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It's never too late to make things right :)
Weak and brittle bones don’t have to be a part of aging. Your bones are living tissue that repairs itself. Here’s how to keep your bones strong at any age.
Calcium
If you’re like most Americans, you probably don’t get enough of this mineral to keep your bones healthy. Calcium makes your bones strong and dense. If your calcium levels are too low, your body takes it from your bones. Too much calcium loss can lead to osteoporosis, or brittle bone disease. This increases your chances of falling and breaking a bone.
Vitamin D
It works in tandem with calcium. Without vitamin D, you won’t be able to absorb calcium from foods. This forces your body to attack your skeleton for nutrients. This weakens your bones. It also prevents your body from building strong new bone.
How to Get It
Your skin produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. All you need is a few minutes of sun each day. The second way is from food. Good sources include:
• fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, or mackerel
• fortified milk from cows, almonds, soy, and oats
• eggs
• pork
• fortified cereals
Exercise
Exercising in adults can help prevent bone loss that begins in your 30s. Exercise builds muscle, which helps improve your balance and coordination. So you may be less likely to fall.
Best exercises for building bones
Weight-bearing activities. 30 minutes of any type of exercise every day
- Running
- Walking
- Dancing
- Climbing stairs
- Push-ups
Smoking is a bad habit
This is a known risk factor for osteoporosis. Nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco slow down the production of bone-building cells. They also interfere with blood flow to your bones. The result is brittle bones that break more easily. This can be a concern, especially in your spine, which doesn’t get much blood flow anyway.
Cut down on sugar
Your body doesn’t need added sugar. Too much added sugar can be detrimental to your bone health because it:
- causes your body to flush out bone-strengthening calcium and magnesium
- prevents your intestines from absorbing enough calcium
- displaces important nutrients from your diet
Limit your alcohol intake
It makes it easier for your bones to break down by interfering with bone-building cells called osteoblasts. Heavy drinking means 15 or more drinks a week for men and eight drinks for women.
