Maintain strong bones, even with age

It is normal for bones to become weaker as we age, but it has been discovered that weak and brittle bones are not necessarily part of our aging process as bones can rebuild themselves just like any other living tissue.

Science has established that bone mass peaks between the mid-20s and mid-30s, and it is possible to explore this strength in old age by making conscious efforts to keep bones strong even with age and throughout life .

You can protect your bone from brittleness by taking some vitamins and doing some physical exercises. Supplements can also help if taken in the right proportion; taking too much can be dangerous to health.

Here are some steps to maintain strong bones:

Regular Exercise: Getting physical and regular exercise helps because the body responds to regular exercise by adding more bones. Consequently, adults who exercise can prevent bone loss that usually begins in the 30s.

Some exercises that can help build bone include walking, running, dancing, climbing stairs and other weight-bearing activities, including jogging, which strengthens the bones in the legs and feet.

By doing these exercises for at least 30 minutes daily, the bone remains strong.

Having the required amount of calcium, especially from the age of 50, stops bone loss. From this age, the daily consumption of 1,200 milligrams of calcium is a criterion for maintaining strong bones. But for ages 9 to 18, the period when bones are building up for adulthood, daily calcium intake should be no less than 1,300 milligrams.

Calcium makes the bones hard and dense and when the calcium levels in the body are too low, it pulls calcium from the bones and too much calcium loss can lead to osteoporosis or bone disease; this increases the risk of falls and broken bones.

Foods that can provide calcium include low-fat yogurt, baked beans, firm tofu with calcium, and canned salmon with edible bones.

Another important material for strong bones is vitamin D, which goes hand in hand with calcium. Without vitamin D, the body cannot absorb calcium from food, and without vitamin D, the body is forced to raid the skeleton for nutrients. This weakens the bones and prevents the body from building new strong bones.

For adults, the normal vitamin D level is at least 20 ng/ml. Vitamin D can be obtained from a few minutes of sunlight per day, fish with fat, eggs, fortified cereals and cow’s milk, pork and fortified soy and oats

Avoid smoking; smoking is a known risk factor for osteoporosis because the nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco slow down the production of bone-forming cells and impede blood flow to the bones.

Avoid added sugars because the body does not need added sugars from soft drinks, cookies and other processed foods. Too much added sugar can harm your bone health by flushing out bone-boosting calcium and magnesium in the urine, displacing important nutrients from the diet, and preventing the intestines from absorbing enough calcium

Limit alcohol, too, because drinking too much can cause more falls and break bones more easily by interfering with bone-growth cells called osteoblasts.

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN STAND