Because it is hard to replace bone that is lost, prevention is key. Beginning a lifelong commitment to exercise and healthy nutrition while you are still young will reduce your risk of developing this condition later in life. Remember, you are never too young to think about preventing osteoporosis.

Exercise increases bone mass before menopause and helps to reduce bone loss after menopause. Bone strength increases with regular exercise--to help prevent bone loss weight-bearing exercise such as walking, low-impact aerobics, or tennis work best.

An adequate calcium intake is essential in the prevention of osteoporosis. Good sources of calcium include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, nuts, and seafood.

Most women get only about half of the calcium they need everyday so taking a calcium supplement is often advisable. The best form of calcium for preventing bone loss is calcium carbonate. If you choose to use supplements it's important that you understand that the body can only absorb up to 750 mg of calcium at one time, so you will need to divide your dose if the amount of calcium supplement you take exceeds that amount.

Vitamin D is necessary for the body to absorb calcium--milk that is fortified with Vitamin D is one of the best sources. Sunlight also is an excellent source of Vitamin D--being in the sun for just 15 minutes a day helps the body produce and activate Vitamin D.