Read our latest tips on achieving strong and healthy bones and how to reduce your risk of osteoporosis and broken bones.
Healthy bones protect our brain, heart and other organs from injury whilst storing vital minerals such as calcium and phosphorous. Although genes play a huge role in the size and strength of your skeleton, it is still important to execute healthy bone habits to keep them strong.
In this article, Health Europa delves into the many lifestyle changes that contribute to stronger bones.
Maintain a healthy body weight
Bodyweight plays an important role in determining the protection and strength of your bones. If you are underweight or overweight, the risk of osteoporosis and broken bones increases1. To ensure the best protection of your bones, maintaining a healthy body weight should be a priority.
If you are unsure of what a healthy body weight looks like on you, you can refer to the body mass index calculator which can be found on the NHS website.
Healthy bones and an active lifestyle
Taking part in regular exercise supports healthy bones, but how does this work? Bones have living tissues within them that get stronger the more you use them.
Strong and healthy bones can be achieved through a combination of weight-bearing exercise with impact and muscle strengthening exercise2. Activities such as walks, jogging and basketball count as weight-bearing exercises with impact, whilst exercises such as weight lifting strengthen the muscles.
Spend some time in the Sun
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin for calcium absorption, which subsequently maintains healthy bones by strengthening and making them hard.
It also helps keep your muscles strong, which reduces the risk of breaking a bone in a fall1. Vitamin D can be easily obtained by spending time in the Sun, eating the appropriate foods with vitamin D or from supplements.
Avoid smoking
Healthy bones and smoking do not complement each other because smoking slows down the cells that build bone in your body1. As a result, this habit can reduce bone strength and increase the risk of breaking a bone.
There are risk factors that certain demographics may face if they smoke; for example, women who smoke also have a heightened risk of starting menopause early, which, consequently, can increase the risk of osteoporosis and breaking a bone.
Best foods and drinks for healthy bones
Healthy bones can start in the kitchen! Vitamin D and calcium are two vital vitamins and minerals that support healthy bones3. Good sources of calcium include dairy products, soya beans, tofu, and nuts. Vitamin D can be found in foods such as tuna, egg yolks and mushrooms.
