Announcement
August 31, 2024
September 2024
Bone Health
Bones are living tissue that provide structural support to the body, enabling a variety of functions. Humans have 270 bones at birth, many of which fuse together by adulthood, leaving most human adults with 206 bones.
What do bones do – The first major function of bones is to create structure for your body, allowing for movement. Muscles attach to bones via tendons. Muscles would be unable to move without bones, preventing any action, including simply reaching for a glass of water.
Creation of blood components is also a major function of bones. The substance within the center of a bone, known as bone marrow, is responsible for producing red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Red blood cells provide oxygen to cells throughout your body, white blood cells are an integral part of your immune system, and platelets are used for blood clotting.
Finally, bones protect vital organs. The skull protects the brain and the ribcage protects organs within the torso. Without bones, these organs would be highly susceptible to damage.
Bone afflictions – When bone health is compromised, a condition known as osteoporosis may develop. Osteoporosis causes weakening of bones as well as porous bones. This makes it easier for bones to fracture, particularly in the wrist, hip, and other joints.
Fractures are another common bone affliction, with millions of bones broken each year in the United States. Over 1.5 million fractures annually in the U.S. are directly related to osteoporosis.
Keeping healthy bones –While some deterioration of bones is inevitable due to aging, there are things you can do to keep your bones healthy. Eliminate risk factors such as smoking and engage in healthy behaviors such as strength training and a balanced diet.
Bones store calcium and phosphorus. Adequate consumption of both of these nutrients is essential for maintaining healthy bones. Dairy products are a common source of calcium and phosphorus.
Strength training puts stress on bones which triggers cells to build bones. This causes bones to grow stronger. Strength training can be done with bodyweight movements, weightlifting, or resistance band exercises. Just two hours per week of strength training has been proven to reduce age-related bone density loss.
