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Below are five important tips for your battle against osteoporosis and osteopenia. It's important to follow all the tips. Eliminating any one of them can significantly affect your success.

• Visit your doctor regularly. Work with your doctor to monitor your osteoporosis and bone mineral density (BMD), as well as your overall health. It's important to evaluate the steps being taken to maintain the health of your bones and to decide what treatment is right for you.



• Get your daily recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D. If you are over 50 years of age and female, studies suggest you should have 1200 mg of calcium and 400-600 IU of vitamin D through diet and/or supplements. Your body can best handle about 500 mg of calcium at any one time, whether from food or supplements. Therefore, consume your calcium-rich foods and/or supplements in smaller doses throughout the day, preferably with a meal.¹



• Exercise. Bones generally become stronger and denser when you place demands on them. Lack of exercise, especially as you get older, can contribute to lower bone mass or density. Two types of exercise are important for women with osteoporosis: 1) weight-bearing exercise (e.g., walking, stair climbing and dancing) and 2) resistance exercise ( e.g., use of free weights or weight machines). These can help maintain bone health and prevent further bone loss. Exercise can also reduce your risk of falling by improving balance, flexibility and strength. Talk to your doctor about a safe, effective exercise program to best meet your needs.¹



• Take your medication. Medicine can be a key factor in protecting bone health in women with osteoporosis. Prescription medications that can be taken less frequently are available that can build and maintain bone density and reduce the risk of fracture. But no medicine can work if you don't take it. So fill your prescription, take it properly and continue taking it - as directed.



• Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol. Smoking has been shown to interfere with the way your body uses calcium to help bones. Excessive alcohol can also reduce bone mass and increase the risk of fracture.¹ If you want to consume alcohol it should be limited to one drink or less a day, or 12 oz. of regular beer, 5 oz. of wine, or 1 1/2 oz. of 80-proof liquor.²

1. Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General; 2004.
2. You're In Charge: Your Guide to Good Health After Menopause. Alliance for Aging Research; July 1999.