Irrespective of your age, bones play a huge role in supporting the body's overall functioning and efficiency. But do you know that after the age of 30, your body stops developing bone mass? That's right. The bones in our body can absorb minerals only till the age of 30. After passing childhood, teenage, and early adulthood, they start weakening with age, slowly and steadily.
This is why it is extremely crucial to start taking care of your bones after 30. Now, this can be done in several ways at first. However, after 50, it becomes a little challenging to train your bones due to health issues, bodily restrictions, and the general inability of the body to keep up with high-intensity exercises. But, it does not mean that it is absolutely impossible to keep your bones in check post 50.
To help you understand better, in this guide, we shall talk about the various measures you can take to maintain your bone health after 50. Let's get started!
First of all, what is bone health?
Bone health is nothing but the ability of our bones to manage day-to-day activities without creating an excessive strain on them. It is the efficiency that our bones work with to keep bone-related illnesses like osteoporosis at bay. All in all, it is the overall capability of our bones to meet all the daily challenges, prevent and combat weakness, and ensure healthy well-being.
Now that we know what bone health means, it brings us to the next major question:
Why is it so essential to keep bone health in check after 50?
The bones in our body continue to break and build again at all ages, but in early adulthood and before, they recover quickly and actively. However, such is not the case after 50. The body loses its recovery rate, and the bone mass is lost more rapidly. This gives rise to illnesses like osteoporosis, which causes the bones to turn weak and brittle. So, to keep that from happening, it is extremely important to incorporate certain practices in the daily routine, which will cause the bones to function smoothly while keeping all illnesses and weaknesses away.
What are the factors that affect bone health?
Several factors influence the capability of our bones after crossing a particular age. The amount and intensity of physical activity, consumption of tobacco and alcohol, gender, weight and age, family history, hormonal activities, underlying diseases, and medications are some of the most major factors. This tells us that by keeping these factors in check and under control post 50, we can protect our bones and keep them healthy quite effortlessly.
With that being said, let us find out how these factors affect bone health and how you can take care of them for a better and fitter future.
Here are the most beneficial tips to take care of your bones after 50:
Know your current bone health
Before you head on to incorporating any new exercises or diets in your routine, it is of utmost importance to know where you stand. Getting a quick scan of your bones and going through a basic diagnostic system under the guidance of a health expert. As per the results of these simple tests, your physician can find out the probable osteoporosis risk. Additionally, he/she will also help you understand your prevailing bone-related issues and how you can carefully tackle them. In this way, you will be able to frame a suitable exercise routine in terms of duration and intensity. Similarly, your diet and other activities can be decided.
Exercise regularly
As cliche as it may sound, regular exercise can do wonders to your bones, provided you consult your physician about it. Even low-intensity exercises for 30 minutes every day can help you prevent osteoporosis. You may also consider opting for yoga, as it proves highly beneficial in improving your bones' efficiency and overall flexibility and strength of the body. Apart from that, walking is something that most people above 50 can perform effortlessly, majorly because it is a low-impact yet impactful form of exercise. If your physician approves of it, you can also incorporate strength training in your exercise routine to build and strengthen muscles.
Mindful eating
The food items that we consume on a regular basis greatly influence our bone health. Certain food items like flaxseed and the omega-3 fatty acids which are present in fish can prove helpful in improving bone health. But in simpler terms, make sure that you consume a well-balanced diet that involves at least 3 low-fat servings. Please stay away from high-fat, excessively salty foods and caffeinated beverages as much as you can as they keep the essential nutrients from being absorbed in your bones. It also affects your overall health quite negatively. All in all, eat clean and low-fat food items and stay away from junk. Here’s a list of food to avoid.
Absorb enough calcium
You may be surprised to know that about 99% of the calcium gets stored within your bones, which in turn ensures smooth functioning of the nerves and muscles and keeps your bones in good shape. The best way of absorbing calcium is by consuming low-fat dairy products like cheese, milk, yogurt, and so on. Apart from that, make sure you eat your greens as leafy vegetables are also a rich source of calcium. Women above the age of 50 and men above the age of 70 are advised to eat at least 1,200 milligrams of calcium every day, but more than 2,500 mg as it may result in illnesses like constipation and kidney stones.
Soak some sunlight
Vitamin D is one of the most essential nutrients to keep the bones healthy, and there is no better source of it than natural sunlight. Health experts recommend sunbathing for 10 minutes at least 2-3 times a week if it is not possible to do so every day. Make sure that you do not have any sunscreen on, and your hands, arms, face, and legs are thoroughly exposed to the natural sunlight. By doing so, a great deal of Vitamin is absorbed by your bones which will keep them strong and healthy in the longer run. The best part about sunbathing is that it requires absolutely no additional effort and can be done easily by older adults.
Consider taking supplements
Understandably, getting all the nutrients can be a tad challenging after crossing a particular age. The appetite tends to shrink, and the body's capacity to absorb nutrients also diminishes a little. So, the best way to ensure that you are getting all the vital nutrients to support your bone health is by consuming supplements. Experts suggest three main supplements- Omega 3, Vitamin D, and Calcium as these nutrients have shown positive results in improving bone efficiency. Visit https://forseniorsmag.com/ for more information regarding the consumption of supplements during older adulthood.
Quit smoking and drink moderately
Smoking can cause bone loss more rapidly than ever. The nicotine that is present in cigarettes hampers the body's ability to develop bone-forming cells and even reduces the density of bones. Apart from that, when it comes to drinking, it best to stay away from alcohol as much as possible. People who drink too frequently are more inclined towards skeleton damage, which is an irreversible illness. Besides, they are also at a greater risk of developing fractures. In other news, alcohol involves a great amount of caffeine, which lowers the calcium absorption of the bones, as mentioned previously. This does correlate that nicotine affects aging.
CONCLUSION
In a nutshell, after 50, your bones demand extra care to function efficiently. By following the above-mentioned tips, you can undoubtedly enhance your bone strength and ensure healthy well-being in your old age.
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