Bones are an integral part of our body in the body. They provide structure, protect organs, and store calcium. Building strong and healthy bones during childhood and adolescence with a healthy balanced diet, can help prevent bone ailments in adulthood. In youth, the body processes new bone faster than it breaks down old bones and bone mass increases. After 30years, bone remodeling continues, but you lose slightly more bone mass than you gain.
Bones primarily provide our body organs protection. “The bones grow, get weakened and then rebuild. So, the health of bones is vital for the existence. If bones are healthy only then the body can be healthy. Everything rests on the health of bones. Calcium is necessary for health of bones as well as equally vital for healthy functioning of all the cells in the body,” says Dr. Yuvraj Kumar, Chairman, Orthopaedics, Joint Replacement & Sports Injury, Accord Super Speciality Hospital, Faridabad.
Bone has its own metabolism which leads to constant changes. We need proper diet and exercises to keep bones healthy.
What foods to eat to maintain bone health?
A diet rich in protein and calcium is essential for maintaining bone health. “Milk and milk products like yogurt, cheese, paneer. Almonds, walnuts, peanuts spinach, brocolli, sprouts, flax seeds, fish are excellent sources of dietary calcium,” says Dr. Ankit Chawla, Consultant Orthopaedics, Marengo QRG Hospital, Faridabad.
Vitamin D, essential for dietary calcium absorption is naturally formed in the body when the skin comes in contact with sunlight, hence sunlight exposure of at least 30 minutes is a must for maintaining bone health.
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Primarily for good bone health we need calcium in rich quantities but calcium alone is not enough. With calcium we need Vitamin D for absorbing calcium in bones. “We should ideally have seasonal vegetables, seasonal fruits combined with milk, cheese and other dairy food. Vegetarians should add soya in their diet as soya is rich source of calcium. If a person is non vegetarian eggs, chicken, mutton, fish can be taken in measured quantities,” adds Dr Kumar.
Exercises for bone health?
Like muscle, bone is responds to exercise by becoming stronger. Walking, dancing, low-impact aerobics, elliptical training machines, stair climbing and gardening all help in protecting bone degradation. These types of exercises work directly on the bones in your legs, hips and lower spine to slow mineral loss. These also provide cardiovascular benefits, which boost heart and circulatory system health.
“People who exercise achieve greater peak bone density and strength. Weight bearing exercises like walking, jogging, climbing stairs and resistance exercises such as lifting weights are best for the bone health. Other exercises like swimming and bicyling help build & maintain muscles and have excellent cardiovascular benefits are not the best way to exercise the bones,” signs off Dr Chawla.
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