OSTEOPOROSIS
In Parade Magazine, March 19, 2000, Joan Tarshis’ article “Celebrities
Reveal Their Secrets,” has the following:
Debbie Reynolds, 67, actress-singer
"I was asked to be a spokesperson for osteoporosis but didn't quite
understand it. Then I took the bone density test and found that I do
have osteoporosis! I was shocked, having been a dancer, an athlete, a
swimmer my whole life. If the osteoporosis people hadn't come to me, I
probably would have broken a hip. So I tell women, ‘You must take this
test!’ It's so easy. You just lie on a table, they roll this thing over
the top of you, and in five minutes you're out of there – you don't even
take your clothes off. And if you test for it early enough, you need not
get osteoporosis in the first place. It absolutely can be prevented. I
have to be on extra calcium and medicine, because my osteoporosis cannot
be cured, though I do keep exercising to maintain my bone density."
I’m sharing this with all of you because I also have osteoporosis. I’m
87 and about 10 years ago, because of a back problem, I took the bone
density test. Low and behold, even though, for many years, I had an avid
exercise program and kept a high fiber and low fat diet, I had
osteoporosis.
I differ with Debbie Reynolds. After 10 years of proper medication my
doctor tells me that I have gone from having full-blown osteoporosis, to
now I’m a border line case.
My purpose in sharing this piece is to encourage those getting up in
years to have a bone density test.
