In late November, Latino families usually gather to celebrate Thanksgiving Day and prepare for the upcoming holidays. It is a time where we reflect on our lives and spend quality time with our loved ones
Although there is no doubt that this season is an opportunity to reconnect with our friends and family, it is important that we use this time to inform and talk to our loved ones about the importance of staying healthy.
My mother, who recently visited for Thanksgiving Day, suffers from osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become extremely fragile and are more likely to fracture.
As a result of her illness, I have kept myself informed on bone health, to help deal with this situation.
Healthy, strong bones are key to our health. The bones, structures that provide support to the body, help us move, and protect us from injury. Bones also store minerals that help our bodies stay healthy.
As a result of osteoporosis, approximately half of all women over the age of 50 will have a fracture of the hip, wrist or spine, according to a study by the National Institute of Health in the United States.
With these statistics, it is now more important than ever to stay informed on bone health.
Bone Health in Focus, a campaign to educate and inform the public about the importance of bone health, has remained at the forefront of this issue, to ensure that our communities are kept informed.
Knowing the importance of our community, the Bone Health in Focus campaign is now available in Spanish, allowing all Latinos, bilingual or not, to have access to this information.
You can access the website by visiting www.bonehealthinfocus.com.
In addition to the importance of bone health in general, the campaign focuses on educating thousands of people with cancer, and the risks involved with cancer spreading to the bones.
According to Bone Health in Focus, bone metastasis affects more than two thirds of breast cancer patients and 90 percent of patients with advanced prostate cancer.
The truth is that there are things we can do to help keep our bones strong and healthy.
Some of these things include:
– Eat balanced, healthy meals.
– Do not smoke or drink alcohol in excess amounts.
– Exercise regularly.
At the end of the day, it is this kind of information that will protect us against a variety of diseases and enable us, year after year, to sit at the table during the holidays to celebrate with all our loved ones.
This piece originally appeared in Spanish in the Washington Hispanic
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