Do you have osteoporosis? Is osteopenia giving you a peek into a possibly crippling future?

If you’ve already experienced bone loss, don’t give up; it doesn’t have to be permanent. You can certainly work to stop it in its tracks; and you may be able to raise those T-scores back into an acceptable range through a combination of drugs, exercise, and diet.

With the New Year right on your doorstep, how about making a really important resolution, one that’ll make you both healthier and happier? Choose one (or more) of the suggestions below, and vow to work at keeping it. Next year at this time, you might very well be enjoying stronger bones.

1) Drugs: If you’ve got ’em, take ’em. Responsibly. Amazing how many of us are prescribed drugs to address bone loss, and then “forget” to take them. Or decide not to. Or take them the wrong way, or at the wrong time.

Osteoporosis drugs work; but only if they’re in your body, not on the counter. As they say in ice hockey, you can’t score the goal if you don’t take the shot.

2) Make calcium work for you. Sure, we all know calcium is critical to bone health. And we try to take our minimum 1500mg a day, right? (RIGHT?)

But are you taking calcium effectively – on the schedule and in the doses that’ll really make a difference? Find out by reading our post, Getting the Most From Your Daily Calcium.

3) Lift weights. Don’t tell me you’re too old – advanced age is NOT an excuse. Even if all you do is pick a 16-ounce can of soup off the counter and put it back 10 times in a row, you’re helping your bones.

Bones thrive on being challenged; lifting weights puts pressure on bones that they don’t receive from everyday activities, like walking, doing housework, even swimming. A challenging weight program (if you’re fit enough), or simply lifting light weights, is an all-around plus.

4) Do weight-bearing exercises. And what does that mean? Well, there’s weight-lifting (above); but there’s a whole range of other activities that’ll produce the same effect: challenging your bones enough to build them up. Read more in our post on weight-bearing exercises.

5) Vertical jumping. Before we get off the exercise treadmill, here’s something that’s simple, easy-to-remember, and can be done anywhere, anytime: 2 minutes of vertical jumping per day.

Remember jump rope? Same thing, without the rope. Just get both feet off the ground at the same time, and you’re vertical jumping.

If you’re fit and agile, try jumping high. If you’re less fit – and your doctor gives you the OK – jump as high as you comfortably can. (Vertical jumping is NOT useful when it results in a fracture!)

You don’t have to do the 2 minutes all in one stretch, either; just go for 10 seconds at a time, if that’s what you can handle. But that gentle jarring, while it may be tiring and a bit uncomfortable, is helping get those bones back in shape.