Building strong bones throughout your life helps maintain your body's physical integrity and may prevent osteoporosis, a condition that causes your bones to become weak and brittle, increasing your risk of injuries and fractures. Bones are living organisms that are constantly building new tissue and replacing old bone tissue. Bone mass develops rapidly between the ages of 10 to 20. Development slows and declines after 30, but the reduction does not diminish the importance of promoting and sustaining bone health. Certain lifestyle modifications increase your bone health.
Meet Your Calicum Needs
Step 1
Meet your daily needs for calcium, which is essential to your bone growth and health. Calcium aids in bone production and strengthens your bone tissue. Consume 1000 mg of calcium daily if you are between 19 to 50. Consume 1200 mg if you are over 51.
Step 2
Limit your dairy intake to two servings each day and consume a variety of other sources of calcium. Eat bok choy, tofu, baked beans, fortified soy milk, collard greens, kidney beans, black beans, sardines, fortified orange juice and kale.
Step 3
Talk to your doctor about taking a calcium supplement if your diet does not meet your daily needs for calcium. Choose a supplement that contains less than 500 mg of calcium to avoid gastric upset.
Fulfill Your Daily Requirement of Vitamin D
Step 1
Consume 200 IU of vitamin D if you are between the ages of 19 to 50 and 400 IU if you are over 50. Vitamin D aids calcium absorption and transportation and plays an integral role in creating and supporting healthy bones. Fortified milk, egg yolks and fish oils contain vitamin D.
Step 2
Increase your vitamin D levels with exposure to sunlight. Take a walk during lunch or read outside. Limit your time to 30 minutes to help prevent skin damage. Talk to your doctor if you think you require more time in the sun; certain skin tones require different amounts of sunlight.
Step 3
Get a blood test to assess your vitamin D levels. Talk to your doctor about the results and determine the best way to incorporate more vitamin D into your diet if your results reveal low levels.
Exercise
Step 1
Do weight bearing activities for 30 minutes most days of the week. Jog, run, hike, dance or do any other form of anti-gravity exercise that challenges and strengthens your bones.
Step 2
Do strength training exercises twice a week, utilizing all the major muscles in your body. Placing external stress on your bones strengthens them. Exercise examples include bicep curls, squats, dips, lunges and upright rows.
Step 3
Increase your repetitions, weight or sets to prevent muscular adaptation, overload your skeletal system and ensure that your bones and body reap the benefits of your efforts.
Tips and Warnings
- Bone density tests evaluate your bone health, determine your bone mass and assess your risk of developing osteoporosis. Contact your doctor to set up a screening and/or a test. Women are at greater risk of developing osteoporosis.
