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Posts Tagged ‘risk of osteoporosis’

A positive relationship between bone mass and physical exercise. This one, made with the action of gravity, it helps increase and maintain bone mass, thus preventing osteoporosis.

1. Importance of exercise
Beneficial. Moderate physical activity is a very healthy activity at menopause. On the other hand, exercise is also important for the prevention of cardiovascular disease because, in addition to combat stress and make the heart work regularly, helps establish a positive lipid profile, increasing HDL-cholesterol.

Gymnastics, tennis, running, cycling, among others, are regarded as excellent physical activity. Because gravity is reduced as swimming, this seems not to contribute significantly to the increase in bone mass, however, is extraordinary to improve the ability of the heart and lungs, without overloading the joints.

As for the highly competitive sports are not recommended for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Unable to perform some physical activities mentioned, we can walk regularly, at least 3 times a week, walking gait (somewhat faster than normal pace) for one hour, as it is considered as one of the best exercise there is.

2. Preventing loss of urine
Regarding the prevention of pelvic floor dysfunction, the menopause can be a good time to begin the practical exercise of contraction and relaxation of the perineum with the aim of achieving good control of urination.

Not forgetting, of course, that this prevention begins with an appropriate obstetric management, and to avoid constipation and overweight throughout life.

These are called Kegel exercises, and are women who performed pelvic floor to prevent or correct urinary incontinence, and also serve to improve somehow, sexual function of the vagina.

To know exactly what muscles to work, women can begin to interrupt the urinary flow and start to urinate, so either find which muscles must contract and relax to perform this task.

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In women approaching menopause, and after the commencement thereof, the balance between the removal and replacement of the bone is altered, and bone loss is greater than its renewal. In many cases, this leads to osteoporosis.

1. Women, the main affected
Worldwide it is estimated that 200 million women suffer from the disease, and that at least one third of women over age 50 may suffer an osteoporotic fracture during their lifetime. If we add the population of Europe and the U.S., it is possible that more than 30 million women are affected by this disease.

In general, the risk of osteoporosis is lower in males, because they have higher rates of bone mass and thus bone loss that can withstand is also greater.

Males also have a lower life expectancy and not suffer a sudden reduction in sex hormones as well as a period of accelerated bone loss, as is the case in women during menopause.

However, other factors such as sedentary lifestyle, the snuff, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet or use of steroid medication can also increase the risk of fractures in both men and women. In fact, 30% of all fractures occurring in males occurs.

2. Menopause and osteoporosis
The human body’s amazing ability to renew and heal itself guarantees that a perfect balance between the losses suffered and what heals. Just as they do the skin cells, bone is removed and renewed constantly, which keeps the skeleton strong and healthy.

In this process, known as “bone renewal, cells called osteoclasts adhere to the bone surface, remove a small area of old bone and create a cavity.

Immediately after this, appearing osteoblasts, which are cells that synthesize the same amount of new bone tissue had been removed by osteoclasts. This perfect balance is maintained.

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