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When the bones go, most everything goes! But preventive measures could help: for instance, how many young girls don't drink milk? My feeling is that the way to avoid osteoporosis, is to start young. I don't know how many women in a position to DO anything about this, are reading this blog. I wish I could get my daughter to take this thing seriously and take action to strengthen her bones before it becomes a problem.
Exercise Heart disease Cancer Osteoporosis Stroke Stress Skin cancer
Personally I think drinking milk is the last preventative option I would recommend (dairy actually leeches calcium out of the bones quicker than other forms of calcium). I do agree that we need to encourage earlier lifestyle choices like regular exercise, healthy diets (lots of fresh veges and fruit and avoiding processed foods) and getting out in the sun for some good healthy Vit D.
Hi kitsie:
Prevention is the best option for osteoporosis. There are many girls programs out there that could be enlisted to help educate young women. We stress healthy lifestyle changes and activity is certainly one of them.
With my clients and in our support group we suggest leading by example. Take your daughter or granddaughter out for some fun physical activity. I hear lots of parents talking the game but not playing it. Kids like to play with their parents. Just act like a kid and not a parent.
Woody McMahon
NOVA Osteoporosis Support Group Leader
Dear kitsie:
If I had a daughter, my bone fracture prevention advice would be as follows: Minimize your intake of animal-source protein, animal-source vitamin A, salt, caffeine, phosphoric acid (cola drinks), and alcohol. Don't smoke. Swallow one 1,000 IU or 2,000 IU vitamin D pill daily. Plant-source vitamin A will not harm your bones. Greatly increase your consumption of soy, fruits, and vegetables. Drink green tea in moderation to help keep your weight down and help improve/maintain your bone density. High-fat fish, fish oil pills and/or krill oil pills will greatly lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and many other diseases but will not help your bone health. Light, weight-bearing exercise will greatly help your bone health if you can keep doing it your whole life. Unfortunately, almost everybody quits their exercise program sooner or later. It's much better to exercise indoors than outdoors to avoid any possibility of rape, romantic solicitation from lustful boys, traffic accidents, athletic/climbing/slipping injuries, dog/snake/insect bites, poison plants, damaged skin appearance, future skin cancer, and future cataracts. If you are thin and malnourished, make sure you INCREASE slightly your consumption of calcium and protein by swallowing a calcium pill, drinking one cup of nonfat milk, eating one egg, eating a half pound of high-fat fish, eating more soy(edamame, natto, tempeh, soy burgers, soy dogs), drinking soy milk, eating more green vegetables, etc. If you are well-nourished, MINIMIZE your consumption of all dairy products, beef, pork, lamb, poultry, eggs, and low-fat seafood because they will harm your bone density. Malnourished people deficient in calcium and/or protein will have even worse bone health than excessive meat eaters. Well-nourished vegetarians, almost-vegetarians, and fish-eating vegetarians have the best bone health and overall health. Caution: A very large percentage of "vegetarians" and thin people living in the wealthy nations are malnourished. They are eating too much food that is high in empty calories and lacking in nutrition and not eating enough vegetables and fruits.
Yes -- my sister says "cow's milk is for calves not people!"
Wow! This is concrete information that I can use to persuade my grown daughter what things she can do for herself. Thanks very much!
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