Top 5: Bone up on Bone Health

As we look ahead to this new year, you may be thinking about setting yourself new goals for living well. If you’re looking to protect and strengthen your bones, read on for some of our top tips.

• Move your body

Living an active lifestyle does wonders for your bones. Did you know they get stronger when you use them? This is because your bones are living tissue, just like your muscles. The best types of exercise to do for bone health is both weight-bearing and muscle strengthening. We have a handy list of recommended exercises available on our website, take a look here. You’ll also see information on which exercises are appropriate for different health and mobility levels, helping to tailor these to your needs.

Weight bearing exercise will need to be approached differently for wheelchair users. If your body allows, taking weight throughout the skeleton and standing throughout the day is very beneficial for the bones in your legs. If that’s not available to you, using light dumbbells in your arms is also helpful. The bones that are strengthened will be the ones supported by the muscle groups you exercise.  

• Eat well

It’s unlikely to come as a surprise, but there is a strong correlation between eating a nutritious, balanced diet and bone health. There are many vitamins, minerals and nutrients which benefit your bones; however, calcium and Vitamin D are the most important. You needn’t worry about accounting for these as, in most cases, a balanced diet will provide you with what you need. While there are no foods that are ‘bad’ for bones, some are best enjoyed in moderation, such as caffeine and certain fizzy drinks. For more information about which foods fall into this category, click here.  

• Smoking and alcohol

Did you know that smoking slows down the cells that build bone? This means that smoking could reduce your bone strength and increase your risk of breaking a bone. Smoking also increases the chance of early menopause, and postmenopausal people have a higher risk of osteoporosis. However, because your bones are made of living tissue, your risk of breaking a bone will return to normal after you stop smoking. For advice about giving up smoking, speak to the practice nurse at your surgery, or visit www.nhs.uk/smokefree.

Drinking a lot of alcohol is another lifestyle choice which increases risk of osteoporosis and decreases the health of your bones. Alcohol adversely affects the cells which build bones, much like smoking. It also increases your chances of falling and breaking a bone if you’re unsteady on your feet. The government recommends no more than 14 units of alcohol per week and regular days of no alcohol are advised.

• Health-related risk factors

Some medications and health conditions are known to affect bone strength. You can find a list of these risk factors on our website. If you do find that you are on a medication listed or have a health condition which impacts the strength of your bones, ask your doctor for advice. They may be able to suggest ways you can limit the effect of your medication on your bones. It’s important not to make changes without talking to your doctor as it could cause unnecessary harm to your health.

• Vitamin D

Vitamin D and calcium often go hand in hand as Vitamin D helps your body absorb and use calcium. Calcium itself makes your bones strong and hard, as well as helping your muscles stay strong too. Vitamin D can be found in a balanced diet, sunlight and Vitamin D supplements, if necessary. Most people should consider taking supplements to support a balanced diet between September and April. Read more about Vitamin D and test your knowledge in our quiz.