BONE HEALTH: EXERCISES THAT HELP IN MAKING BONES STRONGER

Maintaining bone health is crucial, especially as we age. Exercise plays a vital role in strengthening bones, and there are various types of workouts that can help enhance bone density and overall bone health.

Weight-bearing exercises are highly effective for strengthening bones. These exercises create a force on your bones, forcing them to work harder. Activities like brisk walking, jogging, running, and engaging in sports such as tennis, badminton, ping pong, or pickleball, can significantly benefit bone health. Dancing is also an enjoyable and bone-strengthening workout option.

Resistance training exercises not only build muscle but also stress your bones, making them stronger. This type of exercise can involve weight machines, free weights, resistance bands, and even bodyweight exercises like pushups and pullups.

Balance training exercises are particularly important for older adults to improve balance and prevent falls. Practices like Tai chi, yoga, walking backward, and lunges are excellent for enhancing balance, reducing the risk of falls, and maintaining bone health throughout life.

In addition to exercise, a balanced diet is essential for building and maintaining healthy bones. Calcium and vitamin D are key nutrients for bone health. Foods rich in calcium, such as dairy products, green leafy vegetables (excluding spinach), soya beans, tofu, nuts, and fish like sardines and pilchards (where you eat the bones) should be a part of your diet. Vitamin D aids in calcium absorption and can be obtained from sun exposure or dietary sources.

Taking these steps to incorporate exercise, especially weight-bearing and resistance training, into your routine and maintaining a diet that includes bone-boosting nutrients like calcium and vitamin D, will contribute to better bone health. Don’t underestimate the importance of bone health, as it’s an investment in your longterm well-being, helping to prevent bonerelated issues as you age.