Eating lots of vegetables may decrease the rate of osteoporosis (age-related bone loss).

Osteoporosis, age-related loss of bone mass, is a fact of aging. It is going to happen. However, there are steps you can take to slow the rate of loss. One of these is weight bearing exercise. Another may be eating lots of vegetables. It is suggested that antioxidants and other substances in vegetables and fruits may be good for your bones and hence slow the loss of bone. Another reason to eat your veggies.

Depression may have a link to osteoporosis

There may be a link between mental illness, especially depression and osteoporosis. A review of publications from 1994 to 2007 indicates that depression may accelerate bone loss. Depression has effects on the body including altering the function of both the immune and endocrine (hormone) systems. it is suggested that these changes in the immune and endocrine systems may have negative effects on the bone, leading to faster loss. Another reason to seek help for depression.

Osteoporosis may be detected at the dentist

A series of studies (example) has shown that dental x-rays can be used for detecting osteoporosis. DXA, the standard method of measurement of bone density, was compared to the use of software that measured thickness of jaw bones in regular dental x-rays. It was demonstrated that dental x-rays were a good predictor of osteoporosis. Hopefully this will soon be part of the standard analysis of dental x-rays. If we are going to get subjected to x-rays, we should get the max benefit from the exposure.

[tags]osteoporosis, age-related bone loss, vegetable, depression, dentist, dental x-rays[/tags]