One in three women will suffer from osteoporosis in their lifetimes. Certain lifestyle factors such as smoking, inadequate intake of Vitamin D amd calcium, excessive alcohol consumption can increase a woman’s risk of developing osteoporosis. Age, family history of osteoporosis, menopause and low body weight can also be risk factors.

Because osteoporosis left undiagnosed and untreated can be disabling and increase your risk of fracture, the International Osteoporosis Foundation invites women to take their interactive
IOF One Minute Osteoporosis Risk Test.

For more information about osteoporosis diagnosis and treatment, visit the International Osteoporosis Foundation’s website.

If someone tells you they are having a handful of prunes for dessert, you might think they’re having trouble with “irregularity”. But the truth is, although prunes are usually associated with their laxative effect and the elderly, prunes are highly nutritious.

Prunes are rich in Vitamin A and potassium. They are high in beta-carotene which is a powerful antioxidant. They are also rich in fiber, of course, and promote regularity while their insoluble fiber provides fuel for the healthy bacteria in the large intestine and so aid in maintaining a healthy colon.

Florida State University Professor Bahram H. Arjmandi believes that prunes may also reverse bone loss in post-menopausal women. He is conducting a clinical trial in which postmenopausal women will eat either 9 to 10 prunes or the same amount of dried apples daily. Previous studies showed that prunes restored bone loss in animal models and he intends to find out if prunes are beneficial in preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

And prunes are getting a makeover too. Because most people associate them with their laxative effect and the elderly, producers of prunes are officially changing the name of the fruit to “dried plums”.

FSU study: Can prunes reverse bone loss after menopause?

What’s In a Name: How California Prunes Became Dried Plums

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have found a connection between depression and loss of bone mass.

Loss of bone density in people suffering major depression had been documented but a direct link between the two conditions had never been established.

In the study, scientists induced a depression-like state in mice. The mice showed symptoms of depression such as a decrease in social interaction. After four weeks, the mice showed a dramatic bone mass loss including the hip bone and the vertebra.

The researchers found that depression caused secretion within the bone of noradrenaline, which has a detrimental effect on bone-building cells. Use of anti-depressants blocked the secretion of noradrenaline and thus halted bone mass loss.

Loss of bone mass is the leading cause of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women.

Read more about the study here.

Researchers at Tufts University say they have found a link between drinking 3 or more cola soft drinks per day and lower bone density in women.

The association between soft drinks and loss of bone density was not found in non-cola drinks, nor did it have any effect on men who drink cola.

Although the incidence of bone loss was lower for decaffeinated colas, the researchers don’t think caffeine is the entire reason for the results. In addition, the bone loss was recorded even amongst those women who report drinking milk.

Read the article at WebMD.