Donna Reese, RN

Our bones are an elusive part of our body as we get older. Unlike joints, muscles, and even our eyes, which let us know we have a problem, bones can deteriorate and become brittle without showing what devious destruction they are creating.

Serious bone conditions such as osteopenia and osteoporosis can sneak up on us in midlife, and we may be unaware that anything harmful is happening to our bones.

Although these two bone-destroying conditions are common, they are not to be ignored as you can prevent or at least slow down the progression with lifestyle modification and physician monitoring.

What are Osteopenia and Osteoporosis?

Osteopenia is when your bones begin to weaken, which then can progress to a more severe bone condition called osteoporosis. I call osteopenia a “yellow light” as it warns that worse conditions are ahead if you don’t wake up and take measures to preserve your bones. For some, this process can start in your 40’s.

Osteoporosis is bones that are so brittle that they can break without a traumatic blow, possibly even from coughing! Unlike its milder little sister, osteopenia, osteoporosis cannot be reversed and needs immediate medical attention.

You can alter the destructive course of your bone weakening by carefully watching your diet, exercising, and perhaps adding specific medications and supplements. You must work closely with your provider as a team against the factors that undermine your bone health.

Dietary Modifications to Save Your Bones

As a woman with osteoporosis, due to taking long-term life-saving medication for cancer and an autoimmune condition that weakens my bones, I have had to fight to keep my bones from crumbling. 

My daily struggle against osteoporosis involves a tight dietary defense.

Harvard Health reminds us the daily recommended amount of calcium per day for women is as follows:

  • 1,000 milligrams (mg) a day for women ages 50 and younger 
  • 1,200 mg for women over 50 (or in menopause)

It is difficult for many women to eat that much calcium each day, so a calcium supplement may help achieve the combined amount of required daily calcium. 

I try to read food labels and eventually have memorized how much calcium is in my yogurt, cheese, pudding, and coffee creamer. It is recommended that you spread out your consumption of calcium throughout the day, as your body can’t absorb more than 500 mg of calcium at a time. Therefore, if I can not achieve the optimal recommended daily calcium requirements through food, I will take a calcium supplement in the evening.

Exercise for Bone Health

It is a well-known fact that a sedentary lifestyle is detrimental to bone health.

You may have heard of weight-bearing exercise. This type of exercise uses your body weight, dumbbells, or exercise bands to add resistance to activities that help to strengthen your bones.

Weight-bearing exercise is the best type of workout that you can do to help keep your bones healthy in midlife. 

Yoga with downward and floor poses (not chair yoga) and working out with weights at home or the gym are excellent exercises to strengthen your bones. 

I walk daily for my heart health and do bone-strengthening yoga poses at home or in a yoga studio to keep my skeleton tuned.

Testing is Necessary to Monitor Your Bone Health

Although you should take the above measures to prevent bone loss, you will need to see your provider to determine if you have osteopenia or osteoporosis.

Be sure to talk to your doctor about bone health. The conversation may never happen if left up to your doctor, so you must take the initiative in this all-important mid-life conversation. Don’t wait for menopause, as your bones may already be on the road to ruin.

Ask your doctor for a blood test to measure the following bone-strengthening elements:

  • Vitamin D
  • DHEA
  • Estrogen
  • Calcium
  • Also thyroid testing

Some doctors use a bone density panel, a great way to determine how your bones are holding up.

If your provider is unwilling to aid you with your bone health, consider consulting an integrative health (naturopathic). Natural doctors tend to delve more fully into bone health and wellness.

Dexa Scan to Determine Your Bone Score

An x-ray type of bone measurement is called a DEXA scan (or Bone Density test). 

The Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation recommends a DEXA scan for the following:

  • Women aged 65 or older
  • Anyone who has broken a bone after age 50
  • Women aged 50-64 with risk factors (including early menopause)

Once again, your provider may not offer this essential test, especially if you are younger than 65. Ask if you are at risk for osteoporosis, and if so, request a bone density test to determine the exact state of your bone health.

Supplements to Improve Your Bones

Most women are willing to take supplements to improve their bone health. My specialist recommended that I take quality supplements that are pure and of a good grade. Since the FDA does not regulate supplements, you should research the best supplements you can afford.

The supplements you need to help improve and maintain your bones depend on the results of your blood work. It is not wise to shoot in the dark with vitamins and minerals in the hope of them curing your bones.

Once my blood panel was done, my provider and I reviewed the results. It was determined that my blood calcium and vitamin D were normal, which allowed me to take calcium with vitamin D supplements safely without worrying about a toxic build-up in my system. 

My DHEA (a female hormone) was almost nonexistent, so I was put on a small dose of a DHEA supplement to help support my bones. Additionally, my thyroid functioning was low, so I was started on medication to keep my thyroid gland.

The most common supplements for optimal bone health are:

  • Calcium
  • Vitamin D (even better if it has K2 as an ingredient)

WebMD recommends that you simultaneously take your calcium and vitamin D supplements, as vitamin D helps absorb the calcium. Once again, follow your doctor’s guidelines for these supplements.

Medication for Osteoporosis

Once you have osteoporosis, your provider will most likely recommend bone-building medication to prevent further bone loss. 

These medications come in pill form, injections, or infusions. A careful discussion is necessary with your health professional as these drugs have their side effects and warnings.

Donna Reese, RN

Donna Reese is a family nurse practitioner and RN who enjoys translating complex medical material into relatable content. She is a breast cancer survivor, mother, and wife who uses her nursing and everyday life experiences to write from the heart about women’s and family health topics, parenting issues, autoimmune conditions, and nursing education. Author of Donna’s story in the book Gameplan for Aging – Your Four Quarters of Life, Donna’s work can also be found in Health Digest, Wonderbaby, Genes 2teens, university nursing department sites, and many others. You can find her athttp://nursedonnareese.com/.