How to Build Strong Healthy Bones
Building strong bones is critical in the prevention of one of the most common bone diseases known as osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is generally common in elderly people and is characterized by brittle bones. It is important to build strong bones at an early age in order to prevent this disease later in life. Studies show that the body begins building bone mass at a very rapid rate around the age of 10 and peaks around the age of 30. Because bones are over 90 percent calcium it is very important to sustain calcium intake at a young age and throughout adult life. Incorporating a healthy bone building routine will help in the maintenance and prevention of future damage.
Calcium is an essential mineral that is stored in your bones and prevents bone loss. It can be taken in supplement form or obtained through proper diet by eating foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese, broccoli, spinach, tofu, salmon, almonds, or brussel sprouts. The daily requirement of calcium is about 500mg for children 1-3 years of age, 800mg for children 4-8 years of age, and about 1300mg from 9 years of age and up. If calcium is taken in supplement form it is important to know that vitamin D must also be taken with it in order to transport the calcium to your bones. Vitamin D is naturally produced by the body by acquiring natural sunlight for as little as 15 minutes 3 times a week. Milk and eggs are also great sources of vitamin D or you may supplement 200 IU in pill form.
Calcium and bone loss can happen at any age. Light weight training or weight bearing exercises such as walking, jogging, biking, or even dancing can help with bone density. People that are inactive or sedentary are at higher risk for developing osteoporosis at an early age.
Getting proper sleep and eliminating stress is very important for building or maintaining good bone health. Studies show that lack of sleep and high stress increase a hormone called cortisol. When the body produces too much cortisol it inhibits the absorption of various minerals including calcium. You can reduce unwanted stress by engaging in relaxing activities and getting about 8 hours of quality sleep each night.
It is important to limit the amount of alcohol you consume because alcohol is very toxic to bone building cells. The constant consumption of alcohol can also flush important minerals out of the body because it acts as a diuretic. Limiting your intake to once or twice a week will help reduce the amount of damage to your bones.
Finally, if you are around the age of 45 or older it is important to get your bones checked properly by your physician. The most common way they can do this is by doing a bone density scan which is about a 5 minute x-ray. This test is beneficial for checking bone mass, bone density and the early or advanced signs of osteoporosis. Once you are aware of your bone health you can take the right steps through diet and exercise to help prevent or slow any future damage.
Tags: bone health, calcium intake, osteoporosis, proper sleep