Tips for strong bones
Our bones begin to age as early as the age of thirty. Almost one in three women and one in five men are affected by bone loss. Here are some tips from the University Hospital Zurich on how to counteract this in good time.
Osteoporosis is a gradual bone disease. Over the years, bone substance degrades throughout the skeleton, changing the structure of our bones. As a result, human bones become more porous and unstable. Osteoporosis often remains undetected for years, as bone loss per se does not cause pain. According to estimates, every third woman and every fifth man suffers from bone loss. The respective sex hormones appear to have an influence, since, for example, testosterone production decreases more slowly in men than in women, who already have a natural estrogen deficiency after menopause.
According to the Unispital Zurich, in a nutshell, the following tips help to reduce the increasing risk of osteoporosis:
- Get and stay moving a lot: However, short quick bursts, such as jogging and skipping, would stimulate the body's cells more than low-impact movements such as swimming and cycling. In older age, one should move more, as well as train endurance and strength.
- Three servings of dairy products a day (for example, one yogurt, 30 g of hard cheese and 2 dl of milk) strengthen the daily need for calcium. But ice whites are also important.
- Sunbathing for about 30 minutes a day around lunchtime is good for vitamin D intake, which ensures that calcium is better absorbed.
- Alcohol should generally only be consumed in small quantities. One beer (3 dl) for women and two beers (3dl) for men per day are fine.
- According to the University Hospital, smoking deprives the body of important vitamins and nutrients. It is better to give up smoking altogether.
- Both underweight and overweight must be avoided. An ideal Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 20 and 25.
Source: Blogpost University Hospital Zurich (read the whole article)
