Trends to Increase Bone Mass and Prevent Bone Loss | Miki's Hope

Trends to Increase Bone Mass and Prevent Bone Loss

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Anyone can experience bone loss. It is especially common in women who are going through menopause. However, if you work at it, you can not only prevent bone loss, you can increase your bone mass. This will make your bones stronger, and generally make you healthier.

Image via Flickr by Official U.S. Navy Imagery

One prevalent reason people start to lose bone mass is because their muscles are not strong. It sounds a little silly at first, but all of the systems in your body are connected. If you exercise and keep you muscles strong, your bones are likely to stay strong as well.

Chronic Inflammation can Chip Away at Bones

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Are you constantly in pain? If your body suffers from chronic inflammation, it can cause more than just pain. In fact, inflammation around your gut can cause your body to not absorb calcium and other nutrients it needs to keep your bones strong. Inflammation in other areas can eventually lead to deterioration of the bones. To combat this, talk with your doctor about the best ways to keep inflammation down. You may be prescribed medication or you might be told to restrict your diet.

A Glass of Wine a Day Keeps the Doctor Away


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Did you know that your nightly glass of wine can actually help improve your health. Women who drink 1-2 drinks a day have been shown to have a higher bone mineral density than those who do not drink. The alcohol seems to slow down the bone turnover rate, allowing bones to grow and strengthen.

Get Medication

Image via Flickr by trekkyandy

There are medications that can help stop bone loss, and even increase bone density. These medications are extremely helpful for women going through menopause. When you buy Actonel, you are getting a medication that has been shown to help women increase their bone mass. Make sure you talk to your doctor about any medications you take.

Increase Your Calcium Intake

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Calcium helps increase bone mass. Because of this, it is important to get enough calcium each day. It is suggested that women over 50 should get about 1,200 milligrams of calcium each day. This will help stop bone loss and increase bone density. If you have good calcium intake through your life, you can keep from losing too much bone mass as you get older.

Quit Smoking Cigarettes


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If you needed another reason to kick the habit, think about your bones. In a three year long study in Brazil that was published in 2010, it was found that smoking was the leading cause of fractures and bone loss in women. There is a toxic effect that is a part of nicotine. This causes estrogen levels to lower, can make menopause come earlier, and also inhibits the bone-forming cells in the body. Smoking cigarettes can increase spontaneous bone loss, which can cause a lot of problems in the body.

Bone mass loss is detrimental to all parts of the body. If you have low bone density, work toward increasing it. For those who do not yet have problems with their bones, it is never a bad idea to look toward the future.


This is a guest post.

12 comments :

Stacee said...

Great information! I just love how more and more research shows that strong muscles help so keeping fit will help those that are experiencing it...oh and the wine too! Thanks for sharing.

Happy Gardening, Kim said...

Damn menopause - it just sucks the life out of ya, doesn't it. I hope someone I know had quit smoking!! Thanks for the info Michele...you rock at your posts!

Unknown said...

Very interesting and informative. Thanks for sharing.

Chubskulit Rose said...

Thanks for these tips Michelle. I am not a wine drinker but I can start now, thanks to you!

Healy Harpster said...

I don't exercise and I have back pain often. I guess my bones are not that strong anymore! Anyway, I liked to drink wine and should do my best to start exercising for my own good!

sandy said...

Love that my nightly glass of wine is good for me.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if non-alcoholic wine has works for that, hmmm. I love working out and wine so hopefully I will be good!

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Wendy Mastin said...

This blog is so great for me. I am experiencing some of the problems. Great tips for me. Thanks

Sherryl Wilson said...

This is a struggle for me.. the inflammation and pain. I will have to ask my doctor about some of the suggestions.

Becca Wilson said...

Thanks for this post. I smoke and I had no idea that it had any link to this!

Unknown said...

My BFF eventually sold me on weight training for exactly this reason (this and the fact that muscle burns more calories than fat). I also eat calcium chews to help me get enough calcium. It's so important to keep your bones strong!

 
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