You don’t need to be told that your bones are essential! Bones protect the organs, provide structure to the body, anchor the muscles and store calcium. You only get one set of bones, so protecting them and keeping them healthy are a priority.

You can start taking care of your bones right now! By taking the proper supplements, eating a nutrient-rich diet and doing strengthening exercises, you can ensure that your bones are in good condition to carry you your whole life.

What are bones made of?

Your bones are made up of collagen and calcium phosphate. Bones are living tissue in the body. Bones can break and crack, and it can be excruciatingly painful.

What is collagen?

Collagen is a protein. It provides a soft framework. The calcium phosphate, however, is a mineral that adds strength and hardens the framework. The combination makes your bones strong and flexible at the same time. It allows you to move around, without flopping about! The bones contain over 99 percent of the body’s calcium stores. The remaining 1 percent is found in the blood.

There are in fact two types of bone found in the body. They are called cortical and trabecular bones. Cortical bones are dense and compact. They form the outer layer of the bone. Trabecular bones make up the inner layer of the bone and have a spongy, honeycomb-like structure, explains NHI.

How do I protect my bones?

There are a few changes you can make to your lifestyle right now to secure your bone health for the rest of your life.

Supplement

As mentioned above, bones are made from calcium, so you need to get enough calcium in order to keep them healthy. You can find many over-the-counter calcium supplements at the local chemist. Along with that, you also need loads of vitamins.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is also critical for bone health, says Drexel. It assists in the absorption of calcium into the bloodstream, so it is an essential addition to your daily supplement intake. 

Without vitamin D, your body won’t absorb the calcium you eat.

Vitamin D is absorbed through our skin, and the sun is the best, most popular source of vitamin D. The amount of vitamin D in food, and that is absorbed from sun exposure is minimal, so most doctors suggest supplementing instead of trying to get vitamin D from only your diet.

Diet

Having a diet rich in calcium is important for sustaining bone health. Dairy is popularly calcium heavy! Milk, cheese and other delicious dairy products have loads of calcium. Vegans don’t need to miss out on having calcium in the diet, though. Loads of non-animal products contain calcium: soy milk, fortified orange juice and vegetables such as broccoli and kale also have a high calcium count.

The amount of calcium in your diet contributes directly to bone density. A lack of calcium is linked directly to early bone loss and an increased risk of fractures, says Mayo Clinic.

How much calcium do I need?

Everyone needs a different amount of calcium, depending on many factors like weight, height and activity and fitness level. However, there are general guidelines.

The recommended amount of calcium for both men and women is 1000 milligrams a day. Older women require around 1 200 milligrams of calcium a day. This is because older, menopausal women have fluctuating hormone levels. Bone loss is actually quite prevalent during menopause owing to reduced oestrogen levels. The prolonged absence of menstruation (amenorrhea) before menopause also increases the risk of osteoporosis, Mayo Clinic explains. In men, low testosterone levels can cause a loss of bone mass.

Be wary of taking too much calcium. There are health risks associated with overdose, which includes the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Exercise

Exercise, particularly strength training, not only builds your muscles but strengthens your bones. Many resistance training exercises assist with bone strength and balance. Like a muscle, a bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming more assertive. These include walking, hiking, jogging and climbing exercises. Exercises like swimming and cycling can also help build and maintain strong muscles and have an excellent cardiovascular benefit.

Weight-bearing and resistance exercises force you to work against gravity, which can also strengthen bones. People who exercise daily will achieve higher bone density and strength than those who are sedentary.

What can negatively affect your bone health?

People who smoke tobacco or consume alcohol have a higher chance of experiencing diminished bone density and early bone loss later in life. They are also at risk of getting degenerative bone diseases like osteoporosis. Studies also show that women are at a greater risk of osteoporosis because they have less bone tissue than do men.

The Medical Society is passionate about proper health and nutrition for both children and adults. The Medical Society covers you and your family for whatever unforeseen illnesses may come your way, offering affordable healthcare for adults.

Starting from R89 a month, members are covered for unlimited nurse room visits, as well as dietary advice from professionals.