Healthy bones are important to anyone who wants to maintain vitality throughout middle age and into late life. A disconcerting study has recently shown that hip fractures in individuals over 65 lead to complications which result in death for 20 percent of those injured. That's a bleak outlook, but hip fractures are practically guaranteed to individuals with reduced bone mass and density.

This finding has stirred the medical community, and brought scrutiny to the effects of exercise and nutrition on the health of the skeletal system. What studies have revealed has often been surprising, and no doubt disappointing on some levels. Hip fractures can be avoided, however with a few amendments to your wellness plan. While all forms of exercise are good, not all exercise has an equal impact on stimulating bone growth. Even exercises like swimming, cycling, and working out on resistance machines have failed to deliver the bone-strengthening results the medical community assumed they would. The messages between the bone tissue and the brain have to be such that the brain signals the generation of more bone tissue. Even running does not always guarantee this process.

Brisk walks, on the other hand, have yielded overwhelmingly favorable results. This is good news for patients, for a one-mile walk around the neighborhood each day can safeguard your health. The pace must be truly brisk; swinging your arms and taking long strides is crucial to both raising your heart rate and stimulating your bone tissue. If you are able to jump rope, this is one of the most beneficial exercises for bone health.

If you are already experiencing bone loss, do not begin an intensive jump rope program, as it could actually cause fractures. If you have healthy bones, the good news is, you don't have to go crazy jumping rope. Just a couple times a week for ten minutes can have a significant impact over six months. An added benefit is that jumping rope improves your balance, thereby making you even less susceptible to falls and fractures. Do note, however that too much of a good thing is far from a good thing. Rigorous endurance activity can sometimes result in decreased bone weight and density. This may be due to the body's response to the loss of calcium through excessive perspiration.

There is a suspicion that this mineral loss may trigger the body to compensate by leaching minerals from the bones, with the ultimate result being loss of bone density. Of course, diet is a crucial part of this equation. If you enjoy the benefits of intense exercise several times a week, make sure you replace the minerals your body loses with whole foods, and take a supplement as well. Dark, leafy greens, dairy products, soy foods, shellfish, and fatty fish, including sardines have high concentrations of calcium, vitamin D and phosphorous, essential nutrients for the growth of healthy bone tissue. Many grains and cereals are also enriched with these nutrients, and may be a good source for you.