Osteoporosis: Basics to Bone Health (7:52)

Women In Government Podcast

10 million Americans have osteoporosis and many more may be at risk of developing the bone disease. Learn the risk factors and what you can do to help improve your bone health. Barbara Hannah Grufferman, a nationally recognized expert on healthy and positive aging shares her tips to achieving a healthy and happy life. This May, she has teamed up with Women In Government, a national, non-profit, non-partisan organization of women state legislators for National Osteoporosis Month. Together, they hope to help raise awareness about bone heath and let everyone know it's never too early to learn the basics to bone health. • One in two women and up to one in four men over the age of 50 will break a bone during their lifetime because of osteoporosis • For women, the chances of breaking a bone are greater than that of a heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined • According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, bone breaks due to the disease are most likely to occur in the hip, spine or wrist. The disease may also cause some patients to lose height. When osteoporosis affects vertebrae, or the bones of the spine, it often leads to a stooped or hunched posture • Peak bone mass usually happens between the ages of 18 and 25. Bone loss often speeds up in both men and women as they age Barbara Hannah Grufferman is the author of the new book, "Love Your Age - The Small-Step Solution to a Better, Longer, Happier Life." www.barbarahannahgrufferman.com Women In Government has provided leadership opportunities, networking, expert forums, and educational resources for 30 years on policy issues such as healthcare, education, energy, the environment, transportation, and more. To learn more, visit www.womeningovernment.org. Audio courtesy of OSUCHLUCK Productions - [e-mail]