Women past the age of menopause are at an increased risk of both heart disease and osteoporosis. One important thing to note about both of these diseases is that they don’t happen overnight, both are slow acting diseases that may take years to set in. Symptoms or problems may not even occur until the diseases are in already advanced stages, this is why education and early prevention are so essential.
The good news is that the potential risk of both diseases can be seriously minimized with a couple simple lifestyle choices – diet and exercise.
Osteoporosis, or the loss of bone strength and density, can be minimized by a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, both of which are essential to bone health. Weight bearing exercises are also essential to limiting the risk of osteoporosis. The term “weight bearing” simply means an exercise done where the bones support the weight of the body. Virtually all exercises except swimming and biking would be considered weight bearing, so there are a lot of options to choose from – walking, aerobics, dance, weight lifting, martial arts or zumba. It doesn’t matter what you do – just get out there and do it. Regularly!
While a broken bone when you’re 22 is certainly nothing to laugh about, that same break when you’re 72 can have even more dire consequences. Broken hips are one of the most common breaks due to osteoporosis, it can have serious long term consequences, and this is why you need to start today to minimize your risks of both osteoporosis.
With heart disease, a healthy diet is also essential, the key is maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and managing high blood pressure, both of which are managed by a fiber rich diet, low in fat and high in nutrient rich foods such as fresh vegetables and fruit.
Honestly the importance of diet and exercise can’t be overstated. When you’re 20 years old, you kind of take your health for granted, but once you reach menopause , you have to work that much harder to make sure you’re on a healthy track, that’s why it’s never too late to start improving your health today.
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