4 things you can do today to improve bone strength
Dr Vincent is a world-renowned clinical nutritionist, food scientist and expert on antioxidants.
Bone health is an extremely important issue. While bones make up on average only 15 per cent of human body weight, they are the frame that supports our body. For people 60 and over, this is especially important because age-related bone loss is progressive and can lead to osteoporosis.
As we get older, our bones tend to lose their strength, structure and density. The good news is there are lots of things we can do to slow this process and avoid osteoporosis.
The issue of bone health has gained a lot of interest in recent years because we are all living longer but moving around less. The key to staying healthy is to keep moving.
There are several causes and conditions that can result in bone density loss and/or osteoporosis. This is why it is so important to discuss these issues with your health practitioners.
The main causes include:
- Inactivity
- Aging
- Hormonal imbalances
- Certain use medications or chemicals such as steroids
- Emotional stress
- Nutritional deficiencies including bone building compounds such as vitamin D and calcium.
It is never too late to give the much-needed attention to our bones, regardless of what age we are.
Here are four things you can do to support your bone health.
1. Reduce your risk of falling
This may sound simple, but it is a crucial thing. One out of five falls causes a serious injury and more than 95 per cent of hip fractures are caused by falling.
In older people, reducing risks of falling can be as easy as having your eyes checked. Having an annual eye check ensures that your eyeglasses are in line with your eye conditions.
Older people tend to spend more time at home enjoying their familiar surrounds. Making sure your home is a safe environment is critical.
Getting rid of things you could trip over, adding grab bars inside and outside your tub or shower and next to the toilet, putting stable railings on both sides of stairs and making sure your home has lots of light are among the things you can do to increase the safety of your home.
2. Staying active and exercise
Exercise is vital at every age for healthy bones. It is so beneficial that it helps to prevent and treat osteoporosis. Being living tissues, bones respond to exercise by becoming stronger and more diverse exercise allows us to maintain muscle strength, coordination and balance which in turn helps to reduce the risk of falling.
The best bone exercise is weight bearing or resistance training, basically exercises that force you to work against gravity. Examples include weight training, walking, hiking, tennis and even dancing!
Simple activities such as gardening, walking the dog and cleaning are also great ways to remain active and exercise our bones.
Remember it is important to always consult health or fitness professionals before starting a new exercise routine.
3. Healthy diet
Fresh food is the best source of our nutritional needs.
Dairy, raw cultured dairy (kefir and yogurt), green leafy vegetables, wild caught fish are rich in calcium, magnesium, vitamin K, phosphorus, omega 3 essential fatty acid – all of which are vital for bone health.
Having a healthy dose of sunshine also helps to boost the synthesis of vitamin D in our body, but always be cautious with excessive UV exposure.
Some of us may need or prefer to take supplements to fulfil these nutritional needs. As the scientist who discovered the world's first breakthrough to extract activated phenolics from produce using only water, I do recommend taking activated phenolics on a daily basis to help to support our general health and wellbeing.
On the contrary, excessive intake alcohol, sugar, caffeine and processed meat could be detrimental for our bone health.
4. Healthy mind
It goes without saying that a healthy mind helps to build a healthy body. We know that stress is one of the causes of bone density loss. Stress can cause hormonal imbalance, poor nutrients absorption and lack of physical activity. Stop worrying about the little things and focus on the important things.
Images: Getty