ST. LOUIS -- What’s the most malignant disease that older adults battle? The answer could surprise many Americans, says Margaret-Mary Wilson, M.D., assistant professor of geriatric medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and a SLU
Care geriatrician.
“When you think about it, osteoporosis is probably a more malignant disease than cancer among senior citizens,” Dr. Wilson says.
“Of all older adults who suffer hip fractures, which is the most serious consequence of osteoporosis, 24 percent are dead in 12 months. When you look at the frail and ill elderly, mortality rates approach 50 percent.”
Older adults fracture their hips when they fall and their bones, already thin from osteoporosis, break. Exercise is one of the best ways to prevent hip fractures because it increases the thickness of bones. The secret to increasing bone mass, Dr. Wilson says, is to start when you’re in your 30s, and preferably earlier.
“Our peak bone mass is when we are in our 30s. We should plan to get our bones as thick as possible before we hit our peak,” she says.
So is it too late to begin an exercise program if your bones are past their prime? No, says Dr. Wilson. “Exercise can increase bone thickness even if we do start it late. You always will benefit significantly from exercise.”
Dr. Wilson, who carries weights during her daily two-mile early morning walks, suggests combining aerobic and weight-bearing exercises to keep in shape. Weight-bearing exercises involve carrying, lifting or pushing a heavy object. Aerobic exercises cause the heart and lungs to work harder than when they are at rest by repetitively using large muscle groups for an extended time.
In addition to being an aerobic exercise, walking is a weight-bearing exercise because your muscles and skeleton support your body weight.
“Weight-bearing exercises build bone thickness better than aerobic. But they’re not as effective at improving cardiovascular health or helping people maintain their ideal weight as aerobics. It works well to join them by interspersing aerobic exercise with weight-bearing exercise. That helps keep muscle mass and ensure your body weight stays ideal.”
Dr. Wilson recommends 60 minutes of an aerobic activity, such as walking, three times a week for overall health benefits. Make your goal something you strive to reach instead of your starting point for exercise.
“A lot of us tend to start with the goal and become discouraged. Instead, a good way to start is to take the little steps to get there. We should find ways to incorporate exercise into our lifestyle,” Dr. Wilson says.
For instance, Dr. Wilson and her colleagues take the stairs instead of elevators during medical rounds. “If you do 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there -– everyone should be able to fit it into their lifestyle.”
Nutrition also is important to preserving your bones. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends adults consume between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day a day. Milk, cheese and broccoli or those foods fortified with calcium such as cereals and orange juice are good sources. Some people may need to take calcium supplements if they don’t eat enough calcium-rich foods to get the minimum daily requirements.
“I tell my patients to eat a balanced diet. Eat your greens, like your mother told you. Eat your fruits, like your grandmother told you,” Dr. Wilson says.
“The solutions to stay healthy are so simple. We all knew about eating right and exercising. Somewhere along the line, we either forgot or thought they weren’t important. But as we look to the future, we need to ask ourselves do we want to be functional or frail? Our goal for successful aging is to be strong and healthy.”
For more information about the services offered by SLUCare, the physician practice of Saint Louis University School of Medicine, phone the SLUCare Call Center at 314.268.5880 or 1.800.268.5880.
###
