Premenopausal women need at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day, says Doris Gorka Bartuska, M.D., director of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism clinical services at Allegheny University of the Health Sciences in Philadelphia. Once past menopause, women should be getting 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams a day, she says. Low-fat dairy products. Of course, taking calcium carbonate, calcium gluconate or other forms of calcium supplements is the easist way to ensure that you get what you need each and every day of the week. The most important thing is to do something active every day.
Any exercise is better than no exercise at all.
When To See A Doctor Since there is no pain associated with early osteoporosis, it's important to be aware of the risk factors, so that you can head off the disease by taking precautions now. And one of the very best and easiest is walking. Join a smoking-cessation program. A study on female twins suggested that a woman who smokes a pack of cigarettes a day may experience a 5 to 10 percent reduction in bone density at the time of menopause, a deficit that could increase the risk of fracture. Skip coffee and alcohol.