Menopause can be one of the most challenging times in a woman’s life. It’s when all the good things that you got during puberty just go flying out the window.  One of the most common effects of menopause is osteoporosis.

What is Osteoporosis?

Imagine a life where one wrong move could mean easily breaking your hips or leg. That is what people with osteoporosis go through. The bones become very fragile and the person who has this condition should be extra careful in anything that he or she does.

Osteoporosis is a condition in which the bones become easily breakable. The most common victims of osteoporosis are women because of hormonal imbalance.

The bones are supposed to be the strongest part of the body. Without the skeletal system, we’re all just a pile of goo. Normally, the bones are dense but when a person has osteoporosis, the bones look like a sponge with enormous gaps in between.

Signs and Symptoms of Osteoporosis

 

Osteoporosis is hard to detect since the damage starts from within. Although, you could catch it early if you go to the doctor as soon as you experience one or more of these signs and symptoms:

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  • Bone Pain or Tenderness

Unexplained reoccurring bone pain and tenderness might be nothing at first, but you can never be too careful in preventing osteoporosis.

 

  • Fractures

One of the most classic and alarming signs of osteoporosis is the existence of unexplained fractures. This is due to easily breakable bones that could snap like a twig anytime.

 

  • Loss of Height and Stooped Posture

Kyphosis is a condition where there is an excessive curvature of the spine which causes a hunch back. Most old people exhibit this due to old age and bone degeneration.

 

  • Neck or Lower Back Pain

The spine is one of the most important part of our skeletal system. It keeps the spinal cord safe and our postures intact. If a person has osteoporosis, the spine could also be affected causing a person to have neck or lower back pain and a loss of height.

How Lack of Estrogen Causes Osteoporosis

What most women do not know is that losing Estrogen during menopause directly affects a woman’s chances of getting osteoporosis.

Calcium plays a major role in the development of bones, but another factor that recent studies have discovered is that women who have an estrogen deficiency have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.

When estrogen levels drop, there is also an accelerated decay in the bones. Now…the body is a survivor. It has a miraculous way of healing itself, including our bones, but as we grow old our body just can’t keep up.

osterporosis

The bones of menopausal women degenerate faster than the body can heal it.  Over time, the bones will look porous like a sponge and with one wrong move it can easily break.

The estrogen in the body helps regulate the cells in the bones called “osteoclasts”. Osteoclasts are the cells that build up bone and repair them during injury. When estrogen levels drop, there will be a decrease in the production of osteoclasts. So, when there is bone damage, the body can no longer heal properly because of the deficiency in osteoclasts.

How Can You Prevent Osteoporosis?

 

The key to prevention is acting early while you are still young and your bones are still in top condition. Osteoporosis could be easily prevented with the right diet and exercise.

Diet

 

Eating foods that are high in calcium and vitamin D will help you combat bone loss. Women who are nearing and undergoing menopause should eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, protein, and fiber. The following foods help prevent osteoporosis:

 

  • Milk
  • Cheese
  • Yogurt
  • Fish
  • Avocados
  • Nuts and seeds

 

Exercise

To prevent osteoporosis while you are still young, it is a must to build up your bones now before it is too late. It is recommended to exercise regularly, at least 30 minutes a day and three times a week. Not only is exercise good for you, it will also strengthen your bones and increase your dopamine levels, the hormone that promotes good mood.

Strength and resistance exercise routines are the most effective exercises in strengthening bones.

Also read: How to Combat the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause

 

Herbs

Most doctors recommend hormone replacement therapy for women who are under going menopause and for those who have osteoporosis. By taking estrogen, the amount of osteoclasts, or the building blocks of the bones, will increase which also speeds up the regeneration and healing of the bones.

kacip fatimahThe safest estrogen available is Phytoestrogen, the estrogen from plants.

High-quality Kacip Fatimah and Morinda Citrifolia have been tested and shown to give the body the estrogen it needs to fight the signs and symptoms of menopause, including osteoporosis.

However, you need to make sure that the phytoestrogen pills you are taking are high-quality, made in the United States, and doctor approved.

Preventative care now can alleviate years of pain later. Don’t keep postponing things ’till tomorrow. Take care of your body today as it’s the only one you’ve got and you need it to last a lifetime!

 Also Read: What Is Kacip Fatimah and How Does It Help?