Bones are the foundation on which our bodies are built, they support us and enable us to move freely as well as protecting our organs (such as the brain and heart) from injury. They are also a store of phosphorous and calcium that can be released into the body when required. Because our bones are so important to our overall well-being it is vitally important that we keep them healthy.
There are many simple things we can do to keep our bone health and strong such as eating foods that contain calcium and vitamin D, getting regular exercise and getting the right amount of sleep. If we don’t keep our bones healthy it can result in them becoming weak and even fracturing. This can be painful, require surgery and lead to long-lasting health problems.
One of the most common problems with bones that people face, particularly as they get older, is osteoporosis. This is a condition in which bones become weakened and are more likely to break. The breaks often occur in the wrist, spine and hip and can lead to significant health problems in older people.
Our bones are actually living organs: each day the body replaces old bone with new bone structure. As people age their bodies lose more bone mass than they replace which leads them to become weaker. While it’s normal for our bones to lose mass as we age, it’s important to take steps to keep them as healthy as possible to avoid the negative effects of osteoporosis.
Following are some factors that can affect the health of your bones:
• Diet – ensure that you are getting plenty of calcium in your diet as well as vitamin D (this vitamin helps the body use calcium effectively).
• Exercise – remain physically active; if you don’t exercise or are inactive for long periods of time you can increase the risk of contracting osteoporosis.
• Maintain a Healthy Weight – being overly thin can increase your risk of osteoporosis.
• Smoking – aside from their overall negative effects on health, smoking reduced the uptake of calcium in your diet.
• Alcohol – drinking excessively is a risk factor for osteoporosis.
• Medicine Use – certain medicines can cause loss in bone structure as part of their side-effects. This includes medicines in the group called glucocorticoids which are prescribed to people suffering from asthma, arthritis and other diseases. You may need to take additional steps to help bone health if you need to take these medicines.