Time seems to fly so fast that you would be in your 30s already. As time passes your body undergoes a lot of changes which you either ignore or you hide them behind a belief that you are hale and healthy. But when you sit down and spend some time for yourself, you might find problems or discomfort that your body is facing. One problem which most of the women and men are ignorant of is loss of bone density.
What is bone density?
The framework of our body is nothing but bones. Imagine your body without bones; you wouldn't be able to move, the organs would be left unprotected, the muscle will be suspending without having a place to stick on, minerals and fat won't have a place for storage, most of all the body would be shapeless. The density of your bone defines its strength.
Bone density is nothing but the amount of calcium and other minerals inside the bone. Higher the minerals stronger are your bones. Every day your bones break and a new one forms. This rebuilding slows down when you age. And here comes the low bone density problem.
Is low bone density...osteoporosis?
Low bone density is when your bone density is lower than the normal. Can we conclude it as osteoporosis? NO, when your bone density starts to recede you may have greater chances of getting osteoporosis. Women start to show bone density loss more than men which are half the women population have osteoporosis by the age of 60, by stats.
Osteoporosis is a condition where bone resorption slows down and new bone formation becomes null in severe conditions. Your bones become so feeble that it is more prone to fractures. One in five women will have hip fractures in their lifetime.
It cannot be said that osteoporosis is developed as we age. Medication used to treat asthma, arthritis, and breast cancer can also cause osteoporosis
Treatment
If you search for what is causing osteoporosis, it will be low calcium content in your diet. And other factors like smoking, not exercising contribute to bone loss.
Treatments for osteoporosis focuses on slowing down bone loss and rebuilding bones. It can be done either through medication and lifestyle changes.
You can reverse bone density loss...Dos and Don'ts
Exercising
If you have osteoporosis, low impact exercises like walking, dancing or aerobics can be carried out. And avoid activities like jumping, running, jogging as they produce stress on your weak bones.
If your bones are healthy enough then you can take up high impact weight-bearing exercises to make your bones stronger.
Food
Fruits and vegetables are great for bones. Your bones need vitamin C for repairing damage and rebuilding. Fruits and vegetables being a great source of vitamins will help you to increase bone density and improve minerals inside the bones.
Add fish, almonds, cereals, orange juice
A high intake of onions, broccoli, green and yellow vegetables help to reverse bone density loss.
Foods you should avoid- Carbonated drinks and soft drinks
- Excess of protein intake
- Caffeine
- Excess intake of added sugars
Calcium-rich diet
It is important to spread calcium intake throughout the day to maintain your bone health. Calcium being the main mineral in bone, it has to be included in your food to optimize bone strength and structure. Intake of 1000mg of calcium is necessary to seal the bone density.
Maintaining your weight...
Being underweight or obese both increases the risk of osteoporosis. If you are very thin your bones get weak and if obese, excess weight leaves stress on bones and you might increase the risk of fracture. So maintaining a stable weight is essential in conditions like osteoporosis.
Bone health is very important in all stages of life. By taking a nutritious diet and sufficient physical activities you can get healthy bones that are stronger and tougher.
