| Did you know that Asian American women are at | | | | why you see some older women with that |
| high risk for developing osteoporosis? Statistics | | | | 'hunched' appearance. Those fractures can also |
| actually show that Asian women in the United | | | | result in a loss of height, in addition to chronic pain. |
| States have many of the same risk factors as | | | | Some of the issues that could increase your |
| Caucasian women. If you are Asian American | | | | chance of developing osteoporosis are: |
| woman, it is important that you understand what | | | | - Caucasian and Asian ancestry |
| osteoporosis is and the steps you should take to | | | | - Having a thin, small-boned body frame |
| prevent or treat it. | | | | - Previous fractures or a family history of |
| Following are some of the issues that are causing | | | | fractures resulting from osteoporosis |
| a rise in the number of Asian women being | | | | - An estrogen deficiency resulting from: |
| diagnosed with osteoporosis: | | | | - early menopause due to natural circumstances |
| Asian women have been found to consume less | | | | - early menopause resulting from surgical removal |
| calcium. This is mostly due to the fact that up to | | | | of the ovaries |
| 90% of Asian American women are lactose | | | | - as a result of prolonged amenorrhea |
| intolerant and avoid using dairy products that | | | | - Aging |
| contain calcium. As you may know, calcium is | | | | - A diet low in calcium |
| essential for maintaining a healthy skeleton. | | | | - Smoking |
| Asian women generally have lower hip fracture | | | | - Excessive alcohol consumption |
| rates than Caucasian women. Even so, Asian | | | | - Extensive use of certain medications |
| women seem to have as high a rate of incident | | | | Even if one or some of these conditions apply to |
| of vertebrae fractures as Caucasian women. | | | | you, you can still take steps to prevent it from |
| Additionally, slender women have less bone mass | | | | happening to you. The best defense is to take |
| and are a greater risk for bone fractures related | | | | care to keep you bones strong, especially before |
| to osteoporosis. | | | | the age of 20. Eat a well-balanced diet rich in |
| Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease brought on | | | | calcium and vitamin D and exercise regularly - |
| by low bone mass. It causes bones to be | | | | walking, jogging, dancing and lifting weights are a |
| vulnerable to fractures. If you don't take steps to | | | | few of the better routines. Don't smoke and limit |
| prevent osteoporosis, or you have it and don't | | | | your intake of alcohol. Talk to your doctor, |
| get treatment, it can progress painlessly until a | | | | especially if you have a family history of |
| bone breaks which will most likely be in your hip, | | | | osteoporosis because there are painless testing |
| spine, or wrist. Spinal fractures are the reason | | | | methods and medications to treat it. |