May is National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month in the U.S. Osteoporosis is a condition in which minerals leach from your bones, leaving them weaker and more brittle. OB-GYNs often test for and treat this condition because it's especially common in those who have experienced menopause, but it can affect almost anyone. To minimize your risk, follow these suggestions.

How to Protect Your Bone Density

1. Exercise

Exercise strengthens the muscles, but it also encourages your body to grow and maintain bone tissue at a healthy density. The two best types of exercise for bone health are weight-bearing and strength training.

Weight-bearing exercises involve being on your feet and moving your body, such as walking, jogging, aerobics, tai chi, yoga, and dance.

Strength training includes using weights and resistance bands as well as squats and other exercises that move your body weight with muscle groups that don't usually support you that way.

2. Get Enough Nutrients

The most important mineral for bone strength is calcium, which you can get from dairy, fortified grain products, soy products, green leafy vegetables, and fish like sardines that you eat bones and all.

However, you also need vitamin D to help your body make use of the calcium. Your body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but if you spend most of your time indoors, you may need a supplement.

3. Menopause Treatment

During menopause, major changes occur in the balance of hormones in the body, including a decrease in estrogen. Hormones can influence many bodily processes, and one common side effect of menopause is that minerals leave the bones more easily. 

Those who are undergoing menopause or past menopausal age can prevent this issue using estrogen therapy under the guidance of an OB-GYN. There are also other prescription medications that can slow or reverse bone loss.

If you have not yet reached menopausal age, there is some evidence that oral birth control can help build up bone mass before you reach it.

If you need to talk to an OB-GYN about your risk of osteoporosis, choose OBGYN Associates, Inc. in Fairfield, OH. Also serving West Chester and Butler County, their experienced gynecologists have 80 years of history providing dedicated, comprehensive care for patients of all ages. Call (513) 221-3800 or get in touch online to make an appointment.