6 healthy habits that fight osteoporosis

With the right habits and nutrition, you can delay or prevent the onset of osteoporosis. Here are 6 of the best ways to combat this troubling bone disease.

• Researchers helped 152 postmenopausal women who smoked at least 10 cigarettes a day to quit. After one smoke-free year, total hip bone mineral density increased by 1.52 percent, an amount more significant than it sounds. In addition, bone mineral density in the upper thigh bone increased 2.9 percent among quitters.

• Strengthening exercises build up more than just muscle; they increase bone density too.
• While walking and other aerobic exercises are important to maintain your bones throughout your life, strength workouts provide the most significant benefits.

• Whether it's a resistance training, agility training, or general stretching class, it can reduce your risk of falling by between 37 and 43 percent, according to Canadian researchers.
• They found that the benefit persisted for up to a year after the classes ended, even if the women didn't continue the exercise. This is critical because falling is the major cause of fractures in people with osteoporosis.

• If you answered yes, and you believe you're at risk of developing osteoporosis, talk with your doctor.
• Older people taking certain blood thinners have a significantly increased risk of fractures from osteoporosis. Some blood thinners interfere with the absorption of vitamin K, which affects bone strength.
• Ask your doctor about the blood thinner you're on and see if there are other options available.

• High levels of "bad" LDL and low levels of "good" HDL cholesterol increases the risk of fractures of the vertebrae in postmenopausal women. Plus, a study from researchers at Alberta University found that women with osteopenia or osteoporosis of the lower spine and hip were more likely to have high cholesterol levels.
• Meanwhile, other studies suggest that people taking commonly-prescribed medication for high cholesterol have a 60 percent reduced risk of fracture.
• Cholesterol levels are also important when it comes to prevention. When University of California researchers compared mice fed a high-fat diet designed to raise cholesterol levels with those fed a normal diet, they found a 43 percent decrease in mineral content and a 15 percent decrease in bone density in the leg bones of the high-fat-diet mice.

• The only way to diagnose osteoporosis conclusively is with a bone mineral density test. But one early clue that you're at risk may be tooth loss and gum diseases.
• Conversely, if you have osteoporosis, you're at much higher risk of developing gum disease and tooth loss.
• If you're having dental problems, ask your doctor to test your bone mineral density.

Don't resign yourself to osteoporosis. With the right habits and discipline, you can significantly reduce the chances of suffering from this disease. Make it a priority to keep your bones healthy.