Women who are close to the menopause can make two simple lifestyle changes to protect their bones so they don’t need HRT or other drugs.
Low-key exercise – such as walking or swimming – can protect the health of bones before menopause begins, and eating a Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, can have a similar effect.
Even doing just two hours of physical activity a week is enough to improve the health of bones, and the improvements are measurable within eight weeks, say researchers from the King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia.
In a separate study, eating a Mediterranean diet for two years can also protect bones. Regularly eating fruits and vegetables, while also consuming plenty of olives and olive oil, can help protect bones against osteoporosis.
They key to the diet could be the olive oil, say researchers from the Dr Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona, Spain. A group of 127 participants regularly consumed one of three healthy diets: Mediterranean with nuts, Mediterranean with olive oil and a low-fat diet. Those on the Mediterranean/olive oil diet had the best bone health after two years.
(Source: both studies to be published in the October, 2012 edition of Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism).
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