Globalwits

Monday 23 August 2021

Healthy Bones: A fun-filled Life

Strong bones support your participation in social activities, such as dancing, and sports, including golf and tennis. Strong bones carry you through busy work days, no matter how exhausted your body may be. Without strong bones, children could not enjoy playing, running, jumping, climbing, tumbling and participating in all the fun-filled physical activities they love.


Calciumvitamin D and magnesium are key bone health nutrients that require special attention to ensure that you meet your daily requirement.

Bone health: A healthy diet promote overall health as well as keeps your bones healthy.

Bones support your body and allow you to move. They protect your brain, heart, and other organs from injury.

You must add plenty of vegetables to your diet, especially those rich in vitamin A and C. Vitamin C helps in collagen formation that increases bone mineralization.

“What we eat and the activities that we do throughout the years have an impact on bone health,”

But bone health is something we should pay attention to throughout life. Whether you’re 17 or 70, eating right, exercising and getting enough calcium and vitamin D can increase bone strength and minimize bone loss.

Facts about Bones

206
the number of bones in your body (We’re born with more than 300 bones but as we grow some of the bones grow together leaving us with 206.)

The ear
the location of the smallest bone in your body (Called the stirrup bone, it’s the size of half a grain of rice.)

12 weeks
the average amount of time it takes a broken bone to heal

More than 200 million
the number of people in the world affected by osteoporosis and low bone density.

Osteopenia (know called low bone density)
the condition where bone mineral density is low. This may not be an indication of bone loss.

12
the number of bones in your face

8
the number of bones in each wrist (also known as the carpals)

Fracture
what a broken bone is called

20
the age at which most young adults have approximately 98% of their skeletal mass

Coccyx
the medical term for your tailbone

50% water and 50% solid matter
the composition of your bones

The leg
the location of the largest bone in your body (It is called the thighbone or femur.)

What makes you grow

growth plates at the end of long bones in your arms and legs stay open, you grow.

Bone is living tissue

The collagen in bone constantly replenishes itself. So, about every 7 years, you have a new skeleton. 

What’s a funny bone, anyway?

It’s not even a bone. It’s your ulnar nerve, which runs inside your elbow. Hitting it triggers a surprisingly tingling, prickly pain.

Where you have the most bones

The 54 bones in your hand, fingers and wrists allow you to write, use a smartphone and play piano.

Bone health

Around 99% of the calcium in the human body is in the bones and teeth. Calcium is essential for the development, growth, and maintenance of bone.

Bone Density also called: Bone mass

Strong bones are important for your health. A bone mineral density (BMD) test is the best way to measure your bone health. It compares your bone density, or mass, to that of a healthy person who is the same age and sex as you are. It can show

Low bone mass that is not low enough to be osteoporosis is sometimes called osteopenia. Causes of low bone mass include family history, not developing good bone mass when you are young, and certain conditions or medicines. Not everyone who has low bone mass gets osteoporosis, but they are at higher risk for getting it.

If you have low bone mass, there are things you can do to help slow down bone loss. These include eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D and doing weight-bearing exercise such as walking, tennis, or dancing. In some cases, your doctor may prescribe medicines to prevent osteoporosis. Bone density changes over time. Throughout childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, the bones absorb nutrients and minerals, gaining strength.

Peak Bone Mass

Our maximum bone size and strength is called peak bone mass. Genes play a large role in how much peak bone we have. For example, the actual size and structure of a person's skeleton is determined by genetic factors.

Although peak bone mass is largely determined by our genes, there are lifestyle factors — such as diet and exercise — that can influence whether we reach our full bone mass potential.

The best time to build bone density is during years of rapid growth. Childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood are the times when we can significantly increase our peak bone mass through diet and exercise.

Bone Strength and Calcium

Your body needs calcium to keep your bones dense and strong. Low bone density can cause your bones to become brittle and fragile. These weak bones can break more easily, even without an obvious injury.

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Eat foods that provide the right amounts of calcium, vitamin D, and protein. This kind of diet will give your body the building blocks it needs to make and maintain strong bones.

In addition to getting enough calcium and vitamin D, you can reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis by exercising regularly and avoid smoking and excessive alcohol use.

Healthy Bones always

Bone health is important at every age and stage of life. The skeleton is our body's storage bank for calcium — a mineral that is necessary for our bodies to function. Calcium is especially important as a building block for bone.

We must get calcium from the foods we eat. If we do not have enough calcium in our diets to keep our bodies functioning, calcium is removed from where it is stored in our bones. Over time, this causes our bones to grow weaker.

Loss of bone strength can lead to osteoporosis — a disorder in which bones become very fragile and more likely to break. Older adults with osteoporosis are most vulnerable to breaks in the wrist, hip, and spine. These fractures can seriously limit mobility and independence.

Fortunately, there are many things we can do at every age to keep our bones strong and healthy.

No matter your age, adequate calcium intake and exercise can limit bone loss and increase bone and muscle strength.

Consuming calcium throughout the day

Calcium is the primary nutrient for bone health. As the bones break down and grow each day, it is essential that people get enough calcium in their diets.

Calcium requirements

The recommended upper limit for calcium is 2,500 mg a day for adults 19 to 50. For those 51 and older, the limit is 2,000 mg a day. The best way to absorb calcium is to consume small amounts throughout the day, rather than eating one high-calcium meal per day.

It is best to get calcium through the diet, unless a doctor advises otherwise. Foods’s rich in calcium include:

  • milk.
  • cheese.
  • yogurt.
  • some leafy greens, such as kale.
  • beans.
  • sardines or small saltwater fish.

Role of calcium in the body

Calcium plays a role in:

  • strengthening bones and teeth 
  • regulating muscle functioning, such as contraction and relaxation
  • regulating heart functioning
  • blood clotting
  • transmission of nervous system messages
  • enzyme function.

Nutrients that contribute to good bone mass

A good diet is a big factor contributing to healthy bones. The following nutrients play important roles:

  • Calcium
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin K
  • Potassium
  • Magnesium

Calcium is the most well-known ingredient for strong bones. The nutrient is famously found in dairy, but also in leafy greens such as spinach, beans, fish with bones (sardines, canned salmon), oatmeal and many other foods. Calcium alone is not enough. Other nutrients are needed for calcium to be able to its job well. For starters, your body needs vitamin D to absorb it. Vitamin D is found in shrimp, fatty fish and eggs. Your body also produces vitamin D when you are exposed to the sun. Many people have too low levels of this vitamin (especially in the winter), so supplementing could be wise. The next ingredient needed to help calcium strengthen your bones is potassium. Potassium neutralizes acids that break down calcium. It’s in potatoes (don’t remove the skin), sweet potatoes, oranges, yogurt and bananas. Magnesium is necessary for both calcium and vitamin D to work efficiently. Good sources of magnesium are spinach, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes and artichokes. Two other vitamins which are good for your bone mass are vitamin K and C. Eat leafy greens, fruits and peppers and your body will be getting these essential nutrients.

 Lifestyle can affect bone strength

Some of the factors that can reduce calcium in your bones and lower your bone density (weaken your bones) include:

  • high-salt diet
  • more than six drinks per day of caffeine-containing drinks – for example, coffee, cola and energy drinks (and, to a lesser extent, tea)
  • excessive alcohol intake
  • very low body weight
  • very high intakes of fiber (more than 50 g per day, from wheat bran)
  • low levels of physical activity
  • low levels of vitamin D – people who are housebound or cover their bodies completely when they are outside are at increased risk
  • smoking. 

“Your bones and your skeleton are truly amazing,”. “How they grow, repair themselves and keep your entire body positioned as you move through your life makes it so important that you do your best to keep them healthy. Making sure you eat well and exercise as often as you can will help ensure they support you as long as you need them to,”.





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