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Osteoporosis : Save your bones !

“When Sakshi Banerjee, 47 , a housewife in Pune (India) her tibia (the bone between the knee and the ankle) after a minor fall (her foot twisted while she was hurriedly climbing the stairs), her family was surprised. Investigations revealed the reason: Her bones had become extremely soft. The culprit – an almost zero intake of milk and milk products since childhood. The doctor’s verdict: osteopenia (the beginning of osteoporosis).”

What is Osteoporosis ?

‘Worldwide statistics show that one in three women and one in five men above 40, suffer from osteoporosis,’ says Dr.Sushil Sharma, osteoporosis surgeon and chairman, Arthritis Foundation of India. Osteoporosis means you have bones that are thin and brittle, with lots of holes inside them much like a sponge. ‘Bones are made of framework of protein (matrix). In osteoporosis, this framework becomes weak, and bones are liable for fracture,’ explains Dr. H.S Chhabra, orthopaedic surgeon, chief of Spine services Services and medical director, Indian Spinal Injuries Center, Delhi. ‘Indian women must get screened for osteomalacia (a deficiency of vitamin D3 and calcium that leads to the inedequate deposition in the protein matrix of the bone) as well since this is rampant in south-eastern countries ‘he adds.

Traditionally, these problems usually affected older women but now it’s being seen in younger women as well. The problem with osteoporosis is that it is a “silent” diseaseand does not cause any symtoms till it gets full-blown.

Regular bone-density tests should begin from age of 45 if you are in high risk category (treatment with steroids, early menopause and family history) even if there are no symptoms, and much before 45 years if there are any symptoms such as pain in the bone, multiple fractures and so on.

Good to know: Bones are build during childhood and the teen years, and bone density is generally maintained during 20s, 30s and 40s . The key to build as much bone as you can during  your formative years to protect against bone loss later on .

How to prevent it ?

1. Get daily exercise .

2. Get plenty of calcium .

3. Don’t forget the vitamin D .

How is it treated ?

Treatment is usually two-pronged: Lifestyle modification – nutrition supporting bone health and regular exercise combined with medicines. Medicines such as bisphosphonates, which can be taken once aweek, one a month, or once year come in oral and injectible forms; plus there are hormone-simulating drugs: and there’s also an expensive parathyroid hormone (PTH therapy), an injectible therapy that helps in bone formation.

Tips that helps

* Have figs everyday

* Up your veggie intake

* Don’t overdose on steroids

* Quit smoking

* Drop the soda!

* Watch that salt

STRENGTHEN YOUR BONES WITH…

- AYURVEDA

- NATUROPATHY

- HOMEOPATHY