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5 Daily Habits That Will Prevent Osteoporosis

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After age 30, a person's bones start to deteriorate. You can stop the progression, and even improve your bone density, by implementing these five daily habits in your life.

Osteoporosis is a condition that affects almost everyone in the world at some point in their life.

According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, over 200 million women suffer from osteoporosis around the world and over 2 million American men also have the disease. One in three women will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture at some point in their life. 30 percent of men over age 50 will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture. This bone loss is something that naturally happens over time. However, many men and women do not take steps to protect themselves against the dangerous condition.

Osteoporosis is a serious condition, as fractures in the elderly can lead to death. In fact, 20 percent of men with hip fractures die within 12 months. Luckily, there are five simple things you can do daily that will protect your bones and ensure you maintain the healthiest bones possible as you age.

Contributing Factors for Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a general loss of bone mass over time. As a person ages, the bones do not continue to build mass. In fact, after age 30, men and women continue to lose bone mass if they do not take steps to protect the health of their bones.

Hormonal changes are a large contributing factor for bone loss. This is why women have a higher chance of getting osteoporosis. Menopause and childbirth significantly deplete bone mass in women, making the bones brittle and less dense. Hormone changes in men can also lead to bone mass reductions. A diet lacking in essential bone nutrients and a lack of exercise will also result in faster bone loss for both men and women.

5 Steps to Maximize Bone Health

You can employ the 5 steps outlined below to maximize the health of your bones throughout your life. The earlier you start to protect your bones, the greater the reduction in osteoporosis risk.

Diet

There are certain foods that you can eat that will promote the health of your bones. The best nutrients that protect bone health are protein, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K, and magnesium. These ingredients help build bone tissue and prevent bone loss. Add the following foods to your diet rich in these ingredients:

Bone-Friendly Foods

Vitamin D Foods: Fatty fish, Grass-fed dairy products, Egg yolk

Vitamin K Foods: Leafy greens, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Onions, Okra, Asparagus, Green beans

Calcium Foods: Soy, Spinach, Beans, Kale, Fish, Dairy

Magnesium Foods: Leafy greens, nuts and seeds, Fish, Beans, Lentils, Brown rice

Protein Foods: Dairy, Poultry, Red meat, Fish, Beans, Lentils


Exercise

Exercise does not just benefit the muscles. It can also benefit your bone health. Exercise is one of the main ways to slow the progression of osteoporosis. According to Harvard Medical School, moderate exercise at least 3 days a week is necessary to protect bone health. Exercising for at least 90 minutes per week offers the best protection against bone degeneration. Following these exercise guidelines can increase your bone density by up to 8 percent a year, depending on your age.

Weight-bearing exercises are the most beneficial. Walking, running, weight training, bodyweight exercises, Pilates, and any other form of exercise with weight is extremely beneficial for the bones.

Most Beneficial Exercises
  • Walking
  • Weight training
  • Back strengthening exercises
  • Low-impact weight-bearing exercises
  • Balancing exercises

Supplements

Add the following supplements to your dietary routine daily to protect the health of your bones.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium. Many studies have looked at the benefits of vitamin D in bone health. In a review of several studies on vitamin D published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2005 concluded that supplementing with vitamin D reduced the risk of fractures in the elderly.

Calcium: Everyone knows that calcium is essential for bone health. Combining calcium with vitamin D and other essential nutrients is the best way to protect bone health. A 2004 study published in Kidney International indicated that supplementing with calcium and vitamin D could even improve bone health in renal transplant patients, who typically suffer from extreme bone density loss.

Vitamin K: You can’t forget the important vitamin K and its role in bone health. Vitamin K facilitates the formation of bone-building proteins. In postmenopausal women, low vitamin K levels can lead to a reduction in bone density. One 2003 study of women between the ages of 50 and 60 found that supplementing with vitamin K significantly reduced bone density loss.

Soy Extract: Isoflavones Soy is particularly beneficial for bone health. Soy contains estrogen, which is beneficial for preventing estrogen-related bone loss. A 2003 study from China showed that women who took soy isoflavones in addition to calcium and vitamin D had a significant maintenance effect on the health of postmenopausal women in addition to the benefits provided by calcium and vitamin D.

Magnesium: Magnesium is essential for the production of bone-building ingredients. Magnesium can contribute to better bone health. One study from the University of Tennessee in 2005 showed that adults with a higher intake of magnesium had better bone mineral density.

Boron: Boron is another mineral essential for bone health. The mixture of magnesium and boron can provide protection for the bones. In fact, boron deprivation can lead to bone loss. A study from 1990 conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture showed that a reduction in boron led to an increased risk for osteoporosis.

Avoid These Substances

Certain substances can steal health from your bones. If you want to protect your bone health, it is important to avoid these substances, particularly after the age of 50. Alcohol, tobacco, soda, and certain medications can all steal minerals from your bones.

Alcohol: Alcohol is bad for your bones because it inhibits your body from absorbing calcium. The more you drink the less calcium you can absorb. According to the National Institute of Health, women should consume no more than one drink per day and men should consume no more than two drinks per day.

Tobacco: Just like alcohol, tobacco steals calcium from your body. Smoking causes a huge reduction in bone mass and density, which leads to bone problems and an increased risk for fractures and osteoporosis. Quitting smoking will help prevent further loss, and you can have time to build up your store of bone-building minerals before you suffer from osteoporosis.

Soda: Can drinking soda hurt your bones? There is some disagreement in the medical field about how soda affects bone health, but according to Creighton University in Omaha, soda drinkers definitely have reduced bone density. Researchers theorize that although soda does not contain bone-stealing ingredients, soda drinkers may simply be taking in fewer nutrients because they are filling up with sugary liquid.

A study from Tufts University suggested that it is the high Phosphoric acid content in sodas that contributes to bone density loss. A high intake of phosphoric acid can lead to difficulties in absorbing calcium. In the study, women who drank caramel-colored sodas regularly had a 4 percent reduction in bone loss compared with women who drank clear sodas. Whatever the connection, it is clear that stopping the high intake of sodas can benefit your bone health.

Medications: Certain medications can interfere with the health of your bones. According to Web MD, certain medications can steal minerals from your bones, leading to bone density loss, and eventually, osteoporosis. Common medications that steal bone density include corticosteroids, heartburn medication, depression medication, anti-cancer drugs, gastroesophageal reflux disease medications, and diabetes medications.

If you have to take any of these medications, you should talk to your doctor about your options for taking bone-healing medications. You should also watch your diet and add additional natural supplements to your diet to ensure you maintain the healthiest bones possible.

Preserve Mental Health

 In a somewhat strange connection, your mental health can protect your bones. The happier you are, the better the condition of your bones. Depression raises cortisol levels in the body, which drain minerals from the bones. Depression and bone density loss are commonly linked, and healing depression can help improve overall health including maintaining healthy bone density.

How can you preserve your mental health? Therapy, exercise, getting outside, spending time with loved ones and pets, and actively de-stressing at the end of the day can all work toward promoting a healthy mood and outlook on life.

If you are depressed and taking antidepressants, talk to your doctor about adding additional supplements to protect your bone health, since antidepressants also deteriorate the bones.

5 Daily Habits to Protect Your Bones

Your bone health is extremely important. Bones naturally start to deteriorate after the age of 30, but adding daily exercise, bone-building supplements, eating bone-friendly foods, preserving your mental health, and avoiding bone-reducing substances can help you maintain the health of your bones well into your elder years. The sooner you start taking control of your bone health, the healthier you will be for the rest of your life. Don’t wait to protect your bones. Start today to prevent the devastating effects of osteoporosis.

Sources


 

http://health.mashangel.com/osteoporosis/how-to-prevent-osteoporosis/

http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/osteoporosis/lifestyle-changes.html

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