Osteoporosis is brought about by factors, and most of them are those that you cannot change. Your genes, sex, and age dictate much whether you will suffer from it or not in the long run. The good news is you can prevent bone loss so that you won’t have to face this challenge later in your life. Here are tips that guarantee you will enjoy a healthier life while building strong bones.
Weight Exercises Are Crucial
Whether you are in a senior living community, or you are right in your own home, chances are, you will have a specific time of the day when you can exercise. When you are with others outside your residence, your daily exercise routines will be planned according to your capabilities. At home, on the other hand, you can perform simple workouts for your bones.
Most, if not all, exercise activities promote bone growth. Common ones which are proven to help prevent bone loss are weight-bearing exercises such as the simple climbing of stairs, running, walking, and water aerobics. Jogging, dancing, tai chi, and yoga are also beneficial for the bones. Add to that, you can also try racket sports such as tennis.
Strength Training Is Also Important
Aside from exercises that involve weight bearing, you may also get yourself involved in strength training. Note that the muscles particularly pull on your bones when you happen to work them out. This is the core reason why they become strong. Constant strength training will allow you to become more flexible, and may even lower your chances of falling, which has caused a lot of people to break their hips when they age.
Strength training may sound intimidating. With a partner to help you with, or a physical fitness instructor to guide you in the process, you need not fret. You can perform any light strength training workouts like the basic lifting of grocery bags, and canned goods. You can also lift your grandsons and granddaughters while playing with them at home. You can also use special workout devices like weight machines, elastic resistance bands, and ankle and wrist weights. Perform activities such as squats and pushups.
Focus on Calcium and Vitamin D
Vitamin D can be sourced from proper sun exposure, meaning, going out of your room and seeing Mr. Sunshine on your backyard. It can also be in the form of supplements that you can purchase over-the-counter. When it comes to calcium, it is recommended that you get a thousand milligrams of it a day. If you are a woman over 50 or a man over 70, recommended daily allowance is 1,200 milligrams.
Note that calcium, like Vitamin D, is important in bone growth. Not getting enough of it will be a reason for bone loss. This is because you will lose bone mass when you forget to take one. Get the nutrients that you need by eating low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Tofu, soy milk, cereal, and other calcium-fortified foods as well as juices are worth a try. Broccoli, kale, and other dark green vegetables are great sources as well.
Team members in a senior living community will always see to it that you get the nutrients that you need to prevent bone loss. They prepare meals that will keep you healthy all the time.
