Bone health is not only about avoiding fractures, but about keeping your skeleton:
- Strong
- Resilient
- Supportive
Bones are the framework of your body. They also serve some hidden roles like:
- Storing minerals
- Producing blood cells
With age, to maintain overall well-being, you must pay attention to your bone health and prevent bone loss.
What Defines Healthy Bones?
Bones are not hard, lifeless structures. They are living, dynamic tissues that are constantly renewing. Healthy bones are defined by their strength, density, and flexibility which help the:
- Support movement
- Protect vital organs
- Store essential minerals
Your bones are constantly working:
- Breaking down old tissues
- Rebuilding new ones
The balance between old and new tissues is important to keep the bones resilient throughout your life. Strong bones don’t only mean avoiding breaks, but are a foundation of lifelong bone health. They also play a direct role in how gracefully you age.
Bone Density and Its Role in Aging
One important marker of bone health is bone density. Bone density measures the intensity of tightness with which the minerals are packed into your bones. High bone density means your bones are sturdy. On the other hand, low bone density indicates fragility.
Bone density declines with age. This process is accelerated in women due to the hormonal changes during menopause. This makes bone density more important with age.
Common Issues with Bone Health
The common issues related to bone health are:
- Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis means loss of bone density. This makes your bones brittle.
- Fractures: Fractures generally occur when you fall. They are more common in older people.
- Arthritis and joint issues: These are not directly bone-related issues. But they impact mobility and bone stress.
These must have made you understand why prevention of bone loss in early life is important.