Women are one of the important pillars of society and are keys to maintaining a balance within the family. In majority of the cases, they have a tendency to prioritize their family¡¯s health over their own. Over the past few years, there has been an increasing concern around women¡¯s health all over the world. As a woman¡¯s body is very different from that of men, it is programmed differently to deal with different diseases and undergoes a lot of changes after reaching a certain age.?
When it comes to bone health, women start losing their bone mass and density more quickly than men, especially after menopause. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a sudden change in lifestyle, bone-related problems are now becoming very common in women.?
Almost 1 in every 3 women is at the risk of osteoporosis, which is a condition that reduces the bone density and increases the chances of bone fractures. It is imperative to keep the bones healthy after the age of 30 years to avoid any risk of osteoporosis in the future.
Get enough nutrients: Food choices play a very crucial role in managing bone health. It is important to incorporate Calcium, protein, omega 3, and vitamin D as part of the daily diet to make the bones stronger. At the same time, women must also avoid low-calorie food as it slows down the metabolism, causing muscle mass loss which can impact bone health.? Women older than 50 need 1,200 mg of calcium and 1,000 IU of vitamin D. Milk, cheese, certain kinds of fish, and green leafy vegetables are good sources of nutrients and must find a place in the daily diet.
Weight-bearing exercises: As lifestyle plays a very important role in determining overall health, it is equally important to keep an active lifestyle which even contributes to boosting bone health. Weight-bearing exercises such as walking, tennis, and aerobics play a direct role in managing bone mass for women.
Lifestyle modification: Certain lifestyle habits not only impacts our bones but also the overall health of the body. With a change in lifestyle choices, most people are associated with a sedentary lifestyle and poor habits. Smoking and frequent consumption of alcohol play a major role in decreasing bone density. Therefore, it is recommended for women to limit these habits to boost overall health.
Limit Caffeine: Frequent consumption of caffeine is not healthy for the bones as it leads to loss of calcium inside the body. Sugar consumption triggers a 6-milligram calcium loss from the body that can weaken the bones over time. At the same time, sodas also deteriorates calcium from the body which can impact the bones. Hence, women must limit the consumption of caffeine to 300 milligrams per day to protect their bones.
Limit the intake of sugar: Very few people know that sugar is a density-damaging ingredient to the bones. Excess sugar consumption increases the risk of developing osteoporosis in women as it leads to calcium and vitamin D deficiency. At the same time, it can also impair bone formation by causing high glucose levels in blood.
Dr. Sinukumar Bhaskaran, Consultant ¨C Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement Surgery, Manipal Hospital, Kharadi, Pune.