Contents:
- Medical Video: A simple way to break a bad habit | Judson Brewer
- Bad habits that you must avoid to prevent bone loss when you are older
- 1. Smoking
- 3. Lack of sleep
Medical Video: A simple way to break a bad habit | Judson Brewer
Bone plays many roles in your body, including supporting good posture, protecting organs in the body, supporting muscles, and storing calcium. As you age, your bones will slowly lose their density, which makes you vulnerable to bone loss or other bone problems. But osteoporosis can be slowed or even prevented altogether if you maintain bone health during childhood, adolescence, and even adulthood. Here are some things you need to avoid to maintain bone health.
Bad habits that you must avoid to prevent bone loss when you are older
1. Smoking
In fact, smoking is not only bad for the lungs, but also bad for your bone health. The study reported through healthguidance.org shows that:
- Smoking can reduce the production of the hormone estrogen which is important for maintaining strong bone health in women.
- Smokers cannot absorb calcium which is important for maintaining strong bones efficiently. Smokers tend to have smaller bone size and lower bone mass.
- The rate of fracture recovery is lower in smokers.
- At age 70, smoker's bone density is 5 percent lower than non-smokers.
2. Bad diet
Nutrition is one of the most important factors for optimal bone growth. So, poor eating habits can cause you to lose some of your body's calcium intake. Here are some eating habits that you need to avoid:
- Too much salt. The more salty food or salt you eat, the more you lose calcium. A study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition in December 2016 found that men in China who have a habit of eating salty foods are more prone to osteoporosis.
- Too much soda. Excessive soda consumption has been linked to a decrease in bone density. The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in September 2014, also noted that the more consumption of soda, the greater the risk of hip fracture.
- Consume excess caffeine. A study published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders in October 2016 found that caffeine consumption contributed to low bone density in postmenopausal women. The study found that consuming caffeine can drain calcium from the bones and reduce bone strength. In addition, the xanthines content in coffee can increase calcium release through urine which triggers porous bones.
- Red meat. Eating too much animal protein can also drain calcium from your bones. Red meat is rich in amino acids containing sulfur. These amino acids can increase the amount of calcium released through the urine, even without your knowing it. But this does not mean you have to eat protein. Within reasonable limits you can still eat meat, but also increase your protein intake from better vegetable sources.
A study published in Advances in Nutrition in January 2017 found that reducing red and processed meat and soft drinks, fried foods, sweets and desserts, and processed grains all had a positive impact on bone health.
3. Lack of sleep
According to a study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine, sleep deprivation can damage the health of bones and bone marrow, reduce and make bone compaction more difficult. As a result, lack of sleep can cause you to experience bone loss (osteopenia) and osteoporosis later on.
