You hear it every summer, wear sunscreen and sunglasses and drink plenty of water. All of these are methods for protecting yourself in the summer heat. While all of these are summer necessities, one part of the body you won’t commonly hear about is your bones! It’s safe to say people are the most active during the summer, which means protecting your bones should be essential. Body parts like knees, ankles, wrists, and shoulders may experience some wear and tear while you’re out being active. Here you will get tips on how to properly protect your bones for your summer activity!
Doctors recommend that we get about 2500 mg of calcium a day. Our bodies do not naturally produce calcium so it’s important to get it from other sources. Here’s a list of ways to get the calcium you need.
To absorb calcium, your body also needs vitamin D. A few foods naturally contain small amounts of vitamin D, like canned salmon with bones and egg yolks.
You can also get vitamin D from sun exposure. Doctors recommend that you get 600 international units (15 micrograms) a day for most adults.
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Drinking heavily is a health risk for multiple reasons, including the effects on bones.
Some research shows that heavy alcohol use, especially during adolescence and young adult years, can dramatically affect bone health and increase the risk of bone health complications later in life.
Too much alcohol can prevent your body from properly absorbing calcium putting you at higher risk for bone injury.
Since it will be nice out, chances are you will want to go for long walks, hikes, bike rides, and more.
If you are overweight, being extremely active is bad for your lower joints. Your knees, and ankles will suffer especially if you are battling forms of arthritis.
Losing weight will do wonders for you this summer when trying to be active! You can start light with exercises like biking and swimming that will lower the intensity on your joints.
Also, pay attention to the foods you are eating like carbs and different meats as those tend to make the body heavier.
Building muscle around your joints will help protect them from potential wear and tear.
Exercises like squats, deadlifts, calf raise, and leg press can strengthen your lower joints.
When considering working out to protect bones, make sure you are not overworking yourself putting your body at risk for injury.
RELATED: Top 5 Foods That Are Destroying Your Bones
Although losing weight is essential to protecting joints, it’s also important to make sure you’re getting enough calories. Dropping calories too low is a bad idea in general, but especially for your joints.
Not eating enough can slow down your metabolism and cause muscle loss creating a bad bodily environment for your bones. Doctors recommend that you go no lower than 1000 calories a day when dieting.
If you want to build and maintain strong bones, a well-balanced diet that entails at least 1200 calories a day is essential. Include plenty of protein vitamins and minerals to support bone health!
If you’re suffering from any form of arthritis or just low bone density, the summer activities don’t have to halt. Just make sure you are strength training and eating the right foods.
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