Everyone should take care of their bones as they get older. However, for women in particular, looking after your bones is essential due to the significantly higher risk of developing osteoporosis, a condition that weakens the bones, after the menopause. Taking steps to ensure that your bones stay strong whatever your age is an easy way to reduce this risk and lower your chances of nasty fractures in the future.
Calcium Is Key
As children we are often told that drinking milk makes bones grow stronger, and this advice is no less important for adults, who need at least 700mg per day to maintain healthy bones. Calcium is often added to other foods including bread, cereal and fruit juice, and regularly eating natural sources of calcium such as yoghurt, cheese, spinach and almonds can help ensure you reach this target.
Salt Hazard
Studies have shown that salt accelerates the body’s loss of calcium. While we all need salt to survive, most of us are consuming well over the recommended 6g daily limit. Paying attention to the salt content on food labels and avoiding adding salt to your food will help you to stick within these guidelines.
Watch Out For Protein
Protein is an important part of a balanced diet, but too much protein can cause acidity, draining the bones of calcium. To avoid this, try to eat a healthy diet that contains fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and carbohydrates.
Cigarettes and Alcohol
Too much alcohol can inhibit the body’s ability to absorb calcium, whilst tobacco has been proved to increase the risk of osteoporosis. Cutting down or eliminating cigarettes and alcohol is an important step to improve your bone health.
Catch Some Rays
Vitamin D allows the body to absorb the calcium required for strong bones. The easiest way to get sufficient Vitamin D is to spend 15 minutes in the sunshine two to three times a week, although other good sources include eggs, liver, oily fish and cereals.
Diet Danger
People with a BMI that is too low have a greater chance of developing osteoporosis, and although it is important to maintain a healthy weight, going on a crash diet or losing a lot of weight in a short period of time can put you at risk of osteoporosis in later life. Undertaking a sensible eating plan will ensure that you don’t damage your bones in the process of losing weight. People with a low body mass index and a small frame need to be particularly diligent about bone health, as they will have less bone mass to draw from as they age.
Stay Active
One of the best ways to strengthen your bones is to use them. Weight-bearing exercises such as walking, running and tennis are all good for this, although it is worth noting that cycling and swimming will not count towards the minimum five hours a week of this type of exercise recommended by the NHS for healthy bones.
Osteoperosis Insight
Approximately three million people in the UK currently suffer from osteoporosis, and it is thought to be responsible for over 300,000 ‘fragility fractures’ every year. The vast majority of these fractures occur amongst older people; however, many of us begin to lose bone density as early as age 35, so it’s vital to care for your bones at any age.
Women generally experience a rapid loss of bone density after the menopause, which is why women account for the majority of osteoporosis diagnoses. Nonetheless, a number of other factors including hormonal conditions, heavy drinking and smoking, a family history of osteoporosis and inflammatory conditions such as Crohn’s disease, can greatly increase the chances of developing the condition in both men and women.
Dr. Chris advises
If you are concerned about your bone health or your risk of osteoporosis, it’s important to speak to your GP, who may arrange for a bone density test. This test will allow your doctor to gage your rate of bone loss and decide whether you would benefit from bone strengthening medication. Many will not realise that they have osteoporosis until they are admitted to hospital with a broken or fractured bone and although this can be managed to some degree with bone strengthening medications, prevention through taking steps to improve bone health is the most effective treatment for those who know they are at risk.
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