Five Steps to Stronger Bones

May is National Osteoporosis Month, an ideal reminder to check the strength and health of your bones.

How do you know how strong your bones are? There’s a test for that. A bone mineral density (BMD) test diagnoses osteoporosis and determines your risk for future fracture. Early diagnosis is important because osteoporosis can develop undetected for decades until a fracture occurs.

The director of the Mills-Peninsula Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center, Ernesto Zatarain, M.D., says that the following steps can optimize bone health and help prevent osteoporosis later in life: 

• Get the calcium and vitamin D you need every day
• Do regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises
• Don’t smoke and limit alcohol intake
• Talk to your health care provider about your risk of developing osteoporosis, and ask when you should have a bone density test
• Take an osteoporosis medication when it is right for you

With a doctor’s referral, bone density testing is available at the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center at Mills Health Center in San Mateo. It takes less than 20 minutes to perform the exam. Don’t wait for a fracture to occur. Step on it!

Read more health and wellness articles on the Mills-Peninsula health blog.