According to The National Osteoporosis Foundation, one in two women and one in four men over age 50 will have an osteoporosis related bone fracture in his/her lifetime.  People who are small in stature, physically inactive, and who eat a low calcium diet are most at risk for a fracture.  In 2005, osteoporosis-related fractures were responsible for an estimated $19 billion in costs (“Fast Facts on Osteoporosis, National Osteoporosis Foundation, 2008).  Those costs are predicted to skyrocket in the next fifteen years. 
           

There are several things that you can do to lower your risk of getting Osteoporosis.  One of those things is including calcium and vitamin D in your diet.  Foods like milk, yogurt, Swiss cheese, salmon, sardines, bok choi, and almonds are rich in Calcium.  Soy products are rich in calcium and in isoflavones which have also been proven to improve bone health (WebMD).  Vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption.  Foods that are rich in vitamin D include salmon, milk fortified with vitamin D, tuna, egg yoke, liver, and Swiss cheese.  Another good source of vitamin D is sunshine. 

In addition to eating a bone friendly diet, weight bearing exercise is important to strong bone formation.   Weight bearing exercises put stress on the bones and muscles which causes them to be built up.  This process is slow; it may take as long as 4 months to see a noticeable difference on a bone density scan, but it will happen (Web MD).  Some weight bearing exercises that have been proven to work well are Tai Chi, dancing, Yoga, brisk walking, and golf.  With any exercise that causes you to move beyond your normal range of motion (Yoga), you should speak with your doctor. 

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