“The best protection against osteoporosis is prevention, and the best prevention is to eat healthy and be active,” said New York State Health Commissioner Nirav R. Shah, M.D., M.P.H. “As adults grow older, their bone mass can decline, increasing the risk for fractures, especially among women. A nutritious, high calcium diet combined with physical activity will help to keep bones strong for life.” I couldn’t agree with Commissioner Shah more. 10 million Americans already have osteoporosis, with an additional 34 million at risk of the disease, which puts its victims at greater risk of suffering fractures or broken bones, which account for $25.3 billion in annual healthcare costs. In honor of Osteoporosis Awareness Month, here are my three tips for healthy bones:
GET OUTSIDE. Get a healthy amount of vitamin D from the sun, keeping in mind recommendations for proper skincare protection in any extended outdoor time. Vitamin D helps your bones – it gets into them and turns into calcium, which keeps them strong and able to withstand a stumble or fall.
GET YOUR CALCIUM. Calcium can be found in milk products, dried figs, salmon, canned sardines with bones, cooked greens, soy nuts, and more. If your primary care doctor recommends a calcium or magnesium supplement, choose an all-natural one that will work best with your body’s chemistry.
GET MOVING. As we age, we tend to lead more sedentary lifestyles, which is detrimental to the health of our bones. Think of exercise as the thing that literally wakes up your bones, stimulating circulation and blood vessels to the areas around them. For those individuals who may be older or not comfortable taking on an exercise program, I’m not talking about running a marathon. I’m talking about a combination of plyometric activity such as 5 minutes of light jogging on the treadmill, followed by a series of jumping jacks, box jumps, skipping rope, burpees, and push-ups. Plyometric exercises increase muscular power and explosiveness.
No one can avoid the ticking of time’s clock. But we can do all we can to prevent time from having the last laugh. Take care of your bones. They are the only ones you have, and they have to carry you around for life – a pretty daunting task.
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