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BETTER TO THE BONE

Good bone health is an essential aspect of good overall health and general wellbeing. And proper nutrition and the right exercise regimen are the keys to keeping your skeleton strong.

With more than 3 million U.S. cases of osteoporosis (a disease that leads to weakened bones) every year, the practices of both exercise and nutrition for your bone health are crucial.

While treatment for this condition can help, osteoporosis is not curable and can last for years or be lifelong – mainly affecting people ages 60 years old and older, although it is common in adults aged 41 to 60.

BY KYM KLASS

OSTEOPOROSIS IS COMMON IN ADULTS AGED 41 TO 60

BEGIN NOW

Osteoporosis prevention should begin in childhood, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. But it shouldn’t stop there. Whatever your age, the habits you adopt now can affect your bone health for the rest of your life.

Now is the time to take action: Get enough calcium and Vitamin D, exercise regularly, eat fruits and vegetables, avoid smoking and limit alcohol intake.

It is important to maintain bone health because fragile bones, especially our hip bones, can lead to fractures, said Michele Olson, PhD, a senior clinical professor of sport science and physical education at Huntington College.

The statistics on the outcome of a fractured hip are “mind-bending and deserve more attention,” she said.

The mortality rate is about 20 percent for those who have experienced hip fractures. The near-bed-ridden recovery on those who are older weakens the heart and other vital organs to a substantial degree.

OSTEOPOROSIS ORIENTATION

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both. As a result, bones become weak and may break from a fall or, in serious cases, from sneezing or minor bumps.

– National Osteoporosis Foundation

SYMPTOMS:

There typically are none in the early stages of bone loss. But as they’re weakened by osteoporosis signs can include back pain caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra; loss of height over time; a stooped posture; and a bone that breaks much more easily than expected.

– Mayo Clinic

RISK FACTORS:

Heavy alcohol use and a sedentary lifestyle can both up your chances of developing osteoporosis, but many risk factors are out of your control, including your sex, age, race, family history, and body frame size. Osteoporosis is more common in women of European and Asian ancestry with small frames.

– Mayo Clinic

BEST BETS FOR BONE HEALTH

Exercise, Olson said, is very effective for helping us maintain dense bones. Low-impact walking provides enough vertical force to help us maintain the density of our spinal bones as does higher impact activity such as easy jogging and trail walking, Olson said.

“To maintain good hip density, we need a bit extra such as climbing stairs, hiking up small hills, doing step aerobics or using a revolving step machine where your feet and legs lift up and down as you tackle each step,” she said.

Keeping a strong core – your glutes, thighs, abdominal and shoulder muscles – is also important and can be done through chair squats, planks, wall push-ups, and water activities, Olson said.

“These areas of the body have large muscles that stimulate the bone to maintain its density by squeezing on the bones and moving those key bones that must have good density,” she said. “The muscles you use for squatting and doing planks also help us to maintain our balance so that we don’t fall and break a hip.”

Other than quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake and including exercise—and perhaps medication from your doctor— another way to treat osteoporosis is maintaining good nutrition.

“The research is quite clear that getting the proper nutrition for our bones should come from food sources such as dairy,” Olson said. “Dairy foods also have Vitamin D, which helps our bones absorb calcium. Taking supplements have produced disappointing results. Yet, getting these nutrients from natural food sources works well.”

BENEFITS OF STRONG BONES

“Our bones provide the support our bodies need to move, from standing, walking, engaging in physical activity as well as sitting and getting up and down,” Olson said. “If you think about it, bones protect our brain. This is what our skull does. The bony ribs protect our heart, stomach, kidneys and other internal organs from injury since our ribs and spine surround and encase these vital organs.”

Bones are also warehouses for calcium: If we get low on calcium in our blood, our heart muscles may not contract properly – so healthy bones can provide that calcium until people get to their next cup of yogurt or glass of milk.