| Did you know that Asian American women are at | | | | chance of developing osteoporosis are: |
| high risk for developing osteoporosis? | | | | |
| Statistics actually show that Asian women in | | | | * Caucasian and Asian ancestry |
| the United States have many of the same risk | | | | |
| factors as Caucasian women. If you are Asian | | | | * Having a thin, small-boned body frame |
| American woman, it is important that you | | | | |
| understand what osteoporosis is and the steps | | | | * Previous fractures or a family history of |
| you should take to prevent or treat it. | | | | fractures resulting from osteoporosis |
| | | | |
| Following are some of the issues that are | | | | * An estrogen deficiency resulting from: |
| causing a rise in the number of Asian women | | | | |
| being diagnosed with osteoporosis: | | | | * early menopause due to natural |
| | | | circumstances |
| Asian women have been found to consume less | | | | |
| calcium. This is mostly due to the fact that | | | | * early menopause resulting from surgical |
| up to 90% of Asian American women are lactose | | | | removal of the ovaries |
| intolerant and avoid using dairy products | | | | |
| that contain calcium. As you may know, | | | | * as a result of prolonged amenorrhea |
| calcium is essential for maintaining a | | | | |
| healthy skeleton. | | | | * Aging |
| | | | |
| Asian women generally have lower hip fracture | | | | * A diet low in calcium |
| rates than Caucasian women. Even so, Asian | | | | |
| women seem to have as high a rate of incident | | | | * Smoking |
| of vertebrae fractures as Caucasian women. | | | | |
| | | | * Excessive alcohol consumption |
| Additionally, slender women have less bone | | | | |
| mass and are a greater risk for bone | | | | * Extensive use of certain medications |
| fractures related to osteoporosis. | | | | |
| | | | Even if one or some of these conditions apply |
| Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease | | | | to you, you can still take steps to prevent |
| brought on by low bone mass. It causes bones | | | | it from happening to you. The best defense is |
| to be vulnerable to fractures. If you don't | | | | to take care to keep you bones strong, |
| take steps to prevent osteoporosis, or you | | | | especially before the age of 20. Eat a |
| have it and don't get treatment, it can | | | | well-balanced diet rich in calcium and |
| progress painlessly until a bone breaks which | | | | vitamin D and exercise regularly - walking, |
| will most likely be in your hip, spine, or | | | | jogging, dancing and lifting weights are a |
| wrist. Spinal fractures are the reason why | | | | few of the better routines. Don't smoke and |
| you see some older women with that 'hunched' | | | | limit your intake of alcohol. Talk to your |
| appearance. Those fractures can also result | | | | doctor, especially if you have a family |
| in a loss of height, in addition to chronic | | | | history of osteoporosis because there are |
| pain. | | | | painless testing methods and medications to |
| | | | treat it. |
| Some of the issues that could increase your | | | | |