As women we are encouraged to be mindful of our bone health. Take some vitamins, do some exercises and usually we don’t think too much else about it. But the risk of not taking care of your bone health is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is when your bones become weak and brittle and this increases your risk for a fracture. The scary thing is that with osteoporosis it doesn’t take much to cause a fracture, and there may be more than you realize placing you at risk.
Type 1 diabetes has been a risk factor for developing osteoporosis for some time now as it may cause a lower bone mineral density. Since type 2 diabetes is not linked with a lower bone mineral density, it has not been considered to be much of a concern. In fact, a woman with type 2 diabetes is at a greater risk for osteoporosis and subsequent fractures. Some risk factors for type 2 diabetes, including sedentary lifestyle and obesity, are also risk factors for osteoporosis further increasing your risk.
While researchers are not sure of the exact correlation between type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis, the message is to be on alert. Talk with your doctor about your bone health and risk factors for osteoporosis. Taking care of your bones and helping to prevent fractures is key. While your doctor may recommend prescription medicines to help make your bones stronger there are things you can do to help. First of all, stop smoking. Being overweight and underweight can put you at greater risks for fractures so maintaining an ideal weight is important. Increase your exercise and change up your routine. Combining cardio workouts with strength training and weight training will help to strengthen your muscles and bones. Lastly, try to prevent falls. This can include yoga or balance exercise, making sure you have the right shoes and removing trip hazards from your home.
Talk with your doctor at The Woman’s Clinic in Jackson, MS, today about your risk factors for osteoporosis and what your best treatment options may be.
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