Bone health is so important to your well being because they are literally the support system of your body. So it's important to keep them healthy and strong. Though weak bones may seem like an old person problem, there's plenty we can do early in life to make sure bones stay healthy later on.
Having strong and dense bones will determine the quality of your skeletal structure, which will directly determine the quality of your appearance, vitality and energy level. And the quality of your active lifestyle. It also allows you to have good posture and move around better.
Bones are living and glowing tissues and always in a state of renewal. So building and maintaining strong and healthy bones are most important.
What then is a strong and healthy bone?
A strong and healthy bone is having a good bone mass (the density of the bones as measured by the amount of calcium they contain).
What is Osteoporosis - This is when the amount of BONE MASS decreases very severely due to calcium deficiency, which causes the bones to become porous, thin, brittle and fragile.
When the blood is short of calcium it will withdraw calcium from the bones, thus reducing the density of calcium in the bones in the long run, causing osteoporosis.
Here are 3 important but simple steps you can take to enhance your bone health and prevent osteoporosis.
1. Eating the right choice of food.
To prevent calcium deficiency, eat daily foods and fruits that are rich in calcium - like green vegetables, kale, broccoli, spinach and cabbage, oranges, limes, lemons, blackberries, persimmons, prunes, papaya, guavas, strawberries, dates and kiwi.
For better absorption in the body, calcium must be accompanied by magnesium, phosphorus and vitamins A, C, D and E.
2. Exercise.
Exercise is vitally important for bone health. Evidence is already overwhelming. The skeleton needs to be under stress so it will get stronger. Weight bearing exercise is beneficial as it put stress on the bones and encourages them to grow and thicken. For weight lifting, making it a daily ritual and at your convenience, you can work out at home with just a few dumb-bells. Weight lifting exercise also strengthen your muscles as it is attached to the bones.
A few daily routines you can easily achieve, like climbing stairs instead of using the elevator (lift). Doing brisk walking while walking home. All these activities will stimulate bone formation and retain calcium in the bones that are bearing the load.
3. Choosing a more healthy lifestyle.
Try to live a more active lifestyle like playing games, jogging, cycling, brisk walking and aerobic exercises.
Stay away from smoking, because it lowers estrogen levels. Estrogen helps bones to hold calcium and other minerals that make them strong.
Control your drinking as alcohol decrease bone formation and increase bone breakdown.
Cut down on excessive processed and refined sugar intake as sugar raise the acidity of your blood, requiring your body to restore its acid/alkaline balance by breaking down bone tissue to flood the blood with calcium to neutralise the excess acid.
Lastly, try to avoid or control your caffeinated beverages intake, like sodas and soft drinks, coffee and tea. The acids which are present within caffeine are directly responsible for calcium loss.
