Stop Osteoporosis Before it Starts

(CARLSBAD, CA) – When you think of osteoporosis, do you picture your 90-year-old grandmother hunching over her walker, or your elderly neighbor shuffling around in her frail frame? If so, then think again. Osteoporosis is not just a disease for “old people.” It’s striking young folks, especially women, and it’s time to take notice.

According to a study conducted at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, a startling 15 percent of college-aged females have already lost enough bone mass to increase their risk for osteoporosis. Another two percent already have osteoporosis in its full form!

Unfortunately, the problem is gradually getting worse. Young girls and adult women are facing twice as many bone fractures today as 30 years ago. Scientists suspect this increase in bone breaks is partly due to dietary changes and a lack of appropriate exercise.

The good news is that you can start taking proactive steps now to prevent osteoporosis. Jazzercise Founder and CEO Judi Sheppard Missett suggests taking these three key steps to ward off osteoporosis.

• Start weight-bearing activities. Jogging, stair climbing, and other load-bearing regimens can increase your bone mass. Basically, the impact from such exercises causes your bones to build new cells. Additionally, as you exercise, you improve your muscle strength and balance, which means you’re less likely to fall and break a bone.

• Take the right supplements. We all know that calcium is needed to build strong bones. But did you know that calcium needs a partner to make the bone building happen? Vitamin D, along with magnesium, is needed to help calcium do its job. Foods like milk, fish, eggs, and some cereals have Vitamin D. The sunlight’s ultraviolet B rays also offer Vitamin D. But, you are probably not getting enough from those two sources alone. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of a Vitamin D supplement.

• Get scanned. While the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends bone-density scans for women ages 65 and older, you may need to get tested early. If you have a small-framed body, a family history of osteoporosis, miss your period for three months or longer, or if your diet is lacking in dairy and vitamin D, then talk to your doctor about a bone density test. Find out where you’re at now, and start making changes before it’s too late.

Jazzercise, created by Judi Sheppard Missett, is the world's leading dance-fitness program with more than 7,500 instructors teaching 32,000 classes weekly in the U.S. and around the globe. Since 1969, millions of people of all ages and fitness levels have reaped the benefits of this comprehensive program, designed to enhance cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT or (760)476-1750.

Courtesy of Jazzercise, Inc. - jazzercise.com