Strengthening your bones is not something that can happen overnight, it takes years for your body to build strong bones and even then, it is natural for them to lose their dexterity. All you can do is keep your body healthy to make sure it is prepared for any unexpected situations. For years, many older adults have been told to take vitamin D and calcium supplements to keep their bones strong and prevent falls. However, a new report from U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is changing that advice. This report suggests that for most older people, these supplements don't actually prevent falls or broken bones. This might be surprising news, we must understand why falls happen more often as we age, what vitamin D and calcium do in the body, and most importantly, what you can do to stay safe and prevent fractures.

What the Report Says

According to the report, vitamin D supplements don't seem to help prevent falls or broken bones for most people over 60. They also found that these supplements, especially with calcium, might increase the risk of kidney stones. This report doesn't mean people with weak bones (osteoporosis), low vitamin D, or who take vitamin D for other health reasons shouldn't take it. It just means that for most healthy older people, these supplements don't prevent falls and fractures.

Why Older People Fall and Break Bones More Easily

There are many reasons why older people are more prone to breaking their bones. Our bones are strongest when we're in our 20s and 30s, and they get weaker as we age so naturally, they can break easily. It can also be harder to move around as we get older, sometimes because of problems like arthritis this can affect how we walk and make us less steady.

There are also different issues like neuropathy, which is a nerve problem that can also make it harder to feel your feet and keep your balance. Eyesight is also a culprit as it can cause you to feel dizzy and fall. Some medicines can also make people feel unsteady, and older people often take more medicines than younger people. Low vitamin D itself can also increase the risk of falls, so keeping vitamin D levels up is still important.

Better Ways To Protect Your Bone Health

USPSTF recommends a few better ways to protect your bone health and prevent broken bones and falls.

Walk Regularly

Regular walks strengthen your muscles and bones, which helps you stay steady on your feet. It is as simple as practice makes perfect so the more you walk, the better it is. Walking also improves your balance, making you less likely to fall.

Do Strength Training

Strength training, like lifting weights or using resistance bands, makes your bones stronger and helps prevent fractures if you do fall. It is like a safety cushion, but you must be careful while doing so because it can lead to injuries if done too much.

Practice Balance

Activities like tai chi, Pilates, and yoga can improve your balance and coordination, making you more stable and less prone to falls. These can also help you improve your muscle flexibility and strength that in turn helps your body be stronger.

Check Your Medicines

If you have osteoporosis, talk to your doctor about medications that can help strengthen your bones and lower your risk of fractures. Many medications can also have unsavory side effects like weakened joints, losing muscle strength, etc.

Eat Enough Protein

A proper diet goes a long way when it comes to your entire body health. So to keep up with your body’s nutrition and muscle health, eat more protein along with a balanced meal that includes loads of fiber, healthy fats and carbs.

Get Your Eyes Checked

Having poor eyesight can be difficult, not only does it make life difficult without glasses, but it also increases the possibilities of getting into minor accidents like bumping into people and missing objects placed in front of us.

Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is also important because when you are not sleeping, you get disoriented and can ignore even obvious things like the last stair in the staircase. Make sure you get enough sleep to keep you fresh and focused.

Make Your Home Safe

There are many things that can cause you to have accidents, even in your home. To avoid such falls, make sure there are no lose ends like crooked floor panels, rugs that are sticking out or protruding furniture that can hurt your knees

The biological landmarks that occur in a woman’s life include many factors and menopause is one of them. Menopause is usually identified with changes in menstrual cycle, hormone levels, hot flashes and even emotional health. Nevertheless, this stage of a woman’s life is also characterized by some other things and needs to focus on woman’s cardiovascular system.

Heart problems have long been considered as the problem that concerns mostly men. Nevertheless, today it is known that cardiovascular diseases still kill more women than anything else and take the lives of almost one-third of all women in the world.

The Hormonal Shift That Changes Heart Risk

Until menopause, estrogen gives the cardiovascular system a number of advantages. It maintains the proper state of the blood vessels and assists in cholesterol regulation and proper vascular functioning. But when the woman gets into menopause, the drop of oestrogen level can cause various internal alterations. They include the increase of LDL cholesterol level, the decrease of HDL cholesterol level, elevated blood pressure, metabolic alterations and abdominal fat accumulation.

All those alterations will increase the chance of getting cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease, stroke and heart failure. According to the American Heart Association, the women become at greater risk for cardiovascular diseases after going through the process of menopause.

Also read: Is Controlling BP Enough After a Brain Bleed? Doctors Explain How to Prevent Another Stroke

Why Women Need Proactive Heart Health During Menopause

On the other hand, women may suffer from various symptoms that are associated with heart disease but differ from those in men. For instance, fatigue, breathlessness, nausea, lightheadedness, jaw pain, back pain or arm pain can sometimes go unnoticed and are misdiagnosed.

Therefore, awareness and medical consultation are vital. Health checkups, blood pressure and cholesterol monitoring, living healthy, eating healthy and individualized medical advice can greatly help in decreasing risks in the future.

Also read: Preeclampsia May End With Pregnancy. Your Heart Risk May Not

The Role of Comprehensive Women’s Healthcare

Treatment for menopause should not be restricted to treating symptoms; it should include care during the entire period of health transition.

Every woman's individual health requirements and guidance through various phases of life should be in accordance with her health needs.

Redefining Menopause: A Phase of Awareness, Not Fear

Menopause should never be seen as a deteriorating process but as a turning point where women can assess the state of their health and adopt preventative measures for their healthcare.

Ahead of World Heart Day, the issue of women’s heart health should go beyond just treating heart diseases and focus on preventive measures. It is not only about asking: “how do we treat heart disease in women?” It is also about asking: “how do we detect risk factors and help each woman protect her heart during one of the most critical periods in her life?” For when women understand what is going on in their body, they get the ability to make the right decisions about their health.

By Dr. Anupama Gangwal, Senior Consultant – Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cocoon Hospital, Jaipur

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), now renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), can begin during adolescence and affect metabolic health, fertility and mental health, AIIMS experts said.

Speaking at a press conference in Delhi, the experts discussed PCOS risk factors, diagnosis in teenagers and the role of lifestyle management.

Obesity and sedentary habits can increase risk, but irregular periods or polycystic-looking ovaries on ultrasound do not automatically mean PCOS. Menstrual irregularity and ovarian changes can be normal during adolescence, making accurate diagnosis important.

Irregular Periods: When Is It Abnormal?

Irregular periods are common in the first year after menstruation begins. Dr. Rajni Sharma, Professor, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, AIIMS, said: “It is normal and physiological.”

However, persistent irregularity should be evaluated.

“But if they are irregular even after one year, like their duration is coming in between, duration more than 45 days up to 3 years, or after menarche, after 3 years up to 35 days cycle, or less than 21 days cycle, or less than 8 times per year cycles, or their gap is more than 3 months, then we should think that they are irregular and they should be investigated,” she said.

Also read: Why Rebranding PCOS As PMOS Could Mark A New Era In Women’s Health

PCOS Diagnosis: Ultrasound May Mislead

Ultrasound is not routinely used to diagnose PCOS in adolescents because polycystic-looking ovaries can be normal during this stage, Dr. Rajni said.

Dr. Renu Sharma, Child Psychologist, Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS, said such findings can also cause unnecessary anxiety.

“Many times, many families come out of fear because there is a polycystic appearance in an ultrasound.”

Some girls may have PCOS-like features without meeting the diagnostic criteria and may instead be considered at risk.

“We call it at risk of PCOS. At this stage, it is best to focus on diet and lifestyle.”

What Raises PCOS Risk?

Family history, obesity, type 2 diabetes and lifestyle factors can increase PCOS risk, Dr. Rajni said.

“Especially if there is type 2 diabetes, obesity, all these things are there, or mother, or her aunt had PCOS, then the risk increases.”

Poor diet and physical inactivity can also contribute.

“They are not eating fiber, fruits, vegetables. And they are consuming more junk food. And, one is, sedentary activity,” she said.

However, PCOS can also occur in girls with normal weight. “Many normal girls can also have it. Normal weight girls.”

Facial Hair Can Affect Mental Health

Facial and body hair can affect self-image and self-esteem in adolescent girls with PCOS, Dr. Renu said.

“These young adolescent girls suffering from PCOS have very significant psychosocial issues," said the expert, adding that anxiety and depression are very common.

They also develop some eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia, she said, noting that the adolescent's "self-perception, or self-concept, starts becoming negative.”

What Can Parents Do?

Lifestyle management is an important part of managing PCOS risk and symptoms. Dr. Vandana recommended healthier food choices and regular physical activity.

“You can make a lot of things at home, with good healthy ingredients.”

“Second, in general, you should eat more salads. You should eat more colorful fruits and vegetables, so we talk about this.”

She also stressed the importance of avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, and stressed the need for "one hour of physical activity of moderate to vigorous level daily".

“This means that, while doing that activity, you are not able to talk normally. If you can talk normally, then it means that the activity is not of moderate to vigorous level.”

Most women who've had preeclampsia remember it as something that happened during pregnancy. The blood pressure spiked, doctors kept a close watch, the baby arrived, and everything went back to normal.

Case closed, or so it seems. But there's a quieter part of this story that doesn't get told nearly enough - what preeclampsia might mean for a woman's heart years down the line.

So, What Is Preeclampsia?

It's a condition that can happen after the 20th week of pregnancy, when blood pressure rises sharply and starts putting pressure on organs like the kidneys or liver. During preeclampsia, the lining of blood vessels - the endothelium - becomes inflamed and doesn't relax and dilate the way it normally should.

This is the same vessel dysfunction we see in the early stages of coronary artery disease, just decades ahead of schedule. Doctors usually catch it through routine checks - protein in the urine, sudden swelling, or blood pressure readings that don't sit right.

Once the baby is delivered, blood pressure almost always comes back down. That "return to normal," though, doesn't mean the story is over.

Also read: Vitamin D & Pregnancy: Could Vitamin D Deficiency Increase Risk Of Premature Birth?

A Pregnancy Complication with a Long Impact on Heart

Think of preeclampsia as an early stress test that the heart didn't quite pass. It is associated with increased risk of hypertension in future and also increase the risk of heart failure, stroke and cardiovascular diseases. And this isn’t a risk that shows up only in old age, in some cases, death happens within the first 10 years after pregnancy.

The risk of heart failure also increases by four-fold and the risk of coronary heart disease by two folds in patients with preeclampsia. The risk of ischemic heart disease and hypertension is elevated too. The risk increases further if preeclampsia occurred early in pregnancy, during multiple pregnancies, or alongside other factors like obesity or a family history of heart disease.

It highlights the importance of life law monitoring of cardiovascular rest factors in a woman who has history of preeclampsia.

Also read: PMOS Isn't Just About Periods Or Pregnancy: Why Women Need To Think Beyond Fertility

The Part of Care That Often Gets Skipped

Once the baby is here, attention naturally shifts entirely toward the newborn - and a new mother's own follow-ups tend to fall away quietly, usually right after that standard six-week check. That's the gap, we need to close in postpartum care. Women with a preeclampsia history should regularly monitor their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, and actually bring these numbers up during the consultation.

None of this means preeclampsia guarantees heart disease down the road. It just means the risk picture has shifted, and that's worth knowing. Staying active, eating well, keeping weight in check, and staying away from smoking helps reduce the risk.

More obstetricians and cardiologists are starting to treat preeclampsia as something to track for life, not just for nine months. That shift in thinking could end up protecting a lot of hearts long after the pregnancy itself is over.

By Dr Waseem Farooqui, Consultant, Interventional Cardiology, Cardiac Care, Medanta Hospitals, Noida