How To Strengthen Your Bone

Have you ever wondered why some people suffer from arthritis in the early age of 40s? Why some people seems to have strong bone even in their 50s? How you too can strengthen your bone with adequate calcium intake together with a healthy lifestyle?

On average, your bone density reaches its peak between 30 and 35 years old. After that period, your bone will start to get weaker as part of aging process.

When a woman is 30 years old and a man is 40 years old, the rate of bone loss begins to accelerate. For every 10 years, bone density will drop by about 3%. In addition, menopause will also increase a woman's bone loss. This eventually worsen the osteoporosis condition.

Osteoporosis always occurs without being noticed. It is always being neglected. However, taking food with high calcium helps to prevent or prolong osteoporosis. Below are some of the foods rich in calcium:

Main meal: Wheat grass, oat, grain bread, cereal, rice

Meat: Pork's bone, spare ribs, beef, dried meat floss

Seafood: Small dry fish, prawn, crab, abalone, tiger prawn

Vegetables: Water spinach, edible seaweed, hair weed, laver, carrot, potato, barley, lyceum

Fruits: Persimmon, mandarin, papaya, grapes, apple, star fruit, pea, pineapple, watermelon

Milk/egg: Egg yolk, milk powder, cheese, milk

Others: Yeast powder, black sugar, honey, black sesame, yellow bean, black bean, green bean, red bean, peanut, green tea, red tea

Points To Heed

1. Having a balanced diet not only help your body to absorb enough calcium, it also prevent the lack of activator due to malnutrition, which affects calcium absorption. A balance diet contains enough vitamin C, zinc, magnesium and copper that can prevent bone loss.

2. Have adequate amount of soy isoflavone (genistein) by taking soybean, soy bean milk and bean curd.

3. When you drink milk, do not overheat the milk in order to avoid damage to its enzyme. Overheating will affect calcium absorption.

4. Avoid taking too much meat or processed food. Excessive protein and phosphorus can obstruct calcium absorption.

5. Take less salt, oil and sugar as they too will affect calcium absorption

6. In your diet, try to take some vinegar which can speed up calcium absorption.

7. Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol. These bad habits can reduce estrogens level in your body and affect calcium absorption.

8. If you are consuming calcium tablet, it is wise to take it one hour before breakfast and consume it with fruit juice.

9. Food that contains oxalic acid such as spinach will bind with calcium to form calcium oxalate compound and reduce calcium absorption.

10. During growth or pregnancy, heed on calcium absorption so that you can prevent osteoporosis in old age.

11. Be cautious about taking medicines that can influence calcium absorption.

Daily health care tips

1. You must have adequate exposure to sunlight that can assist in producing Vitamin D which promotes calcium absorption and strengthens the bone.

2. Having enough amount of exercise can strengthen bone manufacturing cells and bone endurance.

3. Have some light stretching exercise before you do proper exercise. If abnormality in muscles and bones occur, you must stop exercise.

After the age of 40, try to prevent taking part in aggressive outdoor activities. For women, they must prevent period abnormality which can increase the loss of bone substance.

4. Keep a proper posture and prevent body bending.

5. Make sure your posture is correct when lifting heavy goods.

6. For elderly people or those with osteoporosis, they must avoid falling down.

7. Have a disciplined life. Avoid sleeping late at night, smoking or drinking alcohol.

8. Have a regular check up on osteoporosis.

Bone problem is hard to cure. Therefore, remember to strengthen your bones before it's too late!