Building strong bones throughout your life

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Building strong bones throughout your life

By Christianna McCausland

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/04/04/healthmag.bones/index.html?

eref=rss_health

The truth: By age 35 your bone strength has usually peaked, and by

age 50 your risk of breaking a bone because of osteoporosis may be as

high as one in two. But here's an important secret: Experts say smart

lifestyle choices-from workouts to the right supplements-can greatly

improve your odds of avoiding bone problems. What should you do right

now? Just follow this age-specific game plan.

The 30s

Studies suggest that increase in body fat may lead to decreases in

bone production.

Diet smarter

Serial dieting to stay in shape in your 30s comes with a big

cost. " Women who take in fewer calories than they burn have decreases

in production of estrogen that can be harmful to bones, especially

over the long term, " says Joan Lappe, Ph.D., R.N., a Creighton

University professor of medicine and a researcher with Creighton's

Osteoporosis Research Center.

Estrogen helps your bones absorb calcium and enables your body to use

calcium more efficiently. A few weeks of dieting are thought to be

harmless; any bone mass lost is likely reversible, says

, M.D., Ph.D., a past president of the National Osteoporosis

Foundation. But several months or longer could be harmful.

What should you eat? Foods that help you reach the daily

recommendation of 1,000 milligrams of calcium-but you don't have to

count on dairy if you're worried about fat. Collard greens (179 mg of

calcium per serving), kale (90 mg), broccoli (90 mg), and almonds (71

mg) are great calcium sources. Supplements can be helpful, too, but

don't ignore this: Diets loaded with fruit and veggies are linked to

a lower incidence of osteoporosis. Health.com: Get calcium-rich foods

and recipes

Learn to relax

Between sleepless nights with restless toddlers, selling the boss on

a charity project, and seeing that everyone gets dinner, it's hard to

decompress. And that spells trouble for your bones. " When you're

under chronic stress, you raise your level of cortisol, a hormone

that alters mineral absorption. That begins to waste your calcium-a

building block for bones, " says LaValle, RPh, a clinical

pharmacist, board-certified nutritionist, and author of Smart

Medicine for Healthier Living. Cortisol is actually the natural form

of cortisone-based medications, which can thin the bones. Bottom

line: Insist on some low-stress Me Time now-at the spa or in between

the pages of a great novel-and your bones will thank you later.

Drink a little less

You may want a buzz, but your bones don't. Studies show that more

than two drinks a day boosts your risk of bone loss later in life,

says. Too much alcohol is toxic to cells that make new bone.

Alcohol is a diuretic, too, flushing out bone-building minerals

through the kidneys before they're absorbed. Drinking increases your

risk of breast cancer, as well; the odds go up 10 percent for women

who have between one and two drinks per day, compared with those who

have less than one, and by 30 percent if you have more than three

drinks a day. Health.com: Is alcohol really good for you?

The 40s

Back off the brownies

Life doesn't slow down in the 40s, but women sometimes do. The upshot

can be weight gain, a possible risk for bone problems. Studies

suggest that increases in body fat lead may lead to decreases in bone

production. Bone up with fiber-rich fruit instead of sweets; you'll

feel fuller and be less likely to pig out on fatty foods.

Move your way

Can't get to the gym? No problem. Weight lifting is great for bone-

building, but experts say that virtually any kind of exercise

strengthens your bones. The key is to work against gravity so that

your bones get stronger to handle the load.

Jogging, hiking, climbing stairs at work, doing aerobics in your

living room, dancing, or playing tennis will get the job done. Most

docs recommend doing these kinds of weight-bearing exercises for at

least 30 minutes three or four times a week. Lifting weights two or

three times a week is plenty. Like your muscles, your bones need rest

days to restore themselves.

Get tested

Perimenopause brings with it wild hormone swings that may lead to

bone loss. Estrogen levels start to drop dramatically in your 40s,

which weakens your frame. The change could lead to low bone mass, or

osteopenia, as well as an increased risk of osteoporosis. Roughly 27

million American women have osteopenia. What to do? Between 45 and

50, find out where you stand with a bone density (DEXA) scan, Lappe

says. The results may uncover a need for medication. The test is a

five-minute X-ray, and your insurance plan should cover it. Ask

first. Health.com: Making sense of medical tests

The 50s

Eat mindfully

When you hit menopause, your estrogen levels fall quickly and the

need for bone-building calcium becomes extra-important. Dairy foods

like milk, cheese, and yogurt are great calcium sources, as are

fortified foods like orange juice and cereal. But be mindful about

everything you eat. Consuming a lot of salty foods, protein from

meat, and caffeine can actually reduce your body's ability to absorb

calcium, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. One study

found that three cups of coffee per day could lead to bone loss. But

here's the good news: Adding one to two tablespoons of skim milk to

your cup of joe can help prevent that.

Supplement wisely

Women over 50 are supposed to get 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily.

You'll probably need a supplement to get that much because even

calcium-rich sources like six ounces of yogurt have only 230

milligrams. And don't just fixate on calcium. You also need 800 to

1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D, which helps your body

absorb the calcium. Your body makes D from sunlight, but too much of

it poses skin-cancer risks. Salmon has a lot of D, as do many foods

fortified with calcium. But experts say there's a strong chance you

won't get enough D to keep your bones strong at this age. So a

calcium-vitamin D supplement makes sense. LaValle recommends Citracal

Plus, which has 250 mg of an easily absorbed form of calcium and 125

IU of vitamin D per pill. Health.com: The best multivitamin for you

Strive for balance

The older you are, the less likely you are to have good balance,

which can lead to debilitating falls and broken bones. " Your reflexes

get slower, so it's more difficult to protect yourself against

falls, " says. The risk is greater if you have low bone

density. Boost your balance with a Tai Chi or yoga class. Bonus:

You'll kick stress out the door-and worry less about osteoporosis.