5 ways to keep your bones strong

Active senior woman walking doing in the park

As you get older, your bones tend to get more fragile. For some people, it can be more serious. More than 10 million adults in the U.S. have osteoporosis, and more than 80% of them are women.

“Osteoporosis is often called a ‘silent disease’ because people don’t know they have it until something happens,” says Dr. Amy Vehec, a medical director for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. “As with many other health conditions, taking preventive action is crucial to reducing your risk of getting injured.”

What is osteoporosis? 

Dr. Vehec: Osteoporosis is a disease that develops when your bone mass and bone mineral density decrease, leaving your bones weaker and more fragile. Normally, your body continually breaks down old bone tissue and replaces it with new bone tissue. But if you lose more bone than you replace, your bones become weaker, thinner, and more brittle. As a result, you’re more likely to fracture or break a bone, even from low-impact or low-risk activities.

Who’s at risk for osteoporosis?  

Dr. Vehec: Everyone’s risk of developing osteoporosis goes up as they age. In fact, low bone mass is a public health threat for about 54 million adults over age 50 in the U.S. But women tend to develop osteoporosis at a much higher rate than men. Post-menopausal White and Asian women are at especially high risk, as are those who are underweight.

Other risk factors include a history of smoking, hyperthyroidism, a family history of osteoporosis, malnutrition, low estrogen levels in women and low testosterone levels in men.

However, you might not notice any symptoms until you break a bone. Watch for these signs:

  • Stooped or hunched posture
  • Loss of height over time
  • Severe back pain from a spinal fracture
  • A bone breaks easily from a normal activity or a minor fall

If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your doctor.

How to enhance your bone health 

Dr. Vehec: Try these strategies to keep your bones strong:

  1. Eat foods rich in calcium and vitamin D which are the building blocks for your bones. Calcium-rich foods like milk, yogurt, and green leafy vegetables can help strengthen your bones. Foods high in vitamin D, like milk and fish from the ocean, can help, too.
  2. Supplements might help. Talk to your doctor before you take any type of supplement. But if your doctor agrees that you may need extra calcium or vitamin D, taking a supplement might help.
  3. Embrace an exercise routine. Exercise makes your bones stronger.  With regular exercise, your body builds more bone and bone density improves. Weight-bearing exercise, like walking, dancing or jogging, is especially important for maintaining healthy bones. Most people think that strength-training exercises just build muscle mass, but they also help build stronger bones.

If you’ve already been diagnosed with osteoporosis or you know you’re at risk, talk to your doctor before you begin a new exercise routine. Together, you can plan the most appropriate type of physical activity for you.

  1. Stop smoking. If you smoke cigarettes, here’s more incentive to quit. Nicotine can contribute to osteoporosis. Smoking reduces the blood supply to your bones and slows the production of the cells that make new bone. Smoking also inhibits the amount of calcium that you absorb. As a result, you’re at greater risk for fractures. Older adults who smoke are 30-40% more likely to break a hip than non-smokers.
  2. Reduce your alcohol intake. Research suggests that drinking more alcohol may raise your risk of bone loss and the risk of possible fractures. If you drink alcohol regularly, you may want to cut back.

“No single strategy will keep your bones healthy and strong,” Dr. Vehec says. “You need to embrace a lifestyle that helps you stay active and healthy for as long as possible.”

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Jennifer Larson

Jennifer Larson is Nashville-based writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience. She specializes in health care and family issues.

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Get more information about specific health terms, topics and conditions to better manage your health on bcbst.com. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee members can access wellness-related discounts on fitness products, gym memberships, healthy eating and more through Blue365®. BCBST members can also find tools and resources to help improve health and well-being by logging into BlueAccess and going to the Managing Your Health tab.