Bones are an important part of our body that store calcium, protect our organs, provide structure to our bodies and anchor the muscles. Building healthy and strong bones is quite important during childhood and youth but it is also necessary to protect our bones during adulthood also. If you were not aware, protecting bone health is an easy task by following a proper diet, by doing physical activity and adopting lifestyle changes:
-
Bike Rides for long distances
Riding a bike to work or bicycling for a couple of hours during the weekends, make our lungs and heart stronger. Same cannot be said in the case of bones as bike riding is not a weight-bearing physical activity. Hiking, walking and running are better for increasing the bone density. However, if you are an enthusiastic cyclist, you can add hiking, tennis, swimming and dancing to your routine.
-
Excess of Salt in diet
When we consume more of salt, it tries to get rid of calcium from the body. This in no way helps our bones. Food items like cheese, bread, cold cuts and chips have high amount of salt. Try to consume less than 2300 milligrams of sodium content in a day.
-
Staying indoors for long
Spending more time indoor is not going to help. Sunlight helps the body in making Vitamin D. Move out from your house a number of times in a week for around 10 to 15 minutes. However, do not overdo this as too much of sun opens you to the risk of skin cancer and other kinds of problems. Appling sunscreen, skin color, age and place of living also has an effect on making of Vitamin D.
As far as diet is concerned, add milk, juice, cereal, rice, almond, soy and other similar kinds of food items in your diet on a regular basis. Consult your doctor if Vitamin D supplement is needed.
-
Long hours in front of TV
There is no harm in watching TV but spending long endless hours on your sofa in front of your television, is not going to help at all. When this turns into a habit, it becomes a problem for your bones. To make the bones stronger, exercising is very important.
-
Excessive alcohol
When we are out partying with our friends, the idea of binge drinking sounds fun and exciting. However, to save your bones, it is quite important to limit our alcohol intake. It is recommended that men must stick to two drinks and women must stick one drink in a day. Alcohol can create problem in the way our body absorbs calcium.
-
Wheat Bran With Milk
Consumption of wheat bran is a healthy option. However if it is eaten with milk, the calcium absorbed by the body is less in amount. Bread with wheat bran is not a problem. But, if you like concentrated food and take calcium supplement also. Keep a gap of at least 2 hours between eating bran and your pill.
-
Over-consumption of certain drinks
Cola and soda drinks are quite harmful for our bones. According to some studies, phosphorous and caffeine in these drinks are linked to bone loss. When once drinks soda beverages, tea or coffee instead of milk and similar other drinks that give calcium, it is quote damaging for the bones.
-
If You have a fall
A fall during the childhood was never a problem but as one gets older, a fall can be dangerous, mostly in the case of weak bones. In old age, a fracture can take longer to heal. This can be the beginning of a problem for older adults. Opt for non-slip mats and grab bars. Clear all the clutter away to avoid a fall.
-
Cigarette Breaks
Healthy bone tissues cannot be formed easily when one is a regular smoker. This becomes all the more harmful with increasing years. People who smoke are at a higher risk of broken bones taking long time to heal. For your bone health, try to quit smoking.
-
Being Underweight
Those who have a BMI of 18.5 or less are at a higher risk of bone loss and fracture. Weight-bearing exercises and calcium supplement on doctor’s advice can be beneficial for those who are small-boned. Get yourself checked by an expert if you do not know why you are underweight as the reason can be eating disorder or a medical condition.
-
Your Prescriptions
Some medicines, especially if they are taken for a long time, can have an adverse effect on the bones. Some of such medications are anti-seizure drugs and glucocorticoids like cortisone, and prednisone. Anti-inflammatory drugs such as glucocorticoids might help in problems like asthma, lupus, Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Related posts:
The Common Causes of Severe Knee Pain
Causes of Fatigue and Sleepiness and How to Fight Them
Tips to Keep Your Joints Healthy
Tips to Get Rid of Lower Back Pain