Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones and is an important aspect of women’s health. While osteoporosis can occur in men, it is most commonly considered a women’s health issue because it is caused by a change in the hormone balance in the body. As women age the estrogen hormone balance in their body decreases. Estrogen is an important hormone for the bones, and as estrogen levels drop, women’s bones start losing strength. The clinical definition of osteoporosis is a loss of bone density. In other words, your bones become fragile, thin, and brittle. This does not hurt, but these weakened bones become susceptible to fractures and other damage. These injuries are what make osteoporosis an important women’s health concern. Bone density is established during your childhood. When you turn twenty-five, your bones are as dense as they will ever be. For the next ten years, your bones typically keep their density. However, at age thirty-five, no matter what your gender, you will start losing some bone density every year. This is a normal part of aging. During menopause some women lose between twenty-five and thirty percent of their bone density. This accelerated bone density loss is osteoporosis. X-rays can reveal osteoporosis, but not until it has progressed quite far. The best way to be screened for osteoporosis is through bone density testing. Bone density testing will determine if you are starting to lose too much bone mass before it is visible on an x-ray If you are losing too much bone density you will start osteoporosis treatment to stop the bone loss. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that all women who are sixty-five or older have a bone density test done on a regular basis. There is no perfect cure for osteoporosis, but there are many effective osteoporosis treatments. The goal of osteoporosis treatment is to help rebuild some of the bone that you have lost and to keep more loss from occurring. Osteoporosis treatment starts with lifestyle changes. Any poor lifestyle choices, such as smoking and excessive drinking, should stop. A woman with osteoporosis should focus on eating a balanced diet so that her bones have all of the nutrients they needs. Osteoporosis treatment also involves osteoporosis medications that are designed to stop bone loss. In addition, women with osteoporosis will take osteoporosis supplements and medications designed to increase the formation of new bones. Women who are diagnosed with osteoporosis need to use caution when exercising. Exercise is an important part of osteoporosis treatment, particularly because it increases the strength of the muscular system, but it is important for those with osteoporosis to avoid putting too much strain on their bones because they are so weak. Walking is a good option, provided there is no chance of falling. Swimming is another good exercise for those with osteoporosis. Again, precautions need to be in place to avoid falls.