It's never too early to improve your bone health

Adopt healthy lifestyle practices now to offset osteoporosis and bone breakage.

One common way in which many of us try to maintain a healthy lifestyle is to adopt certain practices that will lower our risk of cancer and heart disease. However, few of us stop to think about keeping our bones healthy. Osteoporosis and broken bones are not natural aspects of the aging process. You are never too young or old to start thinking about improving your bone health. The habits that you adopt now can greatly improve your bone density for the rest of your life. Michigan State University Extension offers some simple suggestions for how you can get on the road to healthier bones:

  • Eat a well-balanced diet: Talk to your health care provider about the amount of Calcium and Vitamnin D they recommend.
  • Exercise: 30-60 minutes a day is suggested.
  • Avoid Smoking: This can speed up the rate of bone density loss.
  • Avoid or Limit Alcohol: Men and women should have no more than two alcoholic drinks under three ounces per day. Yes, men can get osteoporosis too!

Low bone density, known as the onset of osteoporosis, is when the strength of your bones is lower than they should be according to your weight, height and strength. Therefore, those who have low bone density are more likely to break bones. Your bones are made up of living tissues that are boken down and replaced by the body.  When your body doesn’t replace these worn-down bones, osteoporosis can occur. Bone fractures are most common in the spine or hip. People living with advanced osteoporosis can break a bone by simply coughing or sneezing. Those who are older tend to have a higher chance of loosing bone density due to lack of excerise and a healthy diet. Your healthcare provider should conduct a “bone density” test every year once you turn 50 or if you are easily susceptible to bone breakage. Your health care provider may recommend an osteoporosis medication, along with practicing a healthy lifestyle.

 You can find more information about bone desity and osteoporosis at National Osteoporosis Foundation and  The Mayo Cllinic.

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