Ever noticed that the elderly are more prone to fractures, bone displacements, and bone diseases? You may think that fragile bones are a part and parcel of aging. But that’s not true. It’s easier to maintain healthy bones than you may think. Yes, it is important to build strong and healthy bones as a child, but you can do your bit to keep your bones in good shape as an adult.
Ignoring bone health can lead to bone-related conditions, foremost among which is osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis, known as a silent killer is a common disorder that basically refers to the decrease in the density of bones. It later results in fragile bones. This is because of the fact that the bones turn out to be abnormally porous, similar to a sponge. The bones succumb to weakness and this leads to persistent and sore fractures.
HOW TO MAINTAIN BONE HEALTH
Bones usually become stronger in adulthood. Although as age progresses, bone density begins to decrease. Hence, a few begin to develop osteoporosis since their bone density decreases at a faster rate due to less or loss of calcium from bones.
As per studies, it has been observed that usually women, in general, are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis. As women grow older and reach menopause there is a decline in the female hormone – estrogen, due to which they could possibly lose up to 20% of their bone density
There are many factors that accelerate the decline of bone health. Some of these include low levels of calcium intake and vitamin D, lack of exercise, consumption of alcohol, smoking, a sluggish lifestyle. Apart from these, there are several other factors that contribute to the weakening of bones. Other issues that can lead to and further bone diseases include Type 1 Diabetes, Lupus,, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Celiac Disease, and so on.
CAN AYURVEDA HELP IN MAINTAINING BONE HEALTH?
Ayurveda paves the way to keep osteoporosis and other bone-related illnesses at bay! Whether or not you believe in natural remedies, these simple tips will help you avert bone disorders:
Consume your veggies
Green vegetables such as turnip, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, sprouts, black gram, whole grains, and fortified oatmeal go a long way in increasing the density of your bones. Lentils, chickpeas, soybeans, and beans with tofu soy milk are also beneficial to the bones too. If you don’t consume meat and animal products, it’s even more important for you to get your calcium via plant sources. Tofu, soya, nuts, bread (and anything made with fortified flour), etc are important food groups you need to consume daily.
Inclusion of ayurvedic herbs and remedies in your lifestyle
You can’t deny that our forefathers had healthier lifestyles and stronger bones, better stamina and better health than we do. How did they manage all that without modern medicine? They turned to nature, of course.. Ayurvedic herbs and remedies are proven to shield your body from diseases and offer improved health benefits as well. Including Shatavari, jatamansi, ashwagandha and bala in your day-to-day diet aids in strengthening the bones. If you live in the city, procuring these herbs may be difficult. Amrutam, India’s best Ayurvedic healthcare brand can help. Consume natural remedies for bones such as Orthokey gold malt, pain oil, balm, and capsules. Depending on whether you suffer from joint pain, or just want to keep your bones hale and hearty, choose one, two or a combo of Orthokey products from Amrutam to suit your needs.
Increase in calcium and vitamin D intake
Calcium aids in building bone density. Dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, non-fat and low-fat milk are excellent sources of calcium. On the other hand, vitamin D helps your body in absorbing calcium. Fish like tuna, salmon, sardines, and mackerel consist of a lot of vitamin D. All these ought to be consumed so as to help in firming bones. Remember to get enough time in the sun to soak in that vitamin D. Going for a morning or evening walk is always a great idea!
Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine
Alcohol unfortunately meddles with the body’s potential in absorbing and sucking up calcium. Moreover, caffeine has high diuretic properties that exude volumes of calcium in the urine thus leading to loss of bone density. Soft drinks and tea to decrease the absorption capacity of calcium. So stay away from these drinks, especially if you’re in your late adulthood. In fact, the earlier you stop consuming these regularly, the better it is for your overall health, not just bone health.
Feed on moderate quantities of seeds and nuts
Nuts that contain potassium like almonds and peanuts protect against the loss of calcium via urine. Soaking a teaspoon full of white sesame seeds in water overnight or simply chewing on them slowly is a great way of strengthening your bones. Flaxseeds and walnuts are omega-3 fatty acids-rich nuts that are extremely beneficial towards the prevention of osteoporosis. Apart from these, any sort of nut is good for your health. In fact, if you are vegan, consuming nut milk has even more importance in your diet.
Apart from diet therapy, there are other ways to make your bones physically tougher and stronger such as :
Hormone Replacement Therapy. It is a form of therapy wherein either estrogen alone or a combination of both progestin and estrogen are used in order to prevent and treat osteoporosis in women.
Medicines. Medicines that reduce fractures and improve bone strength, medicines that stop cells from breaking down the bone, hormones that avoid bone loss altogether and estrogen supplements, ayurvedic products for weak bones, natural products for bone health, etc. are a few products used to treat osteoporosis
Strengthening your bones is not as difficult as people purview it to be. There are plenty of ayurvedic ways that can be followed so as to harden up weak bones. Although before beginning any sort of ayurvedic regime for the same, consult a doctor or an authorized physician beforehand and avoid self-diagnosing of bone-related diseases or osteoporosis.
