SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., ― Regional West encourages people to take charge of their bone health during Osteoporosis Awareness Month in May.

According to the Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF), approximately 10 million Americans have osteoporosis, a bone disease that weakens bones and makes them more likely to break. Another 44 million Americans have low bone density, placing them at increased risk. People with osteoporosis can break bones from minor falls, bumps, and even small actions such as coughing or sneezing.

Diet and exercise are key to preventing osteoporosis. BHOF recommends a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, in addition to weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises such as jogging, stair climbing, and weight lifting. Smoking and heavy drinking is also discouraged. Bone density tests, scans that measure the calcium and other bone minerals, can help determine if a patient has osteoporosis.

Talk to your primary healthcare provider to see if a bone density test is right for you. Visit https://www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org/patients/what-is-osteoporosis/ to learn more about osteoporosis risk factors.

Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff, Neb., is the parent company of Regional West Medical Center, a 188-bed regional referral center and the only Level II Trauma Center in Nebraska west of Kearney. As the region’s only tertiary referral medical center, Regional West offers care that spans more than 32 medical specialties provided by over 28 physician clinics. With nearly 300 in-network providers and approximately 2,000 staff members, Regional West provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming.