October 20th was World Osteoporosis Day and while some people may not know it, over 40 million Americans have either contracted this disease or are at risk for it. It is a debilitating disease which affects the bones and is most prominent in the elderly.
In scanning the news this morning I came across an article that discussed how Osteoporosis has become the next big health worry in India behind diabetes. In several years they are projected to have 36 million cases of osteoporosis – 4 million less than we currently have in the United States.
So why is the number of people affected by Osteoporosis United States so high?
To answer this question, we need look no further than our diet. Raju Vaishya, the President of the Arthritis Care Foundation, said that “dietary habits are changing very fast. More and more people are relying on junk or processed food instead of regular balanced diet which has calcium, Vitamin D and other minerals.” He went on to explain that “extreme alcohol consumption, cigarette smoke, poor calcium diet and a family history of osteoporosis” are four major causes of the disease.
While we can do nothing about past habits, we can certainly change present lifestyle factors. Place an emphasis on consuming foods and beverage high in Calcium as well as taking a Calcium supplement to rebuild your bones and prevent Osteoporosis.
