How Women Can Improve Their Bone Health
Osteoporosis can affect women long before they reach what they might think of as old age. They might not even realize they have weak bones until they fall and suffer a fracture.
Bone health is one of the most important aspects of women’s health and yet also one of the most overlooked. Many women fail to realize how important their bone health is and how at risk they are because of their genetics, gender, age, or dietary habits. Here are some things that women can do or change to positively affect bone health.
Get Plenty of Calcium
In order to have strong bones, you will need to be absorbing adequate calcium from your food. You can find great sources of calcium in milk, green leafy veggies, some orange juice (check to see if it is calcium fortified), salmon (containing bones) and canned sardines. Other foods may contain some calcium, but these will be your best and most readily available sources.
Get Plenty of Vitamin D Too
Another nutrient that is crucially important to the health of your bones and the prevention of osteoporosis is Vitamin D. This is known as the sunshine vitamin, because your best source for it is from sunshine. Of course you want to be careful about exposing your skin to sunlight for too long at too hot of temperatures, since that can cause skin cancer and burns, but getting plenty of outside time, even if you are just sitting down, is great for your Vitamin D absorption. It’s very healthy for your bones, and people who spend much of their lives outdoors tend to have better bene health in their old age.
You can get this vitamin through the food you eat as well. Here are some of the top foods to source Vitamin D from:
- Cheese
- Egg yolks
- Beef liver
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Any fatty fish
- Soy milk
- Some cereals (look for “Vitamin D fortified”)
- Orange juice
- Dairy milk
Watch the Unhealthy Habits
If you talk to the women’s clinic Singapore specialists about bone health, some of the top advice they will give you is to watch those vices and harmful habits. They can be hurting your bone health, which you may not realize because you might be more aware of the other harmful effects.
We’re talking about drinking alcohol, smoking, not exercising, drinking too much caffeine, and not getting the right kind of exercise. All of these contribute to poor overall health and more specifically to poor bone health.
If you want strong, healthy bones that will support you well into your later years, then you need to take the initiative early on to eat right, exercise, and give up smoking and alcohol, if those are vices of yours. You also have to watch for secondhand smoke. If you have a roommate, spouse or family member who lives with you that smokes, you should try to change that situation to protect yourself from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
The women’s clinic Singapore health specialists can advise you specifically on what you need to do and what you can change in your life. If you have questions or you want to understand what you might be doing wrong with your bone health, then you should schedule a consultation. You can find out very helpful information that will empower you to make smarter decisions and to protect your bones for now and in the future.
Don’t Wait to Take Action
If you are concerned about your bone health either right now or for later on in life, now is the time to do something about it. Even if you are elderly, you can still make changes to strengthen your bones. You can change your dietary habits, get more time outside and even exercise. Talk to your doctor before making any major changes to your dietary or exercise routines, and be prepared to change how you live to fortify your bones and ensure great bone health for the future.
It could help to have your bones tested, and the women’s clinic Singapore specialists can perform that test for you to help you find out where your bone health stands right now.