h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A few issues with your research. Beware telling people to drink lots of milk. The fat from whole milk is possibly more harmful than the Calcium is helpful. Skim milk, of course, is much the better choice (otherwise the great advice of staying height/weight appropriate becomes difficult to achieve).
Additionally, while meat is high in protein (and a diet of increased protein may increase Ca++ clearance) it is also a very good source of calcium.
A normal multivitamin (MVI), taken with a well balanced diet, will greatly reduce the risk of osteoporosis. A MVI specifically for women usually includes additional folic acid, B complex vitamins, iron and calcium.
Most imporatntly, if someone is a increased risk for osteoporosis (family history of the disease, especially with early onset, poorly controlled diet, early symtpoms, etc.) they should contact their physician. Women who begin to detect symptoms earlier in life may consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Often, in younger patients, the early HRTs are like 'the pill', ortho-tri-cyclin. This lessens the natural but sudden decrease in oestrogen that happens during menopause. There are plenty of risks of HRT (some argue increase incidence of breast cancers) and many benefits (decrease in symptoms of menopause, decrease risk of endometrial and ovarian cancers) so discuss with oyr doctor if you think you want to try it.

*by the way, i do NOT work for a pharmaceutical (sp?) agency, LOL*

I only mentioned milk once, and that is for the under 25s, who shouldn't have any problem keeping their weight down if they get plenty of exercise. You are right about skimmed milk though, I did read somewhere that it contains more calcium than full fat. I assume that is because glass for glass, the less fat there is in it, the more room for the goodness. I drink skimmed milk, although I only have it in coffee, so if doesn't do much good anyway. Having an intolerance for milk can be a pain when I am at risk of osteoporosis.

I'm 32, and have a family history of this disease. I've been told I can't be tested for it until I'm 35, and that until the menopause my hormones will protect me. Can I go on HRT at this age? And would it really help? I do take a calcium supplement. (I'm scared of ending up like my Grandmother.)

Well, HRT is for women who have or are going through menopause. Assuming that does not include you HRT is not indicated (there are dozens of ways that you could be semi-menopausal (oestrogen depressed), or going through early menopause, but the incidence is RARE (with the exception of surgical interventions)).
Best advice is much of what you gave: weight bearing exercise, plenty of Calium and Vit D (well balanced diet with a supplement for women should help), weight loss when/if appropriate.
There are lots of risk factors with oseoporosis, the greatest being family history and nutritional deficit. Your risks include your grandmother's disease. However, when your grandma was 20 years younger, she probably didn't have the option of HRT. Moreover, she probably didn't have much in the wayof nutritional/lifestyle counseling. Needless to say, weight-lifting was not popular among 50 year old women back when Grandma was 50. eh?
So, without freaking out about it (anxiety can cause just about every illness there is), you can control lots of the risks associated with osetoporosis. There basically is no cure, but you (and millions of men and women at risk) should concentrate on prevention.


By the way, there is a third kind of bone-cell: osteocytes. The three kinds of cells, it should be noted, live not in the marrow, but in the dense mineralized bone itself. In the marrow live lots of cell-types, but that's a different story.