Bone strength normally increases as children develop, to about age 25. It usually stays about the same for another decade. After age 35, people lose bone density (a measurement of the solidness of the bones) every year. Millions of Americans have low bone density and millions more have osteoporosis, a severe weakening of the bones. Eat right, exercise, avoid risky behaviors, and see your chiropractor in Fayetteville AR regularly - these things are good for all aspects of your health.

Investigating Bone Strength in Fayetteville AR

When bones are weak, they're more likely to break. This can create serious problems:

• First, falls and broken bones are health problems in and of themselves. Americans spend about a billion dollars a year on the direct health costs of osteoporosis fractures, before even considering indirect costs like missing work or needing household help.
• Second, older people who fall often become nervous and cautious about movement afterwards, and giving up exercise and normal movement has further health consequences.
• Third, both bone weakness and that cautiousness can rob people of their independence by making it difficult or dangerous for them to live on their own.

All adults should take steps to build and maintain bone strength. Fortunately, many of the precautions against losing bone strength are normal parts of a healthy lifestyle:

• See your chiropractor regularly. Chiropractic adjustments increase your range of motion and keep your joints in good health so you can exercise comfortably.
• Exercise regularly. Weight-bearing exercise is key to bone strength. 30 minutes a day of walking, dancing, or other movement will strengthen bones - and help with balance, too, to make falls less likely.
• Get enough calcium. Kale, broccoli, almonds, and dairy products are good sources of calcium.
• Get enough vitamin D. In the bad old days when kids worked all day in sweatshops and milk was too expensive for city kids, rickets was a common childhood ailment. Now, when so many kids spend their free time with video games and drink soda instead of milk, we're beginning to see vitamin D deficiencies in the U.S. again. Spend some time in the sun and choose fortified dairy products.
• Get enough B vitamins, too. Potatoes, bananas, beans, meat, fish, and poultry are your friends when it comes to the B vitamins.
• Eat more potassium-rich foods. Potassium turns out to be important for bone strength, too. Avocados, fish, beans, nuts, dried fruits, many herbs and spices, and dark chocolate are potassium powerhouses.
• Drink tea, not cola. A four-year study of elderly women found that tea drinkers lost less than half as much bone density over the course of the study compared with those who didn't drink tea. Separate studies found that cola drinks are associated with low bone density - probably because the phosphoric acid in cola is neutralized by the body with calcium, which may be leached from the bones for the purpose.
• Give up smoking and drinking. Excessive alcohol and smoking both are correlated with weaker bones. .5 to 1 drink a day does not seem to harm bones, and people who drink at this level have lower incidence of hip fractures.
• Watch out for depression. In clinical studies, people who were depressed had higher levels of osteoporosis. In fact, depression was as bad for bone health as smoking.

Make them part of your life now and you'll be less likely to suffer from osteoporosis later. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Myshka today to discuss your own particular health needs. Call (479) 442-0676.