Bone Health for Seniors

The National Osteoporosis Foundation  says that osteoporosis is not a normal part of the aging process. Given the statistics of bone health for seniors, you might think that is would be considered ‘normal’. Osteoporosis is found among 50% of senior women and among about 25% of senior men. What these figures really support, is the knowledge that osteoporosis is to some extent preventable.

 

It is never too late to improve your bone health. Bone health for seniors can be improved as we shall see. But in addition to that, we could all do with sharing awareness of bone health for seniors, to our friends and family. Making grandchildren aware of the importance of bone health is a good thing. Taking care of our bones should begin at a young age, with a goal to prevent osteoporosis.

 

Let’s learn a few ways to prevent osteoporosis taking hold.

 

4 Simple Pointers towards Bone Health

Minerals

You need to know how much calcium and Vitamin D you need a day. Not all types of calcium are equally absorbed. Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium, so they are usually taken together.

 

Exercise

Exercise regularly for your bone health. Bike riding is good for the heart but does little for bone health. Bones are made stronger by weight–bearing exercises. These are exercises where you, yourself move the weight of your whole body. In a roundabout way, muscle building exercises help your bones. Strong muscles make sure that weight is distributed evenly among parts of the body.

 

Bone-Wise Diet

Foods each have their benefits. However, a general focus towards fresh fruit and vegetables, especially greens that have dark green leaves, and away from salty foods will be a good move. Speak to a dietician for nutrition ideas. Additionally, many seniors are on medications. Medications can affect a person’s nutrition and can be affected by what you eat, so take care and speak with your doctor or pharmacist.

 

Smoking and Drinking

Smoking has been found to increase the risk of osteoporosis and negatively affect bone health. Alcohol is blamed for killing the cells that build bones (osteoblasts), increasing the parathyroid hormone that negatively affects bones. This results in poor bone formation quality and breakdown of existing bone.

 

The Bone Story

Our bones are constantly being built and being replaced. It makes sense to give the bones the nutrients they need to grow well. It makes more sense not to impede the growing of healthy bones by destructive lifestyle practices.

Becoming aware of bone health for seniors is the first step towards good bone health.

 

 

 

Photo by Takahiro Sakamoto on Unsplash