Osteoporosis (porous bones) is a topic close to my heart as my previously fit and healthy 72 year old mother was diagnosed with it. What I’ve seen in her, is that she has progressively become more bent over, and experiencing significant changes and disabilities to her lifestyle as her spine crumbles. This led me at age 44, to get my own bone density tested, which isn’t normally recommended until age 60 onwards unless having suffered from specific medical conditions that can impact bone health. And at the youthful age of 44, I have been diagnosed with Osteopenia (low bone density), which is the precursor to osteoporosis. And as someone who considers themselves healthy and active, and was still diagnosed, I thought I’d put together a bit of information and a few tips for optimising bone health for the thousands of people who get diagnosed Osteoporotic/peanic every year.

At its most simple, Osteoporosis basically means brittle bone. Bone is naturally porous, and is a living tissue that is simultaneously being made by certain cells, while being broken down others. Up until around the age of 30, the rate at which bone is being made is greater than it is being broken down. After around 30, the rate it is broken down slowly exceeds the rate at which it is made. This gradually results in our bones becoming more hollow and brittle over time.