Teen habits can cost you dearly

Some habits in your teenage years can rob calcium from your bones or increase the need for it. This may up your chance of developing osteoporosis later in life.

Take action:
Don’t skip meals – by eliminating one occasion to eat, you will reduce your chance of getting your recommended daily dose of calcium; don't replace the milk in your diet with cool drinks or flavoured teas – you'll ingest less calcium in the process; don't abuse alcohol and don't smoke – alcohol abuse can cause loss of calcium in the urine, while cigarette smoke is toxic to the bones; exercise, but don't overdo it – extreme exercising can postpone or stop menstruation, when blood levels of bone-protective oestrogen are reduced.

Visit our Osteoporosis Centre for more info.