Healthy habits to prevent or reduce problems from osteoporosis

You can slow the onset of osteoporosis or reduce its impact if you develop habits that build and strengthen your bones.

It is best if you start healthy habits early in life, but it's never too late. Habits that build and strengthen bones include:

• Eating a nutritious diet that includes adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D. Both are necessary for building healthy, strong bones. Take supplements if you think you are not getting enough of these nutrients in your diet. The recommended daily calcium intake for adults is 1,000 to 1,200 mg a day. Postmenopausal women need 1,200 mg of calcium a day. The recommended daily intake for vitamin D is between 200 IU and 600 IU a day. If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, your recommended daily intake is 1,200 mg of calcium and 400 IU to 800 IU of vitamin D. Calcium and vitamin D often are packaged together.
• Getting regular exercise. Weight-bearing exercises-such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, or lifting weights-keep bones healthy by working the muscles and bones against gravity.

To maintain healthy bones as an adult:

• Don't drink more than 1 alcoholic drink a day. Drinking more than this puts you at higher risk for osteoporosis.
• Don't smoke. Smoking puts you at a much higher risk for developing osteoporosis. Smokers lose bone density faster than people who do not smoke.