Osteoporosis is often called a “silent disease” because you can’t feel your bones getting weaker. You may not even know you have osteoporosis until after you break a bone.
Approximately one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. For women, the incidence is greater than that of heart attacks, strokes and breast cancer combined.
Here are some simple steps you can take to protect your bones and future quality of life:
- Get enough calcium each day, preferably from diet and not supplements.
- Maintain an adequate supply of Vitamin D.
- Participate in regular weight bearing activities such as walking
- Don’t smoke
- Limit alcohol use to two servings or less per day
Most important, talk to your health care provider about your chance of getting osteoporosis and ask whether a bone density test may be needed.