As our bodies age, there's no doubt that we need different things than we used to. The human body is a complicated assembly of bones, muscles, and joints that can all function well into our golden years - as long as we know how to take care of them. But what works when you are young may not work as well as you become older. This is partially due to changes in the body, but more so due to the fact that you may not be as active as you once were and hence, are not in as good of shape to begin a rigorous plan.
Before you can begin to strengthen your bones and joints, you will want to talk to your doctor to see what they recommend. If you haven't been active in a long time, your doctor can assess where you might want to begin and what you might want to avoid, based on your current physical health. Though some people can simply spring right back into an exercise program, chances are good that you may end up doing more harm than good if you go that route.
The main concerns with bone and joint health when you're over 50 is that you do not lose the strength that you already have - even if it's not a lot. As your body ages, it naturally begins to lose tone and stability, which can lead to problems with strength and balance. To offset this loss, you need to begin an exercise and nutrition program that will help you slow the effects of aging. Your exercise plan should include some form of cardiovascular activity, like walking or swimming as well as a strength training program. The cardiovascular program will keep your heart and muscles conditioned, while the strength training will help you build up muscle strength to protect your joints.
But while many of is already know the value of exercise for your body, there is one aspect of exercise that often gets neglected - balance. Too often, people fall or injure themselves because their balance and their stability are not as great as they used to be. And even more often, you don't realize it until you've had a bad accident. To combat this, you need to start some sort of stability exercise program, like Yoga or T'ai Chi. Both of these activities will help you learn how to balance your body again, as well as provide you with a wider range of motion and flexibility. You might also want to invest in a balance board to help you practice at home.
Nutrition is another valuable part of your bone and joint health. It seems that many adults feel that if they didn't eat right when they were younger, there's no sense in eating right now. But this is a false assumption. By taking the time to eat more calcium and vitamin D, you can begin to strengthen your body from the inside out. In addition, supplements like calcium can help you fulfill your RDA of this mineral. You might also want to look into glucosamine chondrotin as a supplement as well - provided your doctor agrees that you can take it. Glucosamine has been show to help those with weaker bones and joints stay strong and active.
In some cases, you might need a prescription bone strengthener to help you create more bone density. When your bones are losing density, they have a greater chance of breaking and bending. But with a proper exercise program and dietary changes, you should be able to increase your chances of a long and active life.
