Osteoporosis: Build Stronger Bones

Imagine a jellyfish floating around the sea. That’s how we would look like without our bones. An adult body is composed of 206 bones which provide frame and support. Bones work with our muscles to make us move. They serve as protection to our vital organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and the brain. Without them, the inside of our body will be vulnerable to trauma.

 

source: thehealthsite.com

Our bones also play a vital role in the production of blood cells such as red blood cells, white blood cells, adipocytes, and fibroblasts which are all essential for proper blood circulation in the body and stronger immune system. It’s just impossible to live without our bones.

 

Osteoporosis is one of the most common bone diseases. It makes the bones brittle, making it easy to break. There are about 1.5M of osteoporosis-related fractures reported annually. These usually occur in the spine, hip, and wrist.

 

Symptoms Of Osteoporosis:

 

  • Shrinking of spinal bone causing shorter height
  • Fast and unusual breakage of bones due to minor force or fall
  • Chest pain and shortness of breath due to limited movement in the ribcage area
  • Lousy posture, usually curved spine

 

Causes Of Osteoporosis:

 

  • Low calcium intake
  • Lack of exercise
  • Cigarette smoking
  • Excessive alcohol consumption
  • Lack of estrogen
  • Hereditary

 

Things To Know About Osteoporosis:

 

  • More common in women than men
  • Mostly affects women after they reach menopausal age
  • Treatment in the US alone costs approximately $4 Billion annually

 

If you are experiencing the symptoms mentioned above, seek the help of a physician who specializes in this kind of condition. You can go to an orthodontist.

 

10 Simple Ways To Prevent Osteoporosis:

 

  1. Add yogurt in your recipe. Yogurt is high and calcium.
  2. If you’re not fond of drinking milk, there is another way of absorbing calcium. You can sneak in some non-fat powdered milk to your desserts, soups, and casseroles.
  3. Switch to brown rice. It’s proven to contain three times the calcium compared to white rice.
  4. Make it a habit to have yogurt as your snack. It is healthy and rich, enough to supplement you with your daily calcium needs.
  5. If you don’t have time to exercise, take a walk for at least 30 minutes a day. You can also skip the elevator and use the stairs.
  6. Drink green tea daily. It will make the bone denser.
  7. Get some sunlight in the morning to get a daily dose of vitamin D which is beneficial to bone health.
  8. Do 10 to 15 squats daily to promote stronger hips.
  9. Avoid drinking too much alcohol.
  10. Quit smoking.

source: pinterest.com

 

We need to make an effort to take care of our bone health. Sadly, we often take our bones for granted because we think they would always be strong, but even our bones get weak. We should make it a priority to give back and give them the importance they deserve. After all, we owe them our ability to walk in the summer sun, play our favorite sports, explore the world, and just enjoy life!