Bone health for women: how to prevent osteoporosis at home

Your bones are strongest in your late 20s. From around 35 everyone slowly loses bone, and women lose it faster in the first few years after menopause. Osteoporosis, where bones become weak and break easily, usually has no symptoms until a fracture. The good news is that weight-bearing exercise, strength training, calcium-rich food, sunlight and not smoking all help protect your bones, and you can do all of them at home.

What is osteoporosis?

The NHS describes osteoporosis as a condition that weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break. It develops slowly over several years and is often only found when a fall or sudden impact breaks a bone. The most common breaks are the wrist, hip and spine. Some older people develop a stooped posture when bones in the spine have broken.

The stage before is called osteopenia: a bone density scan shows lower bone density than average for your age, but not low enough to be osteoporosis. It doesn’t always lead to osteoporosis, and it is a good moment to act.

Why women are at higher risk

Oestrogen is essential for healthy bones. After the menopause oestrogen falls, which can lead to a rapid decrease in bone density. WHO also notes that loss of bone density at menopause is a significant contributor to osteoporosis and fractures. Our menopause guide and perimenopause guide explain the wider changes.

According to the NHS, your risk is higher if you have:

• an early menopause (before 45), or a hysterectomy with the ovaries removed before 45;
• had no periods for more than 6 months because of over-exercising or too much dieting;
• a parent who broke a hip, or a family history of osteoporosis;
• taken high-dose steroid tablets for a long time (often used for arthritis and asthma);
• a BMI of 19 or less, or have had an eating disorder;
• an overactive thyroid, rheumatoid arthritis, or malabsorption problems such as coeliac or Crohn’s disease;
• a habit of heavy drinking or smoking, or long periods of inactivity.

Exercise: the most powerful thing you can do

The NHS says weight-bearing exercise (where your feet and legs carry your weight) and resistance exercise (where muscles pull on bones) are particularly important for bone density. A 2023 systematic review in Osteoporosis International of 80 studies found that exercise improved bone density in the spine and hips of women after menopause.

• Weight-bearing: brisk walking, dancing, stair climbing, skipping and aerobics. Swimming and cycling are good for your heart but are not weight-bearing.
• Strength: chair squats, lunges, wall or counter push-ups, rows and presses with filled water bottles, on at least 2 days a week, working all the major muscle groups, as WHO and the NHS recommend.
• Balance: breaking a bone usually needs a fall. A Cochrane review of 108 trials in older adults found that exercise reduced the rate of falls by 23%, and balance and functional exercises by 24%. Try standing on one leg while holding a chair, heel-to-toe walking, and sit-to-stand from a chair.

Start where you are and build up slowly. Our strength training guide for women over 40 has eight safe home moves, and our dance workout counts as weight-bearing cardio. If you already have osteoporosis or have had a fracture, the NHS advises talking to your doctor before starting a new exercise programme, and to follow their advice on which moves are safe for you.

Food for strong bones, the Indian way

• Calcium: ICMR-NIN lists milk, curd, sesame seeds (til), ragi and green leafy vegetables such as amaranth (chaulai) as good sources, and notes that milk is the best source of calcium your body can absorb. Paneer, chhachh and tofu help too.
• Vitamin D: it helps your body absorb calcium, and ICMR-NIN notes that sunlight is essential for vitamin D. Spend some time in the sun most days, with your arms and face uncovered, and ask your doctor whether to test your vitamin D level.
• Protein: muscles protect bones and help prevent falls. See our protein guide for vegetarian women.
• Salt: ICMR-NIN notes that more sodium leads to greater calcium loss, which may reduce bone density, and advises no more than 5 g of salt a day. Pickles, papad and namkeen add up quickly.
• Don’t overdo protein powders: ICMR-NIN warns that large amounts of protein from supplements are linked to bone mineral loss; balanced home food is better.

A bone-friendly day might include curd with breakfast, ragi dosa or a til chikki in place of biscuits, methi or palak with lunch, a glass of milk or chhachh, and a short walk in the morning sun. Our Indian diet guide covers the rest of the plate.

Habits that protect your bones

• Don’t smoke, and keep alcohol low: the NHS says smoking is associated with a higher risk of osteoporosis.
• Avoid crash diets. Very low body weight and missed periods from dieting or over-exercising weaken bones.
• Make falls less likely: simple steps such as good lighting, no loose rugs or wires on the floor, and a non-slip mat in the bathroom.
• Keep moving every day. Long periods of inactivity are a risk factor too.

When to see a doctor

Ask your doctor whether you need a bone density (DEXA) scan or other tests if:

• you broke a bone after a minor fall or bump;
• you had an early menopause, or have any of the risk factors above;
• you are developing a stooped (bent-forward) posture or have long-term back pain.

The NHS explains that doctors can estimate your fracture risk with tools such as FRAX, and that a DEXA scan is short and painless. If you are diagnosed, there are bone-strengthening medicines; your doctor will advise.

How FunDa helps

In the Superwoman Club you do strength training with a chair, dupatta and water bottles, and dance cardio that keeps your feet carrying your weight, in live women-only classes at home, with nutrition built around your own kitchen. We coach fitness habits and don’t diagnose or treat medical conditions. Results vary from person to person.

Sources

1. NHS. Osteoporosis (reviewed 13 October 2022).
2. NHS. Osteoporosis: causes (reviewed 13 October 2022).
3. NHS. Osteoporosis: prevention (reviewed 13 October 2022).
4. Mohebbi R et al. Exercise training and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Osteoporos Int. 2023;34(7):1145-1178.
5. Sherrington C et al. Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;1:CD012424.
6. ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024).
7. World Health Organization. Menopause, fact sheet (16 October 2024).
8. Bull FC et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020.

How we write our guides: read our editorial and evidence policy.