Your bones are the framework of your body. They keep you upright and protect your organs, heart, and brain. But, did you know they do much more than that?
The white blood cells that make up your immune system, platelets that are used for clotting, and red blood cells are all made in the bone marrow.
Your bones are the biggest mineral storage in your body. The minerals calcium and magnesium are needed for healthy bones but are also used in many other functions of your body such as muscle contractions and regular heart patterns.
New research now shows that the protein osteocalcin, produced by the bones to rebuild bone, also acts as a hormone to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, and burns fat.
As we age, our storage of these life-giving minerals become depleted, and we start to see health problems because if it.
Taking simple steps, like the three I am going to share with you, can help you maintain healthy bones and avoid deficiencies that can lead to disease.
Top 3 Bone Health Tips
1. Supplement calcium, magnesium, Vitamin A&D, and Vitamin K. If you don’t get enough in your diet, then adding a supplement to make sure you get enough is very important. Click here to learn more about these nutrients.
2. Get the right amount of protein. Bones are also made up of protein and need it to absorb calcium. On the flip side, too much protein leaches calcium from the bones to balance the blood PH since protein raises acidity. Around 20% of your diet should be protein.
3. Exercise such as weightlifting, walking, hiking, or playing sports is great for strengthening and maintaining healthy bones. Studies show that older men and women that performed these types of exercise improved bone strength and bone mineral density.
Getting Started
First, take a look at your diet. If you’re not getting a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables each day, then you will want to supplement the nutrients mentioned above. We have put together a pack for the bones and joints that include all these nutrients and more. Click here to learn more.
Next, you will want to calculate your protein for the day. I personally get an idea of what the protein amount is in the foods I regularly eat and add or cut back from there. For example, if you consume 2000 calories, then you will want to eat around 100 grams (4 calories per gram) of protein per day. You don’t have to be exact, just try and stay close within this range.
Exercise is great for your bones and every other function in your body. It even lowers stress and anxiety. Exercise is one of those things that we all know we should do but usually find an excuse not to. The problem most people have when it comes to exercise is that they expect results too soon and/or the goal they set seems too far out there. I personally think we are exercising for the wrong reason. Exercise provides immediate health results but instead of focusing on those we are told to set a weight loss goal for the future and put focus there. in most cases this leads to disappointment and failure because it’s hard to find motivation without results. And since the results you are looking for are in the future instead of the present moment, exercise feels like torture without reword. But when you understand what is going on inside your body during and after exercise, you’ll be much more motivated to do it and more likely to continue. The reward is health, and the bonus is weight loss.
Every time you exercise:
- Your cells communicate in harmony.
- Cholesterol levels start moving towards balance by raising HDL’s and lowering LDL’s.
- Endorphines are produced, and stress hormones burn off.
- Your lungs open up and more oxygen is delivered throughout your body.
- The lymphatic system moves out toxins and boosts your immune response.
- Brain function improves, and you become more focused.
- Energy levels go up
The list goes on and on. These are the things we should be focusing on instead of losing a certain weight by a specific time. The weight loss will happen all on its own overtime and by not making that your main focus for exercising, will give you the freedom to release the stress that comes with those types of goals. Write down your goals but then put them away in a drawer and start exercising for what it provides you today. In 6 months to a year, you can revisit the goals you wrote down and see how much you’ve accomplished.
Pick the exercise you enjoy the most and commit 30 minutes a day for 3 – 6 days a week and watch the magic happen.
Recent Comments