Most of us don't ever think about bone health until later in life when bone loss becomes an issue. However, our whole life consists of a process of bone loss and renewal. It is only when the renewal process slows that we begin to worry. Although it is never too late to adopt healthy habits for strong bones, cultivating a bone-healthy lifestyle is easier and more effective in early life.
Diet is extremely important to your skeletal well-being, specifically a diet high in vitamin D and calcium. Calcium is responsible for creating bone strength and density. In early life, a calcium rich diet will aid your body's natural process of bone growth, and ensure that your skeleton achieves maximum bone density. This early dietary habit goes a long way toward preventing osteoporosis in later life. By the age of 25, our bones reach their maximum density, yet calcium remains an important dietary need. When you body is deprived of calcium, it "borrows" the mineral from the bones, which over time will result in thinner, weaker bones, and ultimately osteoporosis. Vitamin D is important, as it assists your body's absorption and utilization of calcium. Vitamin D is manufactured by the body as a result of regular sun exposure, but is also found in a few everyday foods. While many dairy products, dairy substitutes, and cereals are fortified with vitamin D, the vitamin occurs naturally in eggs and some fatty fish.
Exercise is another important factor in bone health, particularly in children, as exercise is integral to the muscles, which support and protect the bones. Exercise helps your body with overall flexibility, strength, and balance. In adults and seniors, maintaining a healthy muscle mass can help with both avoiding falls, and avoiding injury in the case of a fall or an accident. Even simple exercise like walking or climbing stairs can contribute mightily to the maintenance of bone mass in adults. Weight lifting, and using resistance machines will allow your body to build healthy muscle mass; and stretching exercises like Yoga and Tai Chi will improve you balance and encourage better posture.
Taking steps to avoid injury is another step toward maintaining bone health. Wearing seatbelts in the car is an obvious measure, as is wearing protective gear like knee and elbow pads, and helmets when skateboarding, biking, or playing sports like football. In later life, safety around the house becomes important, and it's a good idea to eliminate the possibility of falls by installing rails in the bathroom, along with slip-proof surfaces wherever the floor might become wet.
Falls can be further avoided by using nightlights around the house, and making sure any rugs are kept from bunching up under foot traffic. Good, rubber-soled shoes are also helpful. And if you find yourself experiencing dizziness, light-headedness, or issues with balance, talk to your doctor and to your family. You might benefit from the use of a cane or a walker, or you might be experiencing an unwanted side effect of some medication.
