POWELL RIVER, B.C. – When grandma slips on the carpet and breaks her hip, in all likelihood her hip broke first and then she fell.
That is because she has osteoporosis, the leading ailment in older Canadian women.
Bones become so fragile, a sufferer can break a wrist opening up a can. And when older people break bones, the pain lingers. In fact, 20 percent of older women who break a hip die within the year.
But the bone thinning of osteoporosis doesn’t start after a woman crosses menopause. Those at risk can be detected long before the change of life, said Sandi Ulmi, of the British Columbia Dairy Foundation.
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Those stricken with this condition often say, “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.”
Ulmi offered a list of risk factors during a presentation to the British Columbia Farm Women’s Network meeting held recently. A classic symptom of osteoporosis is a hump on the upper back, as well as noticeable shrinking in height.
“Look at the your mothers, grandmothers and your aunts to see if there is osteoporosis in your family.
“If your mother or grandmother shrank, they likely had osteoporosis,” said Ulmi, who works for the promotional arm of the provincial dairy industry. She educates schoolchildren, teachers and health professionals about nutrition.
In the case of osteoporosis, the foundation goes beyond recommending a glass of calcium-laden milk every day. It also provides broader information about the effects of this condition.
Osteoporosis may not be painful in the beginning, even when a patient’s vertebrae are already collapsing. However, as bones shift downward, the rib cage comes down and it misaligns internal organs leading to other health problems.
People can take vitamin and mineral supplements but it is better to get nutrition from food in a balanced diet. Reducing food to a single nutrient is a mistake, said Ulmi. Five years ago calcium supplements were the rage but it was later discovered the calcium interfered with the body’s ability to use iron and women were becoming anemic.
Seventy percent of the calcium needs for a Canadian comes from dairy products. On average a Canadian drinks 1.4 glasses of milk per day containing 300 milligrams of calcium – about a third to a half of what most adults need. Cheeses, yogurts and ice cream are equally good sources.
Risk factors
- Menopause. Bone density and estrogen production are related. As estrogen levels decline, so does bone density. Between five and 10 years after menopause, most women lose some density. Estrogen supplements can slow this bone thinning damage.
- White, small boned, thin women face a greater risk than their heavier-boned sisters. Blacks and Orientals tend to have fewer problems.
- Teenage girls create problems for themselves by replacing milk with soft drinks. Girls’ bones often stop growing in length when they are about 14 but continue to fill in density until they are about 35.
