What Causes Bone Loss? Increase Bone Density By Making These Healthy Lifestyle Changes

Healthy bones are extremely important in all the stages of life. Bone loss or osteoporosis is a disease that affects the bones. Over time, a person with osteoporosis will lose bone density. Osteoporosis is a serious bone disease and elderly will have to deal with it in their lifetime. The bones become more weak and brittle, which increases the risk of a fracture. Bones naturally have holes and spaces in them, but with osteoporosis, the holes and spaces grow much larger. One usually does not notice osteoporosis until a bone breaks. Unfortunately, the disease develops silently because as such there are no signs of the bone loss before a fracture. A bone break that occurs due to a minor injury like a sneeze, bump or fall could be a sign of osteoporosis. Other common signs of the disease include height loss or a curving spine. Although the disease may not be completely preventable, some effective steps can be taken to lower the risk of the disease with a healthy lifestyle.

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Top 5 ways which can help you deal with osteoporosis:

1. Regular physical exercise:

Regular exercise is one of the most important things you can do to prevent osteoporosis. Exercises like swimming, aerobics, push-ups, zumba, walking and jogging can be really effective and should be done almost everyday.

2. Healthy diet:

Some lifestyle changes can improve bone growth and development and minimize the risk of osteoporosis. Eating foods that are rich in calcium, proteins, vegetables, vitamin D and vitamin K throughout a person's life will help build strong bones. Bones do not strengthen within a day. They continue to grow and strengthen throughout adolescence, reaching peak bone mass in a person's mid-20s. Developing a healthy lifestyle early in life helps in building strong bones.

3. Maintain a healthy body weight:

In addition to healthy and nutritious diet, a healthy body weight is also essential. Being underweight increases the risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis. While weight loss can lead to poor bone health, obese individuals are also at a higher risk of osteoporosis.

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4. Calcium:

We cannot forget calcium if we are talking about bone strength. Calcium is the most important mineral which is found in our bones. It should be consumed everyday in order to protect your bone health. Include healthy sources of calcium in your diet like milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and almonds.

5. Stress:

Stress raises cortisol levels. If cortisol levels are high for too long it can cause bone loss. Cortisol antagonizes insulin and leads to insulin resistance, eventually raising the blood sugar levels and causing calcium loss in the urine. Therefore, you should avoid taking stress and ensure adequate sleep. 

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Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.