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Osteoporosis is an almost entirely preventable disease which afflicts many older people in Western Society. According to Osteoporosis Australia, 1 in 2 women and 1 in 3 men over 60 years will have an osteoporotic fracture in Australia.
Once you've had one non-traumatic fracture (a break without any trauma or cause through injury), you are highly likely to have another. It can be a miserable disease because you have to be extremely careful not to fall, twist suddenly and the fractures are painful and take a long time to heal. They can also reopen later.
The Saraband Health Osteoporosis Prevention Program is aimed at anyone from their mid-thirties onwards. Starting young is great.
1. A thorough case history will be taken to ascertain risk factors, family history, lifestyle factors and more.
2. Your doctor will need to refer you for a bone density scan. For older people this may be bulk billed, but younger people will have to pay, as it is not covered by Medicare. Some doctors may question someone under 40 choosing to have a bone density scan, but you have a right to a test that you will pay for.
3. A first bone density scan gives you a benchmark for your age. Retesting can take place 2-5 years later to see if you are maintaining your bone density or if deterioration is progressing faster than normal.
4. HTMA (hair mineral tissue analysis) testing is highly recommended. This can also indicate if osteoporosis is likely, and allows for any necessary supplementation to be well targeted.
5. The very BEST prevention factor for osteoporosis is weight bearing exercise, coupled with an excellent diet and positive outlook.
Cost of the program: $300 (plus the cost of the bone density and/or doctor's consultation)
This includes the initial long first consultation, plus two one hour consults, and the cost of the HTMA test.
Duration: 4-6 weeks.
6 monthly followups are recommended to stay on target with diet and lifestyle.
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