We all love the Hunchback of Notre Dame but don’t want to be him.

 

My grandmother was a very wise woman. She took every opportunity to teach me things by telling a story. The stories would keep my attention and I still don’t know if half of them were true but I remember every word and most importantly, the lesson that came along with it. When I was asked to partner with Hologic, Inc. for World Osteoporosis Day, I was happy to join this important campaign knowing I could share my grandma’s wisdom with all of you.

At an early age grandma talked about the importance of our health. She always gave plenty of tips and reasons why it was important. I took her as an expert because she amazed me at the things she was able to accomplish. Every morning you would find her gardening for hours, she would then come inside clean, cook dinner, clean again. and still have time to sit me on her lap at the organ. Now that I’m an adult, I’m still trying to figure out how she had time for the other chores that were always done and she also found time to take care of the animals and shop. I really think she had a way to stop time.

Playing with my grandsons at a water park!

Grandma had lots of health issues when she was older but you wouldn’t know it with her beautiful skin, poised posture, white and straight teeth, and hair that hardly had any gray. One thing she stressed to me more than once was how we had a family history of osteoporosis. One of her stories included her grandmother and how she would break a bone by just moving too fast and walked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. That was pretty scary to hear but she diverted the story of how to prevent it.

Many things in the medical field have changed since my grandmother grew up but I will swear to her tips for osteoporosis and many other things! She stressed the importance of bone health and osteoporosis prevention.

Here were grandma’s osteo-prevention tips but I encourage you to read on because after research I found additional information that may help keep you dancing your way through life! “Love Your Bones: Protect Your Future”

• Eat your fruits and vegetables!
• Drink your milk (I’m assuming this was for calcium and vitamin D)
• Don’t use a lot of salt
• Don’t smoke
• Drink water and limit your caffeine
• Stay Active, Laziness isn’t good for the body, mind, or soul

Grandma was very wise and she would be happy with everything I’m sharing with you. It’s important that YOU make bone health a priority. We need to take action early so we can enjoy the quality of life. We need to know if we are at high-risk so we can have appropriate treatment.

Me conquering a rope climb!

Meet Me at the DXA Scan!

A what! you ask? A painless, non-invasive, 15-minute test – a bone density scan! This will help predict your risk of breaking a bone. Statistics show that women who have bone density scans have 35% fewer hip fractures than those who do not. I will be getting scanned to know my risk. I’ll also be taking my mom, aunt, and anyone else who wants to make a day out of it. 

Horse back riding in the mountains of Oregon

Knowledge Is Power

Hologic, Inc. is a leading global healthcare and diagnostics company with a focus on women’s consumer health. Hologic’s DXA scan is a painless, non-invasive, quick test to measure bone mineral density and assess for osteoporosis and body composition.

Facts worth knowing:

• In the USA osteoporosis is the cause of 2 million broken bones
• Every year, more than 60,000 women die due to the effects of osteoporosis. That’s twenty thousand more deaths than caused by breast cancer and cervical cancer combined.

71% of Americans say they are aware of the effects that osteoporosis can have on their health, but only 52% of Americans report taking any steps to prevent it. World Osteoporosis Day, let’s agree to educate ourselves on the health and lifestyle habits that can better our bone health – and the sooner the better, since our best chance to prevent osteoporosis and bone loss is in our young adult years. Bike riding in Hilton Head, NC

 “Break Free” from osteoporosis: Prevention tips from the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF)’s

• Get to know risk factors: Many factors play a role in your risk for osteoporosis, including age, gender, lifestyle, medical history, family history and whether you take any medication or have medical conditions that can lead to bone loss.
• Get active: Doing regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercise is one of the best ways to protect against osteoporosis and broken bones.
• Get healthy: Calcium, vitamin D, lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats are the key to eating for healthy bones.
• Get checked: The painless, 15-minute test – a bone density scan – will help predict your risk of breaking a bone, and statistics show that women who have bone density scans have 35% fewer hip fractures than those who do not.
• Get clean: To maintain good bone health, don’t smoke or have more than two drinks a day.

Playing with my grandchildren, going on adventures, and living the quality of life are a few of my reasons to pay attention to bone health. What are your reasons?