What's up with osteoporosis? The number of people who seem to be living with the affliction - they're definitely on the rise. The silent disease is making its presence felt more extensively in recent years. This is in spite of doctors claiming that osteoporosis is under diagnosed and under treated the world over. The numbers that we're looking at now could just be the tip of the iceberg.

In the last decade there has been a sevenfold increase in the numbers who have been diagnosed with the disease round the world. There are more people visiting their doctors to treat bone loss. And the increased numbers come largely from the developed world. And it isn't only the elderly who are stricken with this affliction. People in their thirties seem to be losing bone density too.

Are we leading a terribly unhealthy lifestyle, or is it our diet that's doing it? Why aren't we addressing the problem until its too late? The medical world is unanimous in its opinion that osteoporosis is better prevented than treated. How many of us have taken this seriously enough to take preventive measures against a problem that could debilitate our lives to intolerable extents.

Till recently hormone therapy was used to combat thinning bones. But recent studies have stated that HRT is linked to breast cancer, heart diseases and other serious problems. The new non-hormonal drugs have yet to prove themselves. So it's up to each individual to do what we can to prevent the onset of osteoporosis, or retard its progress.

What are the basic steps that one needs to do to prevent osteoporosis?

• Get adequate calcium from food produce. Make sure you get your daily quota of milk, curd and cheese. Replace your cola with a glass of chilled milk.

• Take calcium supplements regularly. And remember, calcium is best absorbed when taken with vitamin D.

• Get all the exercise you can. Besides a daily work out, make sure you move around enough through the day. A good way of ensuring this - is not to keep things within easy reach. The more you need to move around to access things, the better it is for your health. Make a conscious decision to walk around for at least ten minutes every hour.

• Weight training exercises is an effective way of building up bone density. However, consult a doctor before you start of a training programme.

• Have activity-based hobbies like dancing, trekking, sporty games etc. It's all about getting out of a sedentary lifestyle and getting more active. Bones thrive on activity.

• Sunlight gives you vitamin D, which helps in building stronger bones. Spend sometime outdoors every day - you can lounge around in the shade and avoid direct sunlight.

• Get yourself checked for osteoporosis - so you can retard its progress, even if you can't cure it.

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