Bone-Chilling Facts About Osteoporosis

Boo! Are you at risk for Osteoporosis?

Bones are Living Tissue: Contrary to popular belief, bones are not static structures. They are living tissues that constantly break down and rebuild, a process called remodeling.

Bones Store Minerals: Bones act as storage depots for essential minerals like calcium and phosphorus. These minerals are crucial for bone strength and overall health.

Bones Produce Blood Cells: The marrow within our bones, particularly the long bones, is responsible for producing blood cells, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

Bones Can Heal Themselves: Under the right conditions, bones have a remarkable ability to heal themselves after fractures. This process involves the formation of new bone tissue to repair the break.

Regular weight-bearing exercise is essential for good bone health: Moderate stress helps strengthen bones by stimulating bone cells to lay down new bone tissue.

Diet Plays a Crucial Role: The foods we eat directly affect bone health. Consuming enough calcium and vitamin D is essential for strong bones, while excessive sodium and caffeine can have negative effects.

Age-Related Changes: Bone density naturally decreases with age, particularly in women after menopause. However, lifestyle factors and genetics also play a significant role in bone health.

Osteoporosis is known for being a silent disease, which is why people tend to disregard their risk for osteoporosis until it’s too late. Check out these surprising facts about the onset of the disease:

Lack of Symptoms: In the early stages of osteoporosis, there are often no noticeable symptoms. People may feel fine and unaware of the underlying bone loss.

Early Signs: While fractures are a common sign of osteoporosis, some people may experience subtle symptoms like back pain, height loss, or a stooped posture.

Inactivity: Lack of physical activity, particularly weight-bearing exercises, can contribute to bone loss.

Menopause and Hormonal Changes: In women, the decline in estrogen levels after menopause can lead to accelerated bone loss.

Medications: Certain medications, such as corticosteroids, thyroid hormone suppressants, and proton pump inhibitors, can increase the risk of bone loss.

Childhood Matters: Building strong bones starts early in life. Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake during childhood and adolescence are crucial for developing healthy bone mass.

Though Janet looks as vibrant and strong as ever, she was diagnosed with osteopenia in 2017, which means she is at risk for osteoporosis. In addition to a balanced diet, consistent weight-bearing exercise has been key to keeping her bones healthy.

When Janet told her practitioner that she has been doing Mojo 2 times a week, she was impressed and said that this is exactly the type of exercise needed for her condition, because it uses our body as weights, which is good. The one thing she suggested was that Janet increase her Mojo classes to 3 times a week.

Initially, fitting 3 classes a week was a mental challenge for Janet, but she changed her way of thinking, which has helped a lot. 

Here’s Janet:

I finally said to myself I feel like I am organizing my life every day instead of living it!
Like you say in class, “Let’s DO this!”…I said to myself, “Let’s (just) do this!”

That little tweak to thinking has gotten me to mojo 3 times a week more consistently. Of course, getting there consistently has had it’s rewards. I feel better and I find myself enjoying the class even more. 

A big Congrats and Thank you(!!) to Janet and all our friends who are kind enough to share their stories with our Mojo community. It’s inspiring, helpful and so appreciated!