How to Maintain Strong Bones As You Age

How to Maintain Strong Bones As You Age

You may not know it, but we are constantly building bone mass until we blow out the candles on our 30th birthday. From that point onwards, we’re breaking down more bone than we’re rebuilding.

As a result, it becomes crucial for our bone health to factor activities and changes into our lives that combat bone loss rather than contributing to it. Here are a few things you can do to keep your bones healthy as you age.

Ensure You Get Plenty of Vitamins and Minerals

Talk to your doctor about the vitamins and minerals you should consume plenty of to assist with bone health. Calcium and Vitamin D can be the two standout options in this respect.

Women up to age 50 and men up to age 70 require around 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily. However, men over 70 and women over 50 typically need at least 1,200 milligrams. Both men and women may see the benefit of 600-800 IUs of Vitamin D daily.

Consume Plenty of Protein

Protein plays a crucial role in bone health, but not everyone is getting as much as they need. The best way to consume protein is through white meat poultry, lean beef, lentils, eggs, soy, products, dairy, and shrimp. If you’re unsure how to incorporate more protein into your diet, consult your doctor or a nutritionist.

Avoid Smoking

Even though it can be challenging to quit smoking, it’s one of the best decisions you can make for your overall health and your bone health.

Smoking can increase bone loss as it can affect your body’s ability to absorb calcium. Nicotine also slows down the production rate of bone-forming cells. Long-term smoking may lead to lower bone density and, overall, weaker bones.

Drink in Moderation

Having a drink or two on the weekend to wind down from the busy week is many people’s favourite pastime. However, if you want to build bone mass or prevent bone loss, put effort into drinking in moderation.

Some research shows that two drinks for men 65 or under and more than one drink for women or men over 65 can accelerate bone loss.

Exercise

Even though aches and pains can make you feel less comfortable with exercise and fitness as you age, it’s crucial for your bone health and overall health. Resistance exercise and weight-bearing exercise like walking may be able to help slow down bone loss.

Fortunately, there are plenty of low-impact exercise options out there, such as walking, Pilates, yoga, cycling, and swimming. Talk to your doctor about the best options for you.

Maintain a Healthy Bodyweight

The heavier you are, the higher your risk of arm and wrist fractures as you age. However, being underweight may also put you at an increased risk of bone loss and fractures. Keeping an eye on your weight may be how you benefit from good bone health and overall health.

There’s simply no way to get around our bone mass breaking down. It’s a natural part of aging when our bodies are no longer building more than we’re breaking down. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t do your best to keep that bone loss to a minimum. Any of these helpful tips above could be how you keep yourself fit and healthy.