Have you noticed that some older women and men have a stooped posture? They were once as straight and strong as you, but now they suffer from Osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that causes bones to become fragile and break easily. The most common areas of bone breaks (fractures) are the spine, hip, and wrist.
Last year there were over 1.5 million fractures in the USA!

BUT the good news is that you can prevent Osteoporosis from happening to you by building strong bones NOW - with
· A balanced diet
· Calcium and Vitamin D
· Exercise to keep your bones strong!

Bones rule! Listen up!

Your skeleton is like the foundation of your house - it holds you up, protecting everything inside you. (Imagine your skull as a bicycle helmet, protecting your brain!) Your bones are also a warehouse for important minerals, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, and potassium. Calcium is especially important - 98% of your body's calcium is in your bones.

You see, bones are alive, and constantly changing, with bits of old bone being removed and replaced with bits of new bone. Think of bone as a bank account, where you make 'deposits' and 'withdrawals' of bone tissue. During your teen years, hormones help bones grow in size and strength. You deposit much more bone than you withdraw, until around aged 30, when your bones reach their maximum strength and density.

But soon after that, and as you continue to age, more bone is broken down than replaced. THAT'S WHY your teen years are your best chance to build up your bone bank account - so you will have plenty to 'withdraw' from when you get older!

Don't be a Lazy Bones!

Bones are living tissue, and they need to be stimulated to stay strong. You can walk, run, hike, skateboard, jump rope, ski: anything that uses your own weight against the force of gravity.
· Can you and your friends organize some fun activities that include weight-bearing exercise to build up your bones?

· How about team sports at school? Tennis, soccer, skating, volleyball, basketball?

· Try walking to school and other places instead of driving or riding with someone.

· Take the stairs instead of the elevator

· Boogie! Take dance classes!

· Surprise (shock!) your parents: help around the house! Do some gardening!

Physical work is a great way to build bones.

Besides the bone stuff, exercise burns calories too, so by working out on a regular basis, you can eat the foods you need to stay healthy and keep your weight under control. What else can you think of doing to keep your bones strong?

It's Cool to get your Calcium!

When you think healthy bones - think calcium! It's vital for keeping your bones healthy and strong. (It also plays a key role in just about every system in your body.

· Drink milk instead of soda - soda is full of phosphorous which upsets
your bone balance, and also full of sugar which you don't need!
· Make milkshakes in your blender (how inventive can YOU be?)
· Drink calcium-fortified orange juice, or any kind of fruit juice, just as long as it has calcium added. (like duh…check the label!!)
· Eat some calcium-rich breakfast cereals, like oatmeal, or TOTAL . (While you're being creative, throw some dried fruit into your cereal!)
· Eat cheese: grilled cheese, add cheese to salads
· Snack on broccoli with low-fat dip
· Drink calcium-fortified hot cocoa!
· Eat a handful of NUTS: Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts,
· Feast on some dried fruit: figs, dried plums, raisins
· If you're gonna have a treat, have some calcium-rich ice cream!

Anorexia and Bulimia: DANGER!!

It's no joke. These food disorders that involve starving yourself or making yourself throw up are so harmful to your bones and your body that you can develop Osteoporosis by the time you're in your 20's. Fad diets too can be very dangerous. Instead, make sure you eat a balanced diet, lots of fish, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and nuts and get plenty of exercise to make you feel and look your best.