Bone health is one of the most neglected areas. This is also the reasons men and women face problems as they age. Doctors suggest taking good care of bone health while you are still young. Maintaining healthy calcium and vitamin D levels is very important to ensure good orthopedic health. A higher bone mass will keep skeletons super strong for decades together.
Here is a guide on how to maintain bone health to ensure reducing your chances of breaks, fractures, and conditions such as osteoporosis as you age:
Understanding Bone Mass
Bone mass is a term used to determine the size and strength of our bones. The bones have a tendency to increase in size and strength. This happens until the age of 25-30. After this age, the bone mass tends to dip. This issue can be combated in two ways:
– Maximizing growth of bone mass while you’re still young
– Reducing the rate at which bone mass lose
Here’s how you can maintain orthopedic health at different ages:
Between Age 0 and 1
This is a crucial age for helping bones to grow at a healthy pace. Parents should focus on feeding ample calcium and vitamin D to their babies. Doctors suggest mothers to feed their babies with breast milk and formula for the first year of life. Vitamin D can be absorbed from diets. In the case of babies, supplements and exposure to sunlight play a major role. Vitamin D supplement drops are also recommended for infants to ensure healthy levels of Vitamin D in the body.
Between Age 1 and 9
Make sure your child has his share of milk and yogurt. These are crucial childhood staples one should focus on. Power-packed with calcium, these staples offer the kind of calcium children require at their age. Vitamin D may be a challenge to fulfill. Most doctors suggest supplements to kids. Ask your pediatrician to help you introduce your child to some.
Between Age 10 and 20
As soon as your child enters puberty, the requirement for Calcium and Vitamin D increases. Apart from yogurt and milk, fish and green, leafy vegetables should also be included in your child’s diet. This will ensure they get an ample amount of calcium needed. Allow them to move out in sunlight for some time and vitamin D supplements recommended by your pediatrician. Apart from building muscle mass, doctors and renowned orthopedic surgeons recommend weight-bearing exercises. This helps in building bone strength. The best thing to do is to consult your pediatrician. You will learn more about healthy exercises that children can practice.
Between Age 20 and 30
It is important to maintain a calcium-rich diet when you reach this age. Additionally, taking Vitamin D supplements is also important. If possible, you must practice weight-bearing exercises. Practice these at least 30 minutes each day. You can continue this for four or more days each week. This will help you reach peak bone mass.
Between Age 30 and 50
When you hit the 30s, the bone mass gets cycled out on a consistent basis. This is a process with which the old bone gets replaced with new. It continues throughout your life. By the time you reach 40, the process of retards. Loss of bone is more. Doctors recommend maintaining diet. One should also exercise consistently to reduce the loss of bone mass.
Age 50 and Above
Women are more prone to developing osteoporosis than men. One of the main reasons behind this is the excess loss of bone mass during menopause. Hence, women must increase their calcium intake. By the age of 70, both men and women must get bone density testing.
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