What Makes Bones Strong?
Strong bones are literally the framework that holds us up and helps us move. We develop half of our skeletal mass between the ages of 11 and 20. Although bone density changes over the course of our lives, and we can't change our race or gender, we can protect our bones and keep them strong if we pay attention to a few things. Most are interdependent upon each other.
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Dietary Factors
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Calcium and vitamin D are essential components of the diet for strong bones. According to the University of Washington, pre-teens and teenagers require 1200mg of calcium daily. This is the most critical stage of bone development. Adults require slightly less (1000mg). Calcium is found in milk, yogurt and other dairy products. It is also found in almonds, broccoli and beans. Vitamin D is helpful in the absorption of calcium and is found in fortified milk, eggs and sunshine. The daily requirement for vitamin D is 400-800 IU (International Units) daily. According to the University of Michigan, 5 to 15 minutes a couple of times each week in the sun is helpful to produce vitamin D.
Weight
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Bone strength is one of the few categories in which a little more weight is a good thing. Teenagers especially, who are too thin, risk brittle bones. In older adults when hormone levels are diminishing, extra body fat may serve to hold on to hormones that protect bone health.
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Exercise
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Exercise, especially concussive exercise like walking, running and gymnastics can protect strong bones and help them stay that way. The concussion (bone jolting) is necessary to keep bones strong. Nearly any exercise that requires the bones to bear weight can help to protect them.
Hormones
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The sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone, depend upon a healthy weight to stay at normal levels. This is why teens, especially, who are too thin, may not develop strong bones. Other hormones play roles in growing and maintaining strong bones too. There are several that come from the pituitary gland, the thyroid and parathyroid glands. Proper nutrition is important to maintain good weight, healthy hormone levels and strong bones.
Considerations
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According to the Journal of Child Nutrition and Management, kids who have milk for lunch are more likely to get enough calcium than those who choose another beverage at lunchtime. An amazing fact about bones is that babies are born with 300 bones. Since some of them fuse together early in life, we say that humans have 206 bones even though we start out with more.
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