Boost Bone Health in 12 Simple Ways

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Skip your cuppa: You may love your cup of coffee every morning, and it may get you buzzing with energy instantly, but if you drown in more than 6 cups a day without a second thought, it’s time to slow down. Studies have linked increased caffeine consumption to poor bone health, which is not such a good thing, especially if you have crossed your 40s.

Tea, on the other hand, is thought to improve bone health. Researchers at the University of Cambridge monitored the diet of 1200 elderly women and noticed good bone health in tea drinkers as opposed to non-tea drinkers. The flavonoid and fluoride content in the tea is thought to be responsible for maintenance of good bone health.

Add these foods: Cheese and milk are good for your bones. But you knew that already, didn’t you.

To make things simpler, we’ve created a short and simple list of the foods that add bulk to your bones. Beside these foods, we’ve also mentioned the amount of calcium you receive. Add these foods to your diet, and get your bones stronger.

• Salmon: 200 mg
• Swiss cheese: 270 mg
• Broccoli: 90 mg
• Turnip: 200 mg
• Sardines: 320 mg
• Cheddar cheese: 200 mg
• Calcium-fortified cereal: 100-100 mg
• Soy milk: 80-500 mg
• Yogurt: 300-400 mg
• Orange juice: 200-340 mg

Apart from these, many other foods like carrots, spinach and other greens, strawberries and eggs provide a good amount of bone-building minerals.

Try weight-bearing exercises: Moderate physical exercise is essential for good health. It helps keep your musculoskeletal system healthy, and prevents obesity and rapid weight gain. Weight bearing exercises, in particular, can help you build stronger bones.

Contrary to what the name suggests, weight bearing exercises doesn’t mean you’ll have to fetch a pair of dumbbells from the sports store. Instead, you just have to move your body and work against the gravity. It can be as simple as climbing the stairs, or walking or jogging.

Swimming and cycling can also be beneficial in terms of bone health.

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Mind over meds: Commonly used drugs and medications can greatly impact your bone mineral density. Steroids, medications for rheumatoid arthritis, inhibitors for digestive system problems, asthma medications, anti-depressants and others should be taken in limitation.

Yoga to the rescue: Yoga has benefited patients from all corners of the world, and it’s truly amazing how a deep meditative state and focused breathing can materialize so wonderfully in terms of health. For bone build-up too, yoga has a good role to play.

A startling study published in Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation revealed that aged people who did 10 minutes of yoga daily displayed a higher bone mineral density than those who didn’t.

Get the ‘D’: Vitamin D, one of the most crucial elements for bone development, is available freely, and you get it every day. Staying out in the sun-whether it is sunbathing, or some outdoor activity, can be helpful for the production of vitamin D in the body, which contributes to bone build-up. Make sure you slather on the sunscreen before heading out though.

Eat like the Greeks: Omega 3 fatty acids have earned the reputation of being good for your heart, but a recent study suggests that it may also have wonderful effects on your bone health. Greek women who consumed fish and olive oil were thought to have much better bone density than those who didn’t. Following this diet can have many benefits and can make your bones much stronger.

Make up-for the bone loss: Your bone buildup continues, but after you cross your 40s, your bone mineral density tends to decrease gradually, particularly women. Women in their menopausal period have much lower estrogen levels, which strips the bones off their calcium, contributing to further bone loss.

Add calcium-rich foods to your diet once you cross your 40s and maintain the daily requirement of 1200 mg of calcium your body needs every day.

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Ditch these: Some foods, particularly processed stuff, that you probably find a way to sneak into your meals every day, can be potentially bone-thinning. They sap the health and buildup of bones, considerably lowering your bone mineral density.

Nicotine, alcohol, fizzy drinks and sodas are all good examples of these bone-threatening foods. Piling up on these foods causes the blood to turn acidic, to which the body reacts by using calcium, attempting to neutralize it, thereby sapping the bones of its loved one. Excessive consumption of these foods is also linked to an increase in the risk of fractures and broken bones.

Get the density test: A watchful eye can works wonders, especially when it comes to early detection of diseases. Getting a bone mineral density test is essential, especially if you have crossed your 40s.

Meat on your bones: The skinny look may look ‘in’ but it may not be good for your bones. For starters, starving your body with an aim of losing pounds can hardly have any benefits. You may even put on weight and your body may be stripped of its essential nutrients.

An excessively thin body can also cause weakening of bones, which may put you at a greater risk of osteoporosis.

Stay calm: Fractures and cracks occurring due to falls or physical trauma can be hard on your bones, and if you’re suffering from low bone mineral density, you have a considerably increased risk of suffering from fractures and broken bones. Stay calm and avoid exerting excess pressure on your body. Be careful wherever you go and practice yoga-it helps you balance and makes you less likely to fall.