Osteoporosis’s exact translation means “porous bone”, which means that the quality and density of bones have been drastically reduced. This means that patients are much more susceptible to broken and fractured bones. The majority of people don’t even realize that they are suffering from osteoporosis until their first bone fracture. Living with osteoporosis can cause a lot of pain in your everyday life.
Luckily, there are some ways to make living with osteoporosis more tolerable so you can enjoy your everyday life:
1. Improve your diet
Diet plays a huge part in all aspects of your body. One way to make living with osteoporosis a little easier is by improving your diet. You always want to make sure that you are getting enough fruits and vegetables, as well as plenty of carbs and proteins. The most important thing to incorporate into your osteoporosis diet is calcium-rich foods. Average adults need about 1,000 mg of calcium per day. While postmenopausal women and men over the age of 70 need approximately 1,300 mg. The best way to get enough calcium is with dairy but if you don’t consume dairy you can also get it from spinach, sardines, almonds, or supplements if needed.
2. Exercise
You may think that you would want to take it easy on your body if your bones are fragile. While you won’t want to start pumping iron every day of the week, it is important that you are getting enough weight-bearing exercise at least every other day. This will promote better balance and encourages bone density. There are a lot of different exercises you can try, just be sure to consult with your doctor beforehand to make sure it is okay.
3. Quit bad habits
Cutting out smoking, limiting alcohol, and caffeine have all been proven to improve your bone density. People who smoke tend to have lower bone density than non-smokers. Too much caffeine can make it difficult for our bodies to absorb calcium which is crucial to having healthy bones. Too much alcohol can also lead to osteoporosis, so try to keep caffeine and alcoholic beverages to a minimum, no more than two of each drink a day.
4. Consider medication
If you have tried all of these lifestyle changes and still aren’t happy with how you are feeling, you may want to consider medication, if it’s recommended by your doctor. For instance, drugs like Evenity are prescribed for women who have gone through menopause and are experiencing osteoporosis. Whereas Forteo can be prescribed for both men and women who are dealing with osteoporosis. If you talk to your medical professional they will be able to recommend the best treatment for you.
