Have you ever had a sudden, severe pain in your bones, lower back, or perhaps even a change in your posture? Well, there's a probability that your bones are weak if you suffer these things frequently. For various reasons, many people, especially the elderly, experience persistent pain in their bones and joints. Your bone health may decline as you age. And this is one of the most important reasons why you should take care of your bones. While many of us eat different foods and take supplements to keep ourselves healthy, special attention should also be paid to our bone.
However, if you are unsure of what all things can be added to improve your bone health, let nutritionist Namami Agarwal tell you.
(Also Read: Vitamin C Benefits: Load Up On These Foods For Healthy And Strong Bones)
Recently, the celebrity nutritionist posted on bone health and enlightened us on three foods that are best for the same. First, she mentions sesame seeds. As per Nmami, sesame seeds are easily available in the market. They are also rich in phosphorus and calcium.
Lastly, she talks about ragi. She says ragi is also rich in calcium, which is great for your bones. One can make ragi chilla, pancakes, rotis, and more and serve them to kids.
As Namami shared these everyday items to add to your diet, there are also more fruits and vegetables that you can include in your diet. Check out some of them below:
1.Pineapple
Pineapple is a source of potassium, which helps to balance the body's acid load and prevents calcium loss. It does not directly feed the body with vitamin D or calcium. Additionally, it contains a lot of vitamin A.
2. Spinach
The calcium-rich green leafy vegetable can aid in the formation of bones and teeth. The body may get about 25% of its daily calcium needs from one cup of cooked spinach. Iron and Vitamin A are also abundant in fiber-rich leaves.
3. Nuts
In addition to calcium, with is essential for bone health, nuts also contain magnesium and phosphorus. Magnesium helps the body absorb calcium and keep it in the bones.
4. Bananas
In addition to aiding digestion, bananas are a fantastic source of magnesium. The vitamin is crucial for the formation of the bones and teeth. A banana every day may prevent weak bones.
5. Papaya
A serving of 100 gm of papaya is believed to contain 20 mg of calcium, a significant quantity for tropical fruit. Include it in your daily diet.
Before adding these ingredients to your diet, always remember to have them in moderation!
People with weakened bones (osteoporosis) shouldn't be afraid to exercise regularly, says a consensus statement drawn up by an expert panel on how best to maximise bone health, stave off fracture risk, and improve posture in those with the condition, and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
They should be encouraged to do more rather than less, with an exercise routine that includes muscle strengthening exercises on 2 to 3 days of the week and brief bursts of moderate impact activities, such as jogging, aerobics, or Zumba on most days, says the statement.
And for those who have already sustained a vertebrall fracture, or who are frail/elderly, the advice is to include lower impact exercise up to the level of brisk walking for 20 minutes every day.
An estimated 137 million women and 21 million men have osteoporosis, with this prevalence expected to double within the next 40 years, notes the statement.
Hip and spine fractures can interfere with independence and reduce life expectancy, while vertebral fractures are associated with long-term pain.
Regular exercise strengthens bones, reduces the risk of fractures and falls, and improves posture, as well as boosting overall mental and physical health, so it's important that people with osteoporosis don't miss out on these health benefits.
But continuing uncertainties about what type of physical activity people with, or at risk of, osteoporosis can safely do, particularly later in life or when bones have already significantly weakened, has left clinicians in the dark about what to recommend, and deterred those with the condition from regular physical activity for fear of worsening it or sustaining a fracture.
Key recommendations include:
1. Progressive resistance training and impact exercise involving major muscle groups to maximise bone strength
2. Resistance training ideally uses resistance machines or weights, building up gradually to heavy loads (the maximum that can be lifted 8 to 12 times). If this isn't an option, circuit training; rowing; Pilates or yoga; stair climbing; sit to stands; heavy housework, gardening, DIY may be good muscle-strengthening alternatives
3. Running, jumping, aerobics, Scottish dancing/Zumba and many ball games are examples of impact exercise
4. Activities to improve strength and balance to reduce fall risk, such as Tai chi, Pilates, and yoga; referral to recognised falls prevention programmes
5. Spinal extension exercises to improve posture and potentially curb the risk of falls and vertebral fractures: examples available on https://theros.org.uk
6. Avoidance of postures involving a high degree of forwards bending of the spine, such as toe touches, curl-ups, or picking up heavy objects without bending at the knees and hips
7. For people with previous fractures, including of the vertebrae, or who are frail/elderly, exercise only up to an impact equivalent to brisk walking
8. For those at risk of falls, start with targeted strength and balance training
9. Breathing and pelvic floor exercises can help ease symptoms that may be worsened by severe curvature of the spine (spinal kyphosis)
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