Bone Health: 5 Effective Ways To Keep Your Bones Healthy And Strong

EVERY PART of the body has a dynamic role to play in maintaining overall health and well-being. Bones play an important role in the body as they provide structure, protect organs, anchor muscles and store calcium. Our bones continuously change as new bones form consistently. Most people reach their peak bone mass around age 30. After that, bone remodelling continues, but you lose slightly more bone mass than you gain, as per Mayo Clinic.

Many people suffer from a condition known as Osteoporosis, in which the bones become weak and brittle, depending on how much bone mass you attain by the time you reach age 30 and how rapidly you lose it after that. The higher your peak bone mass, the more bone you have, and the less likely you are to develop osteoporosis as you age, states Mayo Clinic. There are several healthy ways in which you can promote stronger bones. Check our list below.

Ways To Keep Your Bones Healthy And Strong

1. Calcium-Rich Diet

According to the National Health Service, foods that are rich in calcium can benefit bone health in great ways. Consuming foods rich in calcium is important for the growth and maintenance of bones. It’s also an important nutrient for healthy cell function. Your body requires calcium to support muscle and nerve function, regulate blood pressure and hormone levels, as well as facilitate communication between cells, as per WebMD.

2. Exercise

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons states that as bones are living tissue, they change over time in response to the forces placed upon them. When you exercise regularly, your bone adapts by building more bone and becoming denser. This improvement in bone requires good nutrition, including adequate calcium and Vitamin D.

3. Say No To Substance Abuse

Consuming drugs can alter the bone's mineral density, causing osteopenia, and osteoporosis, and increasing the risk of fractures, osteonecrosis, and oral changes, as per the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Similarly, smoking causes an imbalance in the mechanisms of bone turnover, leading to lower bone mass and bone mineral density (BMD) making bone vulnerable to osteoporosis and fractures.

4. Physical Activities

One must practise weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, and climbing stairs, which can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss, according to Mayo Clinic. Engaging in physical activities regularly can reduce the rate of bone loss and conserve bone tissues, along with lowering the risks of fracture.

5. Vitamin D

Mayo Clinic states that our body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. For adults ages 19 to 70, the RDA of vitamin D is 600 international units (IUs) a day. The recommendation increases to 800 IUs a day for adults aged 71 and older. Healthy food sources of vitamin D include oily fish, such as salmon, trout, whitefish and tuna, eggs, milk and cereals.

(Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment.)