___ history of osteoporosis in your family
___ female, especially with irregular periods or who has stopped
        menstruating
___ thin or "small boned"
___ consume less than 3 servings of milk products daily
___ consume a low level of Vitamin D
___ exercise less than 3 times per week
___ regularly take any of the following medications: anticonvulsants,
        large doses of cortisone or prednisone.
___ Total.

If you have checked 4 or more risk factors, read on to learn about some positive actions you can take towards improving your calcium and Vitamin D levels and/or increasing your activity level.

Some food sources of calcium are better than others. See some foods containing Calcium. The amount of calcium that the body absorbs is determined by its source. The calcium in milk and milk products is relatively easy for our body to absorb compared to other food sources.

I wonder how much calcium I get in a day? Visit the easy to use Calcium Calculator to find out.

Vitamin D is very important to help the bones absorb calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D is formed when the sun shines on our skin. Fluid milk contains Vitamin D.

What else can I do to be sure that I continue to have strong, healthy bones?

Reduce your coffee and other caffeine drinks to 4 or less per day, and - most importantly - exercise more. Some of the best exercises are walking, running, jumping and lifting weights.

Visit our Bones page of activity ideas.

For more information on osteoporosis, visit the website of the Osteoporosis Society of Canada. For some fun bone activities go to our Fun with Calci Cow page!