Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

If your grandparents and your parents have all dealt with varying degrees of osteoporosis, you may assume that you are doomed to suffer the same fate, but life isn’t like poker – you’re not stuck with the hand you are dealt. You have plenty of control over your health, and if you take steps to lower your risk of certain conditions, you can fight back against family genetics. In today’ s blog, we take a closer look at how you can greatly lower your risk of developing spinal osteoporosis even if the condition runs in your family.

Lowering Your Risk Of Spinal Osteoarthritis

Even if osteoporosis doesn’t run in your family, you’ll never be able to get that risk down to zero, but there are things that every person can do to significantly lower their risk of osteoporosis onset. Here’s what we recommend to patients with a family history of spinal osteoporosis or those who simply want to prevent the condition as they age.

• Regular Exercise – Regular exercise is the single best thing you can do for the health of your bones and your whole body. Some people think that exercise and activity speeds up bone deterioration as a result of repetitive stress, but healthy stress is a good thing for your body. Exercise increases circulation, regulates hormone development and makes it easier for your body to replace old bone cells with new healthy cells. People may think that osteoporosis runs in their genes, but perhaps it’s more of a family lifestyle that contributes to bone weakening. If your parents worked sedentary jobs or aren’t all that active, perhaps osteoporosis onset is being driven by this lack of healthy exercise. Stay active and keep moving, and you’ll be providing your bones with the right environment to thrive.
• Your Diet – Similarly, it’s possible that your bone loss is exacerbated by poor dietary choices. Even if your weight isn’t bad, if you’re struggling to get essential nutrients that aid in bone cell development, your osteoporosis risk can increase. Reevaluate your diet and work to target specific nutrients like calcium, Vitamin D, iron and zinc, as they all aid in healthy bone production. Supplements can fill the gaps that are lacking in our diet, but our body is better at absorbing nutrients from food, so try to get them from food sources first instead of relying on supplements to do the heavy lifting.
• Avoid Excessive Smoking And Alcohol Consumption – Smoking negatively affects our circulation and healthy bone and tissue development, so cut back on the habit or kick it altogether if you’re serious about reducing your spinal osteoporosis risk. Alcohol can also have a negative effect on your bone production, and while it’s fine to indulge in moderation, chronic or excessive alcohol consumption will show its impact on your spine in the long term.
• Medications – Certain medications can increase your risk of bone loss as you age. We know that it’s not possible to stop taking certain medications, but sometimes medications turn into a long-term crutch when other proactive interventions could yield better results without the potential side effects. For example, exercise and dietary improvements can help manage some inflammatory conditions better than medications that serve to mask symptoms, which can be beneficial for controlling these issues while also lowering your risk of long-term health problems like osteoporosis onset.

You’re not doomed to develop spinal osteoporosis just because it plagued your mother and grandmother, but you shouldn’t sit back idly and hope you don’t inherit the family back pain. Be proactive, seek out healthy lifestyle habits and consult with your primary care physician or a spine specialist for individualized tips on how you can keep your spine healthy long into your golden years. For personalized advice or assistance overcoming a spine issue that you’re dealing with, connect with Dr. Sinicropi and the team at Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.

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