How to prevent osteoporosis?

Preventing osteoporosis can be integrated into your daily life. While some risk factors like genetics, age, and gender cannot be changed, you can improve bone health through certain lifestyle habits. First, weight-bearing exercises like brisk walking, running, and dancing are very effective. These activities make your body work against gravity, prompting new bone formation. Strength training is also important as it enhances bone and muscle strength, reducing the risk of falls. Regarding diet, adults should consume about 1,000 mg of calcium daily, and women over 50 and men over 70 should increase this to 1,200 mg. Calcium can be obtained from foods like milk, cheese, and green vegetables, and supplements can be considered if dietary intake is insufficient. Vitamin D is also crucial for calcium absorption, with a recommended daily intake of 600-800 IU, which can be obtained through sunlight exposure or foods like fish and egg yolks. Avoiding excessive alcohol consumption and quitting smoking also benefit bone health. Lastly, regular bone density tests can help monitor bone health, especially for those at high risk.