Bones have a very important role in the body. Apart from being a place for muscles to attach to movement, bones also function to support the body. For this reason, we need to maintain bone health so that the body can function optimally for a long period of time.

Tips to Keep Your Bones Healthy

As a person gets older, a person's bone density will decrease. Meanwhile, we need to maintain healthy bones to support the body until we reach old age.

When young, the process of forming new bones is faster than the process of destroying old bones and bone mass will increase. Generally a person will reach peak bone mass around the age of 30 years. After that, the bone remodeling process will continue, but bone mass will decrease faster than the increase. This condition can trigger osteoporosis which causes bones to become brittle and prone to fractures,

To keep healthy bones strong until old age, you can do this from now on in the following ways:

Eating vegetables

Your daily diet greatly influences the condition of your bone health. Adopting a healthy diet and balanced nutrition can help build healthy bones from a young age and maintain them throughout your life.

One of the foods recommended for maintaining bone health is vegetables. Vegetables contain vitamin C which stimulates bone-forming cells. Consuming vegetables can also help increase bone density. The recommended types of vegetables include green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, parsley and okra.

Read more: Is it True That Drinking Too Much Milk Causes Bone Loss? 

Exercise regularly

When your body is not actively moving, your muscles and bones will lose strength. This will increase the risk of osteoporosis, bone fractures and make you vulnerable to falls. To increase bone strength, you can try the following types of exercise:

Moderate intensity exercise

Moderate intensity exercise can be done by young people and seniors aged over 65 years. You can do moderate intensity exercise for 150 minutes per week gradually. This type of exercise will increase heart rate, train breathing and increase body temperature.

Some types of exercise that include moderate intensity exercise include:

• On foot
• Tennis
• Bicycle
• Water aerobics
• Strength training 

Strength training is not only useful for increasing muscle mass, but also preventing bone loss in women, including those who suffer from osteoporosis, osteopenia, or breast cancer. Research shows that weight-bearing exercise performed on elderly men and women can help increase bone mineral density, bone strength and bone size, as well as decrease markers of bone regeneration and inflammation.

Some types of strength training that are recommended include lifting weights, yoga, exercising while listening to music, and going up and down stairs.

Read more: Know the Types of Bone Cysts

Fulfills calcium and protein needs

Calcium is the most important mineral for bone formation, while protein is a nutrient necessary for bone strength. About 50% of bone components are made of protein. Protein deficiency can inhibit calcium absorption, making bones easily brittle. To meet your calcium and protein needs, you can consume the following foods:

• Milk
• Tofu
• Sardine
• Nuts
• Grains
• Yogurt

Fulfills vitamin D needs

Apart from calcium and protein, you also need to pay attention to your need for vitamin D. In the body, vitamin D helps absorb calcium and supports bone growth. You can get vitamin D through exposure to sunlight and food sources such as fatty fish, liver, cheese, and vitamin D supplements.

Maintaining bone health can be done from a young age. If you have concern with your bones condition, you should consult a doctor or use the consultation feature on the Ai Care application.

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