12 Ways to Break-Proof Your Bones

Protect Your Bones for Life

If you've never broken a bone yourself, you certainly know someone who has—and most of them, we're going to bet, are women. "One out of every two women over the age of 50 will break a bone in their lifetime due to osteoporosis," says Ethel Siris, MD, director of the Toni Stabile Center for Osteoporosis at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. As if that's not bad enough, those casts can come with a long recovery time, a drained savings account, disability, and even premature death. Here's how to protect your bones to keep them strong and healthy for the long haul.