Bones are literally your support system and you should prioritize building bone mass if you want to live a healthy life. Minerals are incorporated into your bones during childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood making you reach your peak bone mass once you’re 30. Due to aging, the bones start losing their density making the person susceptible to osteoporosis, a disease that weakens the bone to the extent that they can break easily. To learn more about orthopedic issues, click here.
There are a few lucky people who have enough savings in their bone bank because of diet, genetics, or healthy habits during the teenage years. The natural depletion of bones doesn’t affect them too drastically. But, life can be very hard for others because of having brittle bones. From eating super-foods to adopting a very active lifestyle, let us tell you the most important steps which should be taken to attain healthy bones.
Be Aware of Your Family History
As is the case with a lot of other medical conditions, family history depicts bone health as well. Those who have someone in their close blood relatives suffering from osteoporosis or any other bone disease are more likely to be affected by them.
If you have a family history, you must be more vigilant and careful about your bones because the aging effects are going to show themselves sooner than expected. Consult a reputed orthopedic doctor in Stockbridge GA or any other city for possible measures to control bone depreciation.
Increase Vegetables in Your Diet
The food you consume has a lot to do with your bone health and building a strong skeleton is your duty to stay fit during the later days of your life. Eating a lot of vegetables will not only impact your bone health but tends to bring a positive change in your overall lifestyle.
Vegetables are low in calories and rich in fiber, minerals, and vitamins. A study suggested that postmenopausal participants who ate 9 servings of vegetables experienced reduced calcium loss and bone turnover.
Let Vitamin D and K do their Magic
Learning about the foods which are rich in vitamin D, K, and other nutrients will help you make healthier food choices in your daily diet. Cheese and sauerkraut contain vitamin K-2 whereas a person can absorb Vitamin D through significant sun exposure.
Vitamin K-2 helps the minerals bind to the bones and reduces calcium loss significantly. Vitamin D helps the body in absorbing calcium, and its deficiency can lead to a higher risk of bone loss.
Boost Your Calcium Intake
Being the primary nutrient of bone health, it also helps in proper muscle function, hormone secretion, blood pressure, and nerve signaling. Dairy products like cheese, yogurt, milk and other foods including spinach and collard greens are good sources of calcium.
Calcium is not the only cure for bone loss. The truth is that it is more effective when calcium-rich foods are combined with other essential nutrients like Vitamin D. Studies on postmenopausal women have supported this claim that calcium alone is not enough.
Eat Foods Rich in Magnesium, Zinc, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Magnesium and zinc work just like calcium and help in improving bone density. The former helps in activating vitamin D so that it absorbs more calcium and the latter is an integral component of bones which prevents them from breaking down. For those looking to supplement their diet, exploring Magnesium Online can be a convenient way to ensure you’re meeting your daily requirements for optimal bone health.
Omega-3 fatty acids contribute towards retaining the density of the bones and can be consumed through diet or supplements. It is found in a wide variety of foods including nuts, seeds, salmon, and mackerel.
Maintain the Right Weight
Underweight people have a higher tendency to develop bone diseases like osteopenia and osteoporosis whereas excess body weight puts undue stress on the bones. Thus, having a healthy body weight is essential to having strong bones.
Never aim for a rapid weight loss because the reduced diet and increased work out can degenerate the bones. Cycling between gaining and losing weight is also very dangerous for your bone health as you may lose bone density along with weight and it never comes back.
Strength Training and Weightlifting
Both strength training and weightlifting play a pivotal role in promoting the growth of new bones and maintaining the existing bone structure. It results in increased bone size, improved bone mineral density, reduced inflammation, and protects against bone loss.
Living a sedentary lifestyle is considered a risk factor for Osteoporosis. You can resort to other exercises like walking, running, jumping rope, stair climbing to keep your bones strong. Improved strength and balance also helps in preventing falls in the elderly.
Quit Smoking
A lot of people associate smoking with only lung disease and breathing. However, it is a well-known cause of osteoporosis and tends to increase the risk of fractures by weakening the bones.
Numerous studies have proved that smoking can stop the body from absorbing calcium and leads to decreased bone mass. It is vital for a person not to smoke, especially during the teen and young adult years, if they want to retain their bone density.
Go Low on Caffeine
Caffeine does come with a few health benefits but unfortunately, none of them are for our bones. Too much caffeine hinders the body’s ability to absorb calcium in the bones. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should never let their intake surpass 300mg in a day.
A study suggested that two cups of coffee accelerated bone loss in subjects who had a low calcium intake. More than 18 ounces a day of coffee can cause it to negatively interact with vitamin D and bring down its benefits.
Avoid Too Much Drinking
There’s no need to quit entirely but you must go cool on the booze. Heavy alcohol consumption interferes with Vitamin D doing its job whereas moderate consumption (one drink per day for women and two for women) is just fine.
Chronic drinking leads to poor calcium absorption, reduced bone density, and development of osteoporosis in later stages of life. Women are more prone to the side-effects of drinking as compared to men.