Women's Health     When it comes to discussing women's health, bone health is always a popular topic.    Moms across America make sure that their kids eat a balanced diet. A National Dairy Council survey found that more than nine out of 10 moms agreed that three servings of dairy foods a day decrease the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Yet, less than half of these moms said they themselves have the recommended servings of dairy foods a day. Since 8 million of the 10 million Americans suffering from osteoporosis are women, it is time for moms to start caring about their own diets. Osteoporosis is a disease that lowers bone mass and weakens bone tissue. The most common injuries from the disease include hip, spine and wrist fractures. Drinking and eating three servings of low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt or reduced-fat cheese each day can give your body the calcium and vitamins it needs for strong bones. Exercise can help build and maintain bone density. Weight-bearing exercises are considered the most beneficial. This type of exercise uses the body’s own weight or gravity as resistance. Some weight-bearing exercises that are recommended for strengthening bones are walking, climbing stairs, running, hiking, and weight lifting. While exercise and three daily servings of dairy prevent osteoporosis, patients also need to stop smoking and limit the amount of alcohol and caffeine they drink.   A patient’s gender, age and heredity are important elements in assessing his or her level of risk. If the patient is female and her mother had osteoporosis, the risk of a woman developing osteoporosis is high. The threat of osteoporosis in females increases 1.5 times every 10 years after the patient turns 30. Other uncontrollable characteristics that can increase the likelihood of this disease include being diabetic; of European or Asian descent; or a chronic use of steroids. Bone density screening is the best way to find out if you have osteoporosis. The most common test for osteoporosis is the DEXA Scan. The test measures the patient’s bone density as compared with that of normal bones for his or her age.