How You Should Start Taking Care Of Your Bone Health

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While they’re able to potentially affect anyone, women tend to be more prone to conditions that affect

their bone density and health. This is even more true as we get older. As such, if you’re looking to

establish a healthierlifestyle, your bone health should be a key consideration, too. Here, we’re going to look at how you can

take better care of your bones and keep an eye out for the signs that you might need some closer

attention.

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Eat For Your Bones

First and foremost, like anything else, what you eat and how you fuel your body also greatly support your

bones.

There are two nutrients you should focus on getting enough of: the first is calcium, which is the building

block of your bones. Secondly, vitamin D is what helps your body absorb and use that calcium more

effectively. Aside from milk and dairy products, calcium can be found in leafy greens, nuts, and certain

fish, while vitamin D comes from eggs, fortified foods, and even sunlight. However, people can easily fall

short of vitamin D, especially if they live in parts of the world that don’t get as much sunlight, and, as such,

you might want to check out some of the vitamin D supplement  that can make it easier to ensure you’re getting the amount you need.

Exercise To Support Them

Exercise not only affects your muscles and your cardiovascular system; it can also influence your bone

health, as well. For instance, weight-bearing exercises such as walking, jogging, dancing, or stair climbing

can stimulate bone growth over time. However, even building muscle through resistance training,

bodyweight exercises, and lifting weights helps to support the bones that those muscles surround.

Keeping your body strong and stable also helps to reduce the chances of falling, which is crucial as we

get older and our bones are more prone to issues that can make them easier to damage. Getting a mix

of both of these kinds of exercise each week can help you slow the effects of bone loss and increase

your strength naturally.

Maintain A Stable, Healthy Body Weight

Although weight is never the end-all and be-all of your health, as we are sometimes prone to believe,

it definitely has a significant impact on your bone health. Being underweight increases the risk of bone

loss, as the lack of load on the bones means they’re not as stimulated to grow. On the other hand,

being overweight can strain joints and increase your fall risk, especially if you’re rarely active.

Maintaining a healthy and stable weight  through diet can ensure that you’re able to protect your bone density. However, even if you’re trying to

lose weight, avoid extreme dieting or rapid weight loss, as these can weaken your bones, often through

nutrient deficiency.

Don’t Skip A Scan

Bone density scans are an essential part of assessing your bone health and getting to the truth of any

risks you might be facing. It’s important to arrange for these scans on a routine basis, especially as you

get older. That way, you could more easily see signs of bone loss. The earlier that you’re able to identify

it, the sooner that you can begin to treat it. Aside from older adults, these scans are largely

recommended for postmenopausal women, due tohormone changes and how they affect the bones, as well as women with certain medications. Even if

you feel healthy, bone loss can occur silently, making screening especially valuable. Discuss with your

healthcare provider when you should be tested based on your age, family history, and specific risk

factors.

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Understand How Hormones Play A Role

As mentioned, hormones have more of an effect on bone density than you might initially think. Both

estrogen and testosterone affect your bones, so a shortage in either can accelerate bone loss. This is

why menopause can increase your osteoporosis risk. With certain conditions or health profiles, a doctor

might provide a prescription so you can buy steroids onlinewhich can help address a hormonal imbalance, as well as hormone therapies. It’s important that this is

done with proper monitoring and care by a doctor, as improper steroid or hormone use can end up

weakening your bones instead.

Avoid Smoking Or Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Aside from generally being bad health habits, both smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are bad

for your bone health, as well. Smoking can directly interfere with bone-forming cells, alongside reducing

calcium absorption and lowering estrogen levels, which increases your risk of fractures. Drinking too

much alcohol, on the other hand, can disrupt your metabolism, especially how your body absorbs

vitamin D, and can weaken your bone structure. By keeping drinking to a moderate level and avoiding

smoking altogether, you can slow bone loss and improve your health across the board. Quitting smokingisn’t easy, but with your doctor, you can find the right aids and routines to make it a lot more

manageable. It’s not just good for your bones, but your heart, lungs, and body in general.

Get To Know Your Risk Factors

Bone health issues can affect anyone. However, the more risk factors that apply to you, the greater the

chance you might experience them and, as such, the sooner you should seek a scan to get the full

picture. Genetics, such as a family history of osteoporosis, can affect it. Other medical issues, like early

menopause, low testosterone, autoimmune diseases, digestive disorders, and long-term medication use,

can all increase your risk as well. Women are more likely to experience bone density issues, and older

women even more so. By understanding the various risk factors that affect you, you can start taking

proactive steps to protect your bone health earlier and get more targeted advice from your doctor.

Bone health isn’t something that you just treat medically. It’s something that you manage throughout

your whole lifestyle. Of course, getting that medical attention when you need it is important, too. Keep

the tips above in mind to ensure you’re treating your bones with the care they deserve.