Osteopenia is a condition that means your bones are weak and you are getting close to osteoporosis. Once you have osteoporosis you're more likely to break a bone. Since there are no symptoms, you might not know your bones are getting weaker until you break a bone!

The good news is that osteopenia is preventable and treatable for almost everyone. No matter how old you are, it is never too late to start! Building strong bones during your youth is the best defense against getting osteopenia later. Building strong bones at a young age will lessen the effects of the natural bone loss that starts around age 30. If you are old or young, build your bone health using the following advice.

Calcium

The best way to prevent osteopenia is to get enough calcium along with the other proven co-factors such as magnesium, trace minerals, vitamins D3 and K2 in your diet. Osteopenia and osteoporosis are not always problems of insufficient calcium intake but rather of incorrect calcium utilization because we do not get sufficient amounts of these co-factors in our diet.

Vitamin D

It is also important to get enough vitamin D, which helps your body take in calcium. You can get vitamin D through sunlight and foods like milk. You need 10-15 minutes of sunlight to the hands, arms, and face, two to three times a week to get enough vitamin D. The amount of time depends on how sensitive your skin is to light, use of sunscreen, skin color, and pollution. Recent studies show you need much more vitamin D than was previously recommended.

Magnesium

Magnesium works closely with calcium to keep the calcium in your bones and out of your soft tissues. It has many other functions in your body including disease prevention. Eat a variety of whole grains, legumes, and vegetables (especially dark-green, leafy vegetables with chlorophyll) to increase dietary magnesium intake. A smart approach is to take magnesium along with your calcium supplement as the two minerals work together in several ways to maintain balance.

Vitamin K2

A dozen recent studies have shown vitamin K2 to be very beneficial to you bone health. Unlike some vitamins which can be synthesized in your body, you cannot make Vitamin K so it must be supplied by your food. Vitamin K cannot be stored in the body either, so it must come directly from your diet on a regular basis.

Exercise

Being active slows your bone loss, improves your muscle strength, helps your balance and prevents bone-damaging falls. Do weight-bearing physical activity, which is any activity in which your body works against gravity.

All of the above advice is a good start to a successful osteopenia treatment