Lifestyle Choices to Keep Bones Strong

Don't smoke

Smoking weakens bones and leads to osteoporosis. Quitting is hard to do, but it's important for your bones, your overall health, and the good health of those close to you. Join an organization to help you quit—contact your local hospital or branch of the American Lung Association. Having a buddy you can call at any time is a great means of support. Talk with your doctor about medical help to ease nicotine withdrawal.

Reduce your alcohol intake

There are several good reasons to keep your intake of wine, beer, or liquor to a minimum.

• Heavy drinking increases the risk of osteoporosis.
• The more you drink, the less likely you are to engage in physical activity and exercise, and the more likely you are to have an accident. So keeping your alcohol intake to a reasonable level can help you increase your physical activity and exercise more safely.
• Alcohol loads you up with excess, useless calories. When you drink less, you may eat better and also lose a few excess pounds.

Do weight-bearing exercise

When you lift weight or do an exercise where you move your body against gravity, you "stress" your bones. The push, pull, and pressure on the bones make them stronger. Walking, jogging, and racquet sports bear weight, and so do "down-dog" and "up-dog" yoga postures. Swimming does not bear weight, though it's great for your health in other ways.

Enjoy weight-bearing exercise regularly, even if you manage only 15 minutes at a time. Try to increase your exercise to 30 minutes, three times a week. Use one- to two-pound weights for your arms (ask your doctor before using anything heavier).

Here are some ways to sneak exercise into your busy schedule.

• Park at a distance from work or shopping and walk instead.
• Wear a pedometer and increase the number of steps you take each day (aim for 10,000 steps daily)
• Take the stairs (forget the elevator).
• Go dancing!

Watch your posture

When you were in elementary school, you may have been hounded by a gym teacher who insisted you "stand up straight." To fight back, you may have started slumping when you were about 11 and began to grow breasts (which could have been embarrassing then).

But having great posture and proper alignment, so that all your vertebrae line up straight, has big health benefits. It's one of the best defenses against curvature of the spine as we get older. We're not talking about rigid, military posture. Think about posture as though you wanted to grow taller out of your spine like a new plant reaching for the sky.

Keeping your shoulders back and standing up straight can be particularly hard if you've had breast surgery and are not yet used to the changes in your body —whether or not you've had reconstruction. But this is an important way to help you stand tall and keep your spine flexible.

Practices like yoga, Pilates, and tai chi connect you to your body and its potential. Go to any yoga class, and you will hear the teacher tell you to "open your heart." If you're ready to open yourself both physically and emotionally to whatever may come, you can't slouch. Whenever you have a free second, whether you're sitting, standing, or lying down, pull back your shoulders and try to stretch an extra inch. You'll feel a lot more powerful standing tall.

Prevent falls in the home and office

Most fractures are caused by falls. To minimize your risk of falling:

• Remove throw rugs and tack down loose carpeting.
• Get all electrical wiring and extension cords tacked down and out of your way.
• Repair loose or broken steps.
• Hold the railing when you walk downstairs.
• In the bathroom, install a grab-bar in the shower or use rubber sticky pads on the bottom of the tub.
• Wear shoes that grip floor surfaces securely.
• Put night-lights in your bedroom and bathroom, so you have a guide if you get up in the middle of the night.
• Be sure you have a sturdy bedside table to lean on as you get out of bed.
• Put a bell on your pet's collar, so you'll know if the animal is underfoot.
• If you have young children in the house, get them into the habit of picking up their toys and stowing them where they can't be stepped on.

This section was made possible by an unrestricted educational grant from AstraZeneca.