3 Important Care Steps for Those Living With Osteoporosis

Living with osteoporosis can be a struggle on a daily basis. This medical condition causes your bones to become brittle and weak. If you're tired of this condition's symptoms negatively impacting your life, consider implementing the following care steps in your daily life. 

1. Take Supplements 

You can lessen the effects of osteoporosis by taking supplements on a regular basis. More specifically, you need to be taking calcium and vitamin D supplements whenever you can. Calcium is designed to support strong bones, while vitamin D enables your body to effectively absorb it. 

If you're not sure which brand of supplements to get, you can always consult with your doctor. They'll have a clear idea of what particular supplements can help with the specific symptoms you're experiencing from osteoporosis. Make sure you take these supplements exactly as stated by your doctor so that you get the most out of them.

2. Get Regular Exercise 

Just because osteoporosis causes your bones to weaken doesn't mean you should remain inactive. Doing this can actually cause your bones to weaken at a more rapid rate. Rather, the best strategy for combating osteoporosis symptoms is getting regular exercise.

Keeping your body active helps put your bones under stress, making them become stronger over time. You don't need to use fancy equipment to exercise either. You can simply walk, jog, or run around your block a couple of times a week. Biking, in particular, helps support bone strength and recovery. 

3. Stop Smoking 

One of the worst habits you can have with osteoporosis is smoking. When you smoke often, the nicotine can drastically interfere with any medications and supplements you take to combat osteoporosis symptoms. So even if you're a life-long smoker, you need to stop this habit in any way possible. This might require you to invest in nicotine replacement patches and gums. 

Avoiding smoking triggers, such as bar environments and friends who smoke regularly, can also help you curb this habit. It will be hard at first, but the longer you go without smoking, the better resistance you'll have. Just keep in mind why you're stopping in the first place: to help you deal with osteoporosis better.

If you've been diagnosed with osteoporosis, simple tasks can become extremely challenging. You shouldn't give up, though. When you approach this disease with the right frame of mind and take the right care steps, you can still live a happy, healthy life. 

Following the above tips will give you a head start on treating your osteoporosis. If you haven't already, talk to a local specialist about osteoporosis treatments to give your bones the best chance they have and to help further reduce symptoms.