Being A Woman Over 40 - Osteoporosis & Low Bone Mass

As we age, many of us will experience changes in our bone mass which will eventually may lead to osteoporosis. Being a woman over 40 puts you in a higher risk group so you need to be vigilant about this. Osteoporosis can lead to serious fractures, and keep us out of action as we heal. It is characterized by low bone mass and loss of bone tissue that may lead to weak and fragile bones. If you have osteoporosis, you have an increased risk for fractured bones, particularly in the hip, spine, and wrist.

Osteoporosis is caused by changes in the body of a woman over 40, that change the absorption of calcium by our body. The leading cause of osteoporosis is a lack of certain hormones, particularly estrogen in women and androgen in men. Women, especially those older than 60 years, are frequently diagnosed with the disease.

Factors that may contribute to bone loss in a woman over 40 include inadequate intake of calcium and vitamin D, lack of weight-bearing exercise, and other age-related changes in addition to lack of estrogen.

Many diet and exercise changes can change the road to osteoporosis. Or at least slow it down. If you are a woman over 40 you will want to follow a diet that contains the appropriate amount of calcium, protein and vitamin D. High calcium foods include milk, cheese, salmon and green leafy vegetables.

Exercise can also slow the process down. Exercises that will help include walking, swimming, and especially weight training. A program such as Fit Over Forty, will start to build lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass will make your body and bones strong, therefore assisting in slowing down the aging process and the possible onset of osteoporosis.

You need to make sure that you're doing weight bearing exercises, as that works you body out hard and keeps your bones strong. The Fit Over Forty program focuses in on specific exercises and weight training for the building of bone mass and are the ones that I use regularily.

Take care,

Allison Holt
Fit Over Forty