The human body has a total of 206 bones. Among other things, they provide structure, protect our organs, and store calcium. By maintaining healthy bones, we will be rewarded with a strong body that is ready to take on all the challenges and fun life has in store.

Here’s how the process works: old bones in our body constantly break down as new ones are formed. When we are young, we gain more than we lose; but at around 30 years of age, the trend reverses. This shows the importance of building a solid “bone bank” to reduce the risk of osteoporosis (or brittle bones).

While innate factors such as gender, race and family history can affect bone health, there are simple but effective tips you can follow to fortify your bone bank.

• Eat a balanced diet that contains plenty of calcium as well as Vitamin D, which you need to absorb calcium. In general, the required amounts increase with age.
• Limit the consumption of tobacco and alcohol.
• Don’t forget to build weight-bearing exercises like walking and jogging into your day-to-day life.

These activities will help slow the loss of bones.

If you have concerns over your bone health, your doctor may order a bone density test and offer recommendations on what you can do, including possible medications. In any case, staying active and vigilant are the best ways of promoting strong bones. They could turn out to be the best investments you can make on your health.

By Daria Horbal, BSc. Phm.