It’s the frame that holds you, and the material is incredibly strong – yet it remakes itself over and over again. It’s Bone and Joint Health National Awareness Week, so let’s talk about your bones.
This is what your bones are made of
Bone is made up of crystals of mineral bound to protein. This provides both strength and resilience so that your skeleton can absorb impact without breaking. A structure made only of mineral would be more brittle and break more easily, while a structure made only of protein would be soft and bend too easily. Calcium and phosphate make up the mineral part, while the protein in your bones is collagen.
Bones are constantly being renewed
It may be as strong as steel, but bone is a living tissue, continually changing. Throughout your lifespan, bones are constantly being broken down and built up in a process known as remodelling. Did you know that most of the adult skeleton is replaced about every 10 years?
Age 30 is the bone peak
You build up your bones until about age 30, and then you reach what is known as peak bone mass (which varies from person to person). Up until that point, your body is creating new bone faster, but after age 30, the bone building balance naturally shifts and more bone is lost than gained.
Do your bones a favour
To prevent porous and breakable bones as you age, you need to have enough calcium, protein and vitamin D. The biggest component of a bone-healthy diet is leafy greens, both cooked and raw, to give you calcium, vitamin K, potassium, and other minerals and nutrients you need to lay down bone.
Vitamin D is also important for strong bones, and a good source is, believe it or not, the sun, but take care of your skin while you do it.
Lastly, it may sound weird, but bones last longer if you stress them more. Putting the weight of your body on the bone makes it lay down more bone material to strengthen it. Best is aerobic, weight bearing, and resistance exercise several times a week.
Our bodies are amazing, and it doesn’t take much to maintain them. If you’d like more health and wellness information that meets you needs, visit our Hello Doctor website. And if you want health on the go, download our mobile app from your phone’s online app store. It’s that quick and that easy.