5 Things You Need to Know About Increasing Bone Density

1. On Guard Osteoporosis

Throughout your life, your body is constantly breaking down old bone and manufacturing new bone. This process builds your bone mass up until age 35. For the remainder of your adult life, the process continues, but loss of bone exceeds replacement. Excessive bone loss results in the condition called osteoporosis, which means porous bones. Signs include loss of height, back pain and bone fractures. The hormone estrogen curbs bone loss, so postmenopausal women are at risk for osteoporosis.

2. Bear Some Weight

You can build bone density and decrease loss of bone with the right kind of exercise. Weight bearing exercises place stress on your skeleton which promotes formation of bone. Examples include walking, jogging, running, tennis, dancing, climbing stairs and strength training with hand-held weights or weight machines. Exercises like swimming and bicycling are excellent for cardiovascular fitness, but they do not promote bone growth because they are not weight bearing.

3. Count Your Calcium

Your body absorbs calcium from the foods you eat and stores it in bone. Calcium is vital not only for building bone mass but also for proper muscle, heart, nerve and enzyme functioning. If you don't eat sufficient calcium, your body will remove it from your bones to use elsewhere. Good sources of calcium include dairy products, green leafy vegetables, fruits, grains and protein. Many foods and drinks like orange juice and breakfast cereals are fortified with additional calcium. Consider taking a calcium supplement like calcium citrate or calcium carbonate if you think your diet is low in calcium. Children ages 8 to 18 years need 1,300 mg per day. Adults who are 50 years or less need 1,000 mg per day. Anyone over the age of 50 years needs 1,200 mg per day.

4. Dose With D

Your body needs vitamin D in order to absorb the calcium you ingest. You can find vitamin D naturally in fish, egg yolks and liver. Milk, soy beverages and margarine are usually fortified with vitamin D. Most calcium supplements and multiple vitamins contain vitamin D. Your body makes its own vitamin D when ultraviolet rays reach the skin cells. If you use a sunscreen daily, it's important to ensure sufficient vitamin D is in your diet. People below age 70 years need 200 to 400 international units (IU), and those over 70 years require 600 IU.

5. Pass on the Smokes

Several unhealthy behaviors interfere with calcium absorption and have been linked to bone loss. These include smoking tobacco, drinking three or more alcoholic beverages per day and consuming carbonated beverages containing caffeine. To increase bone density try replacing unhealthy habits with exercise and a calcium rich diet.