This is a picture taken at ICRS of a few of my favorite friends (Mindy Starns Clark, a mystery author, Pam Farrell, author of Fantastic after 40, and Jill Savage, director of Hearts at Home and author of books for moms, and me!) Don’t we look like we are having fun? We are. We are all in a stage of life where we can pursue our dreams and our hopes as boomers.
But we are also in a stage of life where the Big M has made her presence aware. One of the silent symptoms of menopause can be thinning bones.
This past year my bone density exam came back with mixed messages. Not surprising since I’ve been menopausal since I was 32. My T score shows some thinning, but not full-fledged osteoporosis. The same results we’ve been seeing for nearly three years.
But this time there was a difference. Visually I, and my doctor, can see that my body is changing. I’ve lost height. I used to be 5′ 7″. I’m measuring 5′ 6 3/4″. My ribs poke out a little higher in front and my spine is a little more rounded than it should be right at the base of my neck.
So he is concerned, as am I. It’s a battle I want to win.
Osteoporosis is a silent disease affecting nearly 10 million a year in the U.S. (Check out the facts.)
It’s a major cause of fractures and even something called a dowager’s hump in menopausal women over the age of 55.
Over the past three years I’ve tried three different drugs, one monthly, one daily, one weekly. Each of them created massive reactions in my digestive system. Bad, bad heartburn and acid reflux. It’s not common, but it does happen in a few instances. It roared in mine.
I’m a healthy girl. I rarely take aspirin. I didn’t like the fact that the prescribed RX made me so ill, or that it required more RX to ease the side effects. I stopped taking it.
But I’m not stopping my fight. I’m doing pushups daily, trying to impliment more weight-bearing exercises into my daily regimen. I’m using a RX nasal spray that is milder with no side effects that is supposed to help maintain bone strength. It’s not as strong as the sulfa-based drugs, but it’s a tool to maintain a healthy body and lifestyle. I’m walking. I’m taking calcium with Vitamin D. I’m eating lots of foods that are calcium rich.
The other day I visited a sibling. She is tiny-framed. She is in excellent physical shape, and health. But when we climbed into her pool, I noticed a slight rounding in her shoulders as well. We need to talk.
Not to be Debbie-Downer here, but this is a boomer issue. Isn’t it odd when we feel as healthy as we ever have, and life is revolving more around our heart’s desires and pursuits, that we also need to be diligent about our health more than ever before? It’s something that boomer women need to be aware of, and proactive.
Let’s talk some more about the Big M, and perhaps what you are doing to keep your bones strong and healthy.
Some helps or tips:
National Osteoporosis Foundation
For a rough rule of thumb, an eight-ounce glass of milk or two ounces of hard cheese will provide 300 milligrams, a cup of yogurt provides 400 milligrams, three and a half ounces of tofu gives you 150, three ounces of canned salmon has 150, three ounces of sardines with bones has 372, and a half cup of broccoli provides 136 milligrams.
Regular exercise throughout a lifetime can help build bone density. In general, weight-bearing exercises and strength training are the best for bone building. Activities should be done for 20 to 30 minutes several times a week. Other exercises such as sit-ups, pushups, back extensions, bent-knee pushups, and posture training can help the spine and hips, the areas most vulnerable to osteoporosis fractures.
Risk Factors
Being female
Having a small frame
Being Caucasian or Asian (although African Americans and Hispanic Americans are also at risk)
Advanced age
A family history of osteoporosis
History of fracture in an immediate relative
Estrogen deficiency as a result of menopause, especially early or surgically induced
Use of certain medications, such as corticosteroids and anticonvulsants
Personal history of fracture after age 50
Current low bone mass
Abnormal absence of menstrual periods
Factors you can change
Low lifetime calcium intake
Being very thin or anorexic
An inactive lifestyle
Current cigarette smoking
Excessive use of alcohol
Love you girls,
Suzie
PS: On an off-note I posted an interview of my beautiful boomer friend, Allison Bottke, over her new book, One Little Secret, on my personal website at http://daretobelieve.org. I hope you love it! It’s always fun to go in-depth to find out the heart behind a book and ministry or career, and Allison does just that in this interview.
5 Comments
Suz,
appreciate the info. my grandmother had osteoporosis, and my mom (age 67) has the tendency toward it. Although she’s fighting it–she goes to the gym and lifts weights three days a week and walks a lot. I exercise a lot –I ran and did my pushups this morning! but need to change my diet a bit to be healthier. thanks for the reminder!
I just had my 50,000 mile (or one year) annual exam - including a bone density test. I’m waiting for the results. But I, too, noticed that I’m shorter! What the heck is this about? All these physical changes are a tad disconcerting, eh? Glad to know we’re not alone! Thanks, sweet Suzie, for the valuable info and resources! You rock!
One of the things that I hope for as I round the curve into the next season of my life is health and longetivity. I want to be strong. I want to take action now so that my 70’s and 80’s are productive. I think too often we take notice of these things when it’s too late — we start walking because of a scare with our heart, or we eat well because of a medical report. I’ve known of a long time that this is a risk, simply because of my early battle with cancer. I want to stay on top of it–now. : )
This is a good challenge for me. It was one reason I decided to lose weight last year, so I wouldn’t be fighting additional pounds when the big M hits. But I do need to do better with weight -bearing exercise and calcium - the things we all know but like Suzie says, we often wait for a scare. And my little gram had osteoporosis too so even more reason for me to pay attention. Thanks Suzie!
I think, Dianne, for me — and it sounds like you too — I just want to be healthy for the long run. I want to run, play, feel good, and enjoy every moment of every day, and if taking care of my bones is part of that, I’ll do it!
Now I need to do 10 pushups. Excuse me. . .