Posts Tagged ‘Osteoporosis’
Mom Had Osteoporosis – Do I Have It Too?
If your Mom had Osteoporosis, you are also at risk for osteoporosis and fractures. If a parent had a broken hip, you are at increased risk of fracture. Choosing your parents poorly is a risk factor you cannot avoid. Your age is the biggest risk factor that you cannot control. However, you can control other risk factors.
I Can’t Have Osteoporosis – I Feel Fine
This week a patient told me “I can’t have Osteoporosis, because I feel fine!” Osteoporosis is often silent. Osteoporosis can sneak up on you. You do not feel a thing – until the first fracture. And even then you must pay attention to realize that you have been warned.
High blood pressure can hide until the first stroke, or TIA if you are lucky. High cholesterol can hide until the first heart attack, a minor one if you are lucky. Diabetes can be overlooked until your eyesight or kidneys fail, or you lose a leg to ulcers. However, all of these, including Osteoporosis, can be successfully treated before a major problem arrives!!!
Start with Dietary Calcium
Once again we are warned of the dangers of calcium supplements. Once again those studies cited prescribed supplements without regard to total calcium intake, including diet. What matters is total calcium intake, including diet.
I prescribe a lot of Calcium Citrate for my patients. I would prefer not to. Dietary Calcium is more easily digested than supplements, and appears to hold fewer dangers than Calcium Carbonate or other calcium supplements. Unfortunately, we have lost our taste for calcium rich foods. There are tasty choices.