Taking Care of Your Body’s Bones
There are a number of things you can do to make sure your bones stay strong and healthy. These involve dietary considerations, exercise and lifestyle choices.
It is important to take good care of your bones. They need to be strong and healthy in order to perform a number of functions and to maintain your overall body health.
The skeleton provides protection and structural support for major organs such as the lungs, heart, brain and marrow. Your bones are attached to ligaments and muscle tendons, enabling you to move your limbs. Your skeleton is a mineral reservoir for magnesium, phosphorus and calcium and your body draws on these when it needs them. The bones also act as a shock absorber. They are light yet strong, made of a web-like structure. If this structure is weakened, bones can become brittle or thin. This leads to diseases such as osteoporosis.
There are a number of things you can do to make sure your bones stay strong. First of all, never underestimate the important of a healthy balanced diet, rich in vitamins and minerals.
Which Vitamins and Minerals Improve Bone Strength?
Calcium, magnesium and Vitamin D are known for being beneficial to bone health. It is better to take smaller amounts more often. Orange juice fortified with calcium is a great source, as are dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt. There are also some excellent calcium supplements available.
Magnesium is needed for the body to be able to absorb calcium. 250mg of magnesium a day is sufficient. Vitamin D is obtained from sitting in the sun for about half an hour each day and also from vitamin-fortified milk, fruit juice and in multivitamins. Vitamin D is used to maintain the body’s levels of calcium and phosphorus. Without enough Vitamin D, your bones might become soft, brittle, misshapen or thin.
Dairy foods, dark green leafy vegetables, oysters, salmon, sardines and broccoli are good sources of bone-friendly vitamins and minerals. Garlic and onions, which contain sulphur, are beneficial for bone health too. If you are uncertain whether you are getting sufficient minerals through your diet, it might be a good idea to take supplements to make sure. The younger you are when you start taking care of your bones, the higher your chance of avoiding osteoporosis (when your bones decrease in density and become much easier to fracture or break).
The Benefits of Exercise
Being physically active is important for maintaining and developing bone health and strength. In fact, exercise is great for many parts of the body and can make you feel good too. Walking and running, dancing and weight-lifting are especially advantageous for bone health. Swimming and yoga are good too. Physical exercise puts a small amount of stress on the bones and activity prompts the body to make them stronger.
What to Avoid
There are also various things to avoid, which are harmful to bone health. Smoking increases the amount of calcium excreted in urine, so your bones might not get enough. A high caffeine intake and diets very rich in animal protein have a similar effect.
Bone Density Loss in Women
Women can be especially vulnerable to osteoporosis because of fluctuating hormones in the menopause. Keeping an eye on your hormone levels and a possible course of hormone replacement therapy can help to prevent bone thinning. Your doctor will be able to advise you about this.
If you follow these steps, you have a far better chance of enjoying healthy bones for years to come. Strong bones mean that you can move freely without pain and enjoy your life to the fullest.
Stephanie Bogue operates the CalciumShop website. The site features a product called SolarCal, a natural supplement that uses marine grade coral calcium, Vitamin D and magnesium to help boost the body’s health.
| By Michael Rupkalvis Published: 10/23/2007 |
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