There are certain things about aging gracefully that everyone can love; finally using your savings to do what you love, retirement and grandkids. However, one thing that seniors don’t love is osteoporosis. Weak and fragile bones, using a cane or walker for walking and constantly monitoring what you eat can restrict you in old age.

According to a study, published in the Journal of Dental Research, the risk of developing weak bones increases 10-fold as people age. This also increases the risk of fractures.

So, how does one arrive at the stage of developing weak bones?

Three things that contribute to this include lack of exercise, unhealthy diet and low supply of calcium.

There are 4 ways in which bones are affected:

  • Osteoarthritis:the cartilage holding the joints together breaks, which causes stiffness and pain.
  • Osteomalacia:the bones get soft because of problems with metabolism and lack of Vitamin D.
  • Osteoporosis:the bones become brittle and lose mass, which causes more fractures.
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis:the joints become inflamed.

Science and technology has made it possible for scientists to come with different treatments such as stem cell therapies, orthiobiologics and bioidentical hormone replacement. While these do help with joint and bone injuries, you need to focus on developing their strength at an early age.

Following are some tips that will help you achieve joint and bone health:

Keep an Eye on Your Weight

Around 29% of children in America are overweight. Excess weight causes hormonal imbalances, tension, stress and most harmful of all, deficiencies. The last factor affects musculoskeletal health and bone growth. This is what causes limited mobility in the future, which leads to diminished life quality.

When bones don’t grow with the strength they are supposed to, injuries become frequent. The healing process is slower, which causes the fracture and break to settle in. As you age, the pain and ache increases, and later becomes permanent.

Eat a Diet That’s High in Calcium

One word: milk!

Excess alcohol and caffeine consumption can lead to overall health deterioration. Why not switch these drinks with water and most important of all, it’s time you paid attention to the nutritional facts of the food you are eating. Eat a diet rich in calcium, which include foods such as yogurt, cheese, lentils, almonds, sardines, canned salmon and more.

Exercise

Just do it.

Have you ever looked at those Nike and Adidas ads and wished that you had the same strength? Vitamin D, calcium and exercise are the three foundations of bone health. Moderation is the name of the game, so try not to overdo it. Start with some stretches and power walking, proceed to a run and do take out some time to try yoga.

If you are not much of an exercise fan, then do those activities you love like swimming, playing badminton or dancing.

Now that you know how your bones will develop when you grow older, you need to give your lifestyle a second look. It’s time to make some important and big changes to make your life easy as you age.