Information:

• Bone Health
• Baby Boomers and Diabetes

Bone Health

Make bone health a priority for yourself and the people who love you!

All women should have a baseline bone density screening exam performed at menopause, and every two years thereafter, in order to reduce the number of women who are impacted by this treatable disease.

Men in their fifties do not experience the rapid loss of bone mass that women do in the years following menopause. By age 65 or 70, however, men and women are losing bone mass at the same rate, and the absorption of calcium, an essential nutrient for bone health throughout life, decreases in both sexes. Excessive bone loss causes bone to become fragile and more likely to fracture.

Fractures resulting from osteoporosis most commonly occur in the hip, spine, and wrist, and can be permanently disabling. Hip fractures are especially dangerous. Perhaps because such fractures tend to occur at older ages in men than in women, men who sustain hip fractures are more likely than women to die from complications.

What happens during the bone densitometry exam?
During your exam, you will lay comfortably on a padded table while the bone densitometry system scans two or more areas, usually your hip and spine. Unlike typical x-ray machines, radiation exposure during bone densitometry is extremely low. It involves no injections or invasive procedures, and as long as you have no zippers or metal buttons on your clothing, you can remain fully clothed.

How can I help prevent the development of osteoporosis?
There are steps you can take, even if you already have the disease to help prevent osteoporosis. The below measures, along with therapies your doctor may prescribe, can help slow its progression.Make calcium-rich foods a regular part of your diet, or consider calcium supplements. Maintain an adequate supply of vitamin D through sufficient exposure to the sun and through diet Exercise regularly (weight-bearing exercises are best for your bones) Avoid smoking Limit your intake of soft drinks and coffee Alcoholic beverages should be moderation Speak with your doctor about testing for bone density and your risk for potential fractures

Is there a treatment for osteoporosis?
Once patients are identified as having osteoporosis, there are a number of treatments available that may not only stop the progression of bone loss, but may actually replenish bone, strengthen the skeleton, and decrease the risk of future fracture. The challenge for all doctors is to provide adequate testing that can lead to effective prevention and treatment. The U.S. osteoporosis statistics are staggering:
● 10 million sufferers
● 1.5 million osteoporosis related fractures a year
● The direct cause of more than 500,000 hospital admissions, 2.6 million physician visits, and nearly 180,000 nursing home admissions a year

Call Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital central scheduling today at (727) 942-5180 and make osteoporosis screening a part of your regular check up.

Palm Harbor physician, Dr. Mushtaq Nabi, Internal Medicine Specialist, is very concerned about the growing health problem of adult onset type 2 diabetes among many middle age and older adults. “According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 25.8 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes, which is 8.3 percent of the population. Of that number, 7 million are undiagnosed. The ADA also reports that 79 million
People in the U.S. have pre-diabetes, which is approximately one quarter of the population.”

Unless significant changes are made‚ more than half of all Americans could have diabetes or pre-diabetes by the year 2020‚ according United- Health Group’s Center for Health Reform and Modernization.

“We are seeing more and more pre-diabetes among adults,” said Dr. Nabi. He explained that a test for diabetes, called HgbA1C, is used to measure how much glucose has been sticking to hemoglobin, the substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen to the cells of the body, during the past 3-4 months. HgbA1C is important as a long-term monitoring test of blood glucose control. A result of 6.0 or higher is the marker for diabetes.

“A very troubling trend is that we are seeing many more people with HgbA1C results in the 5.7-5.9 range, which indicates pre-diabetes. People with pre-diabetes don’t often have noticeable symptoms,” said Dr. Nabi.

“Diabetes can be very destructive to your health and can lead to death. It is in the same lethal category as coronary and peripheral artery disease, or an aneurysm,” explained Dr. Nabi. “Diabetes also contributes to a range of other health problems, including heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, blindness, nervous system damage (neuropathy) and amputation.”

Dr. Nabi blames the increasing incidence of diabetes on three major risk factors – obesity, diet and lack of exercise. “In other words, it is the modern American lifestyle,” he emphasized. The good news is that diabetes can be effectively treated. “There are new drug therapies that are important in treating diabetes. But, the best news is, with the right combination of diet, exercise and weight control, up to 50 percent of diabetes patients can achieve remission of symptoms and not require continuing medical intervention,” explained Dr. Nabi.

“Successfully managing diabetes requires patient awareness of the serious consequences of the disease and a commitment to lifestyle changes.”

Dr. Nabi outlined a couple of necessary steps the patient must take. “First, they must change their eating habits, by eliminating sugar and strictly controlling carbohydrate intake. Of the different components of nutrition – carbohydrates, fats, and proteins – carbohydrates have the greatest influence on blood sugar levels. Generally, the maximum calorie count per day for a person with diabetes is 1,800 calories.

“The second step is to engage in regular daily exercise,” stressed Dr. Nabi. “This isn’t the routine activities of shopping or walking the dog. The exercise that makes a difference with diabetes is aerobic – the kind that raises your heart rate to MHR (Maximum Heart Rate) allowable using the formula (220-age x 90%) and keeps it within aerobic workout range for a half hour. Daily aerobic exercise helps the patient better manage their blood sugar level, makes the insulin work better and decreases the risks associated with diabetes.”

Dr. Nabi has a word of advice to all adults, especially Baby Boomers, “Get your blood sugar checked on a regular basis and, most importantly, eat right and get the daily exercise needed to help prevent adult onset diabetes.”

Dr. Mushtaq A. Nabi can be reached at (727) 787-5151, weekdays. His office is located at 36503 U.S. Hwy. 19 N., Palm Harbor.