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The STARS who shared their notes case

From the Bond icon whose bones started crumbling when she was just 64 to the tennis ace with crippling migraines, how Good Health persuaded the A-list to open up — and so help others

By LUCY ELKINS CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

PERHAPS the most iconic Bond Girl of all time, Ursula andress spoke for the first time about her devastation to be diagnosed with osteoporosis in an interview with Good health in October 2008. The condition was first picked up when she was 64 in a routine health check in 2000, but as she admitted to Good health she didn’t take the diagnosis seriously until eight years later. she says:

I’VE always been sporty and done lots of exercise. I have never smoked, I’ve always eaten well, including dairy, and drink wine only with a meal. And while my mother had a hip replacement, she didn’t fracture a hip to my knowledge and she lived to be 96.

So I didn’t think someone like me — a former Bond girl who from 7am until late was go, go, go, who ate well and walks miles every day — would be diagnosed with osteoporosis. A scan at a routine health check at the age of 64 found bones in my hips were showing early signs of weakening.

True, I was post-menopausal, but otherwise I had none of the risk factors.

Foolishly I refused to take the diagnosis seriously. The doctor told me to take a daily pill to help stop my bones from getting any weaker and to take calcium to help keep the bones strong. But I am the world’s worst pill-taker and always have been.

With the osteoporosis pills I would think: ‘I will take it later’ — and days passed without me taking the medication. Within a few months I gave up altogether.

I thought I would be fine, especially as I had no pain and was still swimming and walking miles every day, which I thought would keep my bones strong. Besides, by drinking a bit more milk and eating a bit more cheese, I thought my bones would improve.

I was totally wrong. By not taking my medication I put myself at great risk.

Earlier this year, a doctor told me that unless I took my medicine, I would definitely fracture my hip within the next few years. Even a stumble would be enough for this to happen.

It was a total wake-up call for me. I don’t want to become a crippled old lady, bent double, who can only shuffle along. There would be no point for me. If I cannot be active, I would rather die. I cannot cope without full mobility. My life would be over. I have always been so healthy, and the idea that just going about my day-to-day life could put me at risk was a real shock.

Bones don’t heal themselves with a sticking plaster; this was serious. That scared me a lot.

I am passionate about life and the things I love — my garden at my home in Italy, tending to my animals and seeing my friends. It would have devastated me if I could not enjoy those things because my body had let me down.

I would also feel so

embarrassed if I had to become dependent on anyone to help me with day-to-day life.

It made me realise I had to take this condition seriously and start taking medication.

I refused to become a prisoner of my condition and I urge other woman to do the same.

Getting older brings a lot of strange surprises.

It affects your body in ways you don’t expect.

30 YEARS OF GOOD HEALTH

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2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

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