Built to Last — Bone Health in 3 Minutes

0:00 Here's a number that might surprise you. One in two women and one in four men, over 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis. Often not from a big accident, but from something as small as a stumble or a cough. Most people have no idea their bones are weakening until that first fracture. I'm Sharon and you're listening to the Stable Health Podcast. In the next three minutes, I'll give you the essentials of keeping your bones strong. First, a mindset shift. Bone is living tissue that's constantly rebuilding itself.

0:40 Until about age 30, you're building more bone than you lose. That's your peak bone mass, your lifelong bank account. After that, the balance slowly tips toward loss. And for women, that loss speeds up sharply after menopause. So the strategy is simple. Build the biggest bank account you can while you're young and slow the withdrawals as you age. Three things move the needle. Movement. Bones respond to load. Weight bearing exercise, walking, jogging, dancing, stair climbing. Plus resistance training twice a week.

1:25 And for older adults, balance work like tai chi because preventing the fall prevents the fracture. Nutrition. Calcium is the raw material, about 1,000 milligrams a day, 1,200 for women over 50. Food first, dairy, fortified plant milks, canned salmon. And vitamin D is the doorman that lets calcium in, 600 to 800 international units daily, often worth supplementing. Lifestyle, don't smoke, and keep alcohol moderate. Both are quietly toxic to bone. How do you find out where your bones stand? ADEXA scan.

2:12 A quick, painless 10-minute x-ray that measures your bone density. Who should get one? All women 65 and older, younger postmenopausal women with risk factors, and anyone who breaks a bone after 50. That fracture is a warning shot, not bad luck. Men over 70 ask your provider too. This isn't just a women's disease. And if you do have osteoporosis, know this. We have effective, well-studied medications that substantially cut fracture risk. So three takeaways. Your bones respond to how you treat them.

2:53 The fundamentals are exercise, calcium, vitamin D, and ask about a DEXA scan. This episode is for education, not personal medical advice. Bring your questions to your own provider. I'm Sharon. This is Stable Health. Until next week, stay stable.