When people think about their health, they usually think about things like weight, heart health, and even mental health. However, it’s rare people think about their bone health! While taking care of your weight and other aspects of your general health can be great for your bones, knowing what to do and what not to do can ensure a long and pain-free life.
We should never underestimate the importance of strong bones. They help to keep the body strong and mobile, protect the organs, and store healthy calcium. Most people don’t realize that bones continue to change as we age, and the body works to build new bone while the old bone breaks down. Bone growth peaks when you turn 30 years old, and it’s much faster in younger people. So, what can you do to improve and preserve your own bone health?
Make Sure Your Diet Contains Enough Calcium
Adults should consume 700mg of calcium a day, so you must make sure you’re consuming enough of it if you want to keep your bones super strong and healthy. You should get enough from a balanced, healthy diet, so try to make sure you’re getting your vegetables and eating foods rich in calcium like cheese.
Get Advice From A Professional
It could be time to get advice from a professional or look into musculoskeletal services if you’re worried about your bone health. Take a look at a place like https://www.opaortho.com/ and you’ll get an idea of what an appointment could do for you.
Stay Active
Staying active will help you to prevent osteoporosis and improve muscle structure, which in turn will protect the bones. You should aim for 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, and do a mix of exercise types that you enjoy. Try not to sit down for too long either. If you’re sitting down for hours at a time, then it won’t matter if you go to the gym everyday - sitting for too long is still very bad for you!
Boost Your Vitamin D Intake
Vitamin D helps you to absorb calcium effectively, and we can get this from sunlight. However, most people don’t get enough sunlight as many of us work indoors! If you have a feeling that you don’t get enough vitamin D, it could be time to boost your intake with a supplement. In turn, you’ll strengthen your bone health, and you might even find that it has a profound effect on your mood.
Avoid Smoking and Alcohol Consumption
Smoking and excess alcohol consumption is not going to do your bone health (or any aspect of your health) any favours. As few as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men amplifies your risk of osteoporosis. Smoking cigarettes also decreases the blood supply to the bones. Avoiding both will help you to stay healthier and happier.
Caring more about your bone health may not have been on your agenda before, but it’s definitely something you should look into if you want to live a long, happy life.
