Studies show that it’s best to build healthy bones in the teen years. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean you should give up hope if you didn’t do the work then. Since your bones have been known to thin and weaken over time, it’s never too late to cultivate lifelong habits that will keep your bones healthy. Here are 6 tips that can help to get you on the right track.
A diet that encourages healthy bones will have the nutrients that are necessary for strengthening them. Lean proteins such as eggs, lentils, white-meat poultry, lean beef, dairy, shrimp, and soy provide excellent sources of the building blocks that bones need to be strong. Furthermore, it’s essential to add calcium-rich foods to your diet.
To make sure that your body absorbs calcium well, consider adding a Vitamin D supplement to your daily routine as well.
Finally, Vitamin C helps to stimulate the formation of bones so your diet should include citrus fruits, broccoli, potatoes, Brussel sprouts, strawberries, and peppers.
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While you’re building your bones with a good diet, being physically active will help to keep your bones strong as well. Strength or resistance training has been shown to reduce bone loss when done consistently.
High-impact weight-bearing exercises are also helpful for building strong bones. A few examples of activities that fit that bill include running, climbing stairs, dancing, and sports like tennis or basketball.
If you haven’t been active, however, it’s best to consult with your doctor about any limitations you may have. It’s also a good idea to work with a physical trainer.
If you’re not careful, you can undo everything you’ve worked for with poor lifestyle habits. Research has shown that smoking cigarettes reduces blood flow to bones, interferes with the absorption of calcium, and slows the production of bones. The overall effect is that your bones will be weakened with every cigarette you smoke. Where alcohol is concerned, you’ll benefit from cutting down as well. Heavy consumption of alcohol interferes with the absorption of calcium and the level of certain hormones that are essential to maintaining healthy bones.
Your weight plays an important role in keeping your bones healthy. Whether you’re underweight or overweight, you run the risk of fracturing the bones in joints such as the wrists and ankles. That’s because being underweight strongly suggests that you’re not getting the nutrients needed to maintain healthy bones.
Being overweight, on the other hand, has been shown to increase your risk of fractures. The good news is that if you’re eating well and exercising regularly, you should be able to keep your ideal weight.
Even though you’re working on making a few changes to your lifestyle, there are a few factors that will always need your doctor’s input. One such area is scheduling regular bone density tests.
These tests are a sure way to know if your bones are as healthy as they’re supposed to be and your doctor may use the information to put you on the path to keeping your bones healthy.
If you suspect that your hormones are out of whack, talking to your doctor about hormone therapy can help your bone health too.
Hormones like estrogen are integral to bone production, density, and strength so you need to ensure that your hormone levels are at optimum levels.
Keeping your bones healthy can be simple if you make a few tweaks to your habits. Always remember to start slowly as studies show that you’re more likely to stick to these changes when you don’t rush things. If you have any doubts about what will work for you, make sure to consult with your doctor.
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