October 20 is commemorated as Osteoporosis day. A silent thief that the disease is, it secretly steals away our bones, making them porous that they break at mild strain. A disease in making for 30 years it particularly makes vulnerable our wrists, hips and spine. It usually affects older people and ladies post menopause, but also occur in young and middle-aged adults.

Bone facts

Our bones under remodeling all our lives. We add new bones and remove old ones from the skeleton. Dr Sunil Marwah, Sr Orthopaedic Surgeon and Traumatologist explains, "Building bones depend on the maternal genes we inherit and on minerals we derive from nutrition. Between 9-14 years, girls build and attain peak bone mass at 20, boys peak at 25."

During 20 to 40, we maintain bones with right nutrition and exercise.

As we age, bone breakdown exceeds bone formation-resulting in porous bones. Women are at increased risk because they have fragile bones to begin with. During menopause when estrogen stops secreting they suffer from significant bone loss. Dr. Sunil Marwah informs, "Women lose 40% of their bones between 40-60, whereas men lose 25% between 55-70."

Dr. Marwah recommends women to go Bone Density Test when they reach forty.

Bone Bytes

To begin with men have a higher bone mass than women and they loss less than women.

For strong bones in old age drink four glasses of milk in your teens. Calcium in milk and dairy products builds healthy bones. The normal daily requirement of calcium is 1000 mg, and glass of milk provides 300 mg.

Do weight bearing exercises for strong bones like walking, running and skipping.

Women post menopause should increase intake of soy in their diet, as it has phyto estrogens, a hormone essential for bone health.

Calcium, cola, smoking, salt deplete bones. For preventing osteoporosis eat right diet and walk. Girls do not diet in your teens, because this is the time you build bones.