, dancing or weight training, and giving up smoking if you happen to smoke.
You can boost your calcium levels by consuming more calcium-rich foods such as broccoli, almonds, dairy products, and calcium-fortified soy beverages - all of which are available as organic products. Since calcium is poorly absorbed by the body without the presence of vitamin D, you should make sure that you are getting enough of this important vitamin. Milk and many soy beverages contain vitamin D, and you can find it in a number of calcium supplements in the London Drugs pharmacy.
Of course, you know that smoking is bad for your heart and lungs, but it’s also a contributor to osteoporosis - something many smokers remain unaware of. Your London Drugs pharmacist can suggest ways of quitting smoking and of finding the support you will need while doing so.
If you drink more than two cups of coffee or four cups of tea a day, or you favour drinking colas, you may want to reconsider this habit. Caffeine is a diuretic and, over time, can diminish your vital calcium reserves. Soft drinks such as colas contain phosphates, which leach calcium from the bones. If you enjoy caffeinated beverages and don’t want to give them up, consider taking a calcium supplement, or having an extra glass of milk or a fortified soy beverage.
Risk Factors for Osteoporosis
The more risk factors you have, the greater the likelihood that you will develop osteoporosis. However, even if you have many of these risk factors, you can still take a number of steps to strengthen your bones and minimize bone loss.
- Female of 50 years or older;
- Post menopause;
- Lack of weight-bearing physical activity;
- Current smoker or have smoked in past;
- Insufficient dietary calcium;
- Insufficient dietary intake of vitamin D (or low natural production due to brief sun exposure);
- Caffeine consumption (coffee, tea, colas);
- Alcohol consumption;
- Caucasian and S.E. Asian women are at greatest risk for developing the condition but all races and both sexes are at risk;
- Slim (small-boned) body type;
- Use of certain medications, such as steroids;
- Personal history or family history of fracture;
- Family history of osteoporosis;
- Personal history of hormonal imbalances
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