http://fpalex.com/templates/groups/229/videos/osteoporosis.html

In the U.S. today, 8 million women are estimated to have osteoporosis, a disease that results in thinning of bone and is far more common in women than men.

Nearly 30,000 more women have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis.  

Although osteoporosis is diagnosed more often in older women, the disease can affect women at any age. 

Some of the common contributors to osteoporosis include low body weight; menopause; smoking; lack of exercise; insufficient absorption of calcium and vitamin D; and too much protein, sodium, caffeine or alcohol.

 If you are experiencing menopause or recently went through this change, you are at risk of losing up to 20% of your bone mass within five to seven years, making you even more susceptible to osteoporosis.

The amount of bone loss increases when estrogen levels fall. Because ovaries make estrogen, faster bone loss may also occur if both ovaries are removed by surgery.

Women who have osteoporosis fracture bones more easily and frequently than someone who has strong bones. Unfortunately, anyone with osteoporosis is at risk for broken bones.

But because symptoms often are not noticeable, osteoporosis is frequently not diagnosed until a fracture occurs.

 Women who regularly see their health-care provider may get diagnosed earlier when the examination includes observations of the spine and vertebrae and height measurement.

If your doctor suspects osteoporosis, a bone density scan may be recommended.

This common test is a simple, non-invasive measurement of your hips, spine and wrist.

An alternate test is an ultrasound or a computerized tomography (CT) scan.
Although there is no cure for osteoporosis, it can be treated.

Your health-care provider can prescribe medications that help increase bone density or slow the breakdown process.

Some medicine that is prescribed mimics some of the effects of estrogen.

To help prevent osteoporosis later in life, it is important to build strong bones during childhood and adolescence.

Girls acquire almost 90% of bone mass by the time they turn 18.

Whatever your age, it is vital that you increase the amount of calcium and vitamin D in your diet. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium.

Vitamin D sources include low-fat dairy products, broccoli and beans.

To increase bone density, you should also increase the amount of weight-bearing exercise you get.

Those exercises include walking, jogging and climbing steps.