Strong bones in childhood lay a good foundation for a healthy life throughout. It is very simple to dismiss weak bones as an issue, which only afflicts elderly individuals.
The density of bones changes over time. In your late 20s, bones will reach their peak bone mass – meaning that they will no longer gain more density. This is why it is necessary to consider various ways to ensure you maintain and boost your bone density. Some of these ways include:
- Taking in Enough Minerals and Vitamins
Acquire enough vitamin D and calcium from the food you eat. While dairy products might be rich in calcium, a growing number of foodstuffs, like orange juice, are basically calcium-fortified.
Vegetables, grains, and fruits also offer important minerals, including magnesium and phosphorus.
- Exercising
Being too thin or heavy are some of the risk factors of getting osteoporosis. Apart from taking healthy food, exercising is important for osteoporosis treatment and prevention. Similar to muscles, bones become strong when they are active.
The best exercise to keep your bones active and strong include aerobics, muscle strengthening, dancing, and brisk walking. However, it is always important to check with a doctor before starting a new exercise program.
- Limit Your Coffee Intake
Taking too much coffee may decrease the amount of calcium content you absorb. Instead, you should take one or two cups of coffee in a day.
For breastfeeding and pregnant women, they should not take more than 300mg of caffeine in one day.
- Consider Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids can help to maintain your bone density. The acids are present in different kinds of foodstuffs, including seeds, nuts, mackerel, and salmon.
You can consume omega-3 fatty acids through supplements or your diet.
- Attend Physical Therapy
If the musculoskeletal pain crops in your body and you end up in a hospital, a doctor may give you different choices, including physical therapy, surgery, and drugs, like steroids or painkillers. Most orthopedists recommend physical therapy because it strengths the area bringing you discomfort and corrects imbalances, which might be contributing to your pain.
The therapy can also develop your resilience and reeducate your CNS (central nervous system) to be less sensitive when it comes to pain signals. Some medications can be necessary, though combining it with a physical therapy regime may further boost your healing.
- Always Review Medications
All the medications you take may have a negative impact on your bones. Although medications like corticosteroids are prescribed for different forms of arthritis, they weaken bones by reducing the total amount of calcium being absorbed in the intestines.
However, you can lower the risks by reducing your dose to decrease inflammation. If you only have a few joints infected, you may directly inject corticosteroids to relieve inflammation without damaging your bones.
In a Nutshell!
Disabling cracks of the hip and spine are usually as a result of osteoporosis. Therefore, keeping your bones healthy and strong in older age is important to protect your ability to walk.
Though it needs more than just an occasional glass of milk to achieve the goal. Ways like reviewing your medications, limiting coffee intake, and exercising will also count.