Bone Health: How to Protect Your Body’s Architecture

Author: Vivian Benjamin

Have you ever imagined how you would look if you had no bones in your body? We would possibly look shapelessly unable to hold anything. The bone inside your body gives you not only a framework but also protection. However, many people are constantly getting bone diseases every year. The most common type of bone disease is osteoporosis, which leads to more than 8.9 million fractures annually worldwide.


Poor nutrition along with lifestyle factors are the main causes of bone impairment which can be modified. On the other hand, non-modifiable aspects are age, gender, and family history.  Apart from that, inflammation and infection also damage your bones.



I always say this to my patients/clients – “your body acts as a whole (one) unit”. Therefore, damage in one part of your body, be it the organ or tissues, eventually leads to damage in other parts of your body.



On the flip (good) side, if you nourish your body from the inside and outside (sufficient nutrition and a positive lifestyle), you can prevent diseases and even heal your body. Of course, I’m not telling if you practice these good habits, you will live longer and not die. Scientific advances are helping us live longer, though not forever. Age is something no one can defy. Nevertheless, you can help your journey in life to be less damageable as possible.



Bone Health in Children
Did you know poor bone health also affects children? Parents must be vigilant in caring for any trauma or accident affecting the child. Similarly, observe your child’s growth on the outside for any abnormalities. If you notice anything that is not right, you can always talk to a healthcare professional. Children may also exhibit pathological fracture, which happens in abnormal bones during everyday activity.



Likewise, it can also occur due to minor trauma. So, checking in with your children after minor trauma is vital. Children may also develop insufficient calcium and vitamin D intake similar to adults. It is the parent’s responsibility to incorporate balanced meals for their children.
 
 
 

An overview of the bone
Did you know there are 206 bones inside your body? We are born with approximately 270 bones, which fuse to become 206 in human adults. It is characterized by long bones, short bones, irregular bones, and flat bones. Bones, muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments are all part of the musculoskeletal system. As the name spells out, your bone is part of a skeleton that provides a frame/structure to the body.



The responsibilities of these features are highly connected therefore; an injury or damage to one component negatively influences the others. To illustrate, if an infection occurs in a joint, it will degenerate articular surfaces on the bones within the joint, additionally; causing local muscle atrophy. Musculoskeletal injuries and diseases generally result in disability and death.



Apart from that, those disabilities can significantly impact your productivity and quality of life. The cells inside your bones are sensitive to the external and internal environment. Therefore, moderate stress enhances bone health, while a lack of stress such as bed rest leads to weak bones.   



There are 3 main functions of your musculoskeletal system:

1. Protection and Support
The system enhances protection and support to other parts of the organ such as the brain, lungs, and heart. Furthermore, it supports all body structures by providing a strong framework.


2. Movement
The musculoskeletal system is also important in mobility. It helps your hands, legs, hip, along with other parts of the body move without any hindrance. This can happen thanks to your joints, which hold the bones together to facilitate the move.


3. Storage for immature blood cells and minerals
Immature blood cells and minerals (phosphorus, calcium, fluoride, and magnesium) are stored in parts of the system. For instance, calcium is stored in the bones. Meanwhile, red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells are produced by the red bone marrow.

 


Nourishing your bone health from the inside
1. Nutrition
Balanced nutrition always has the power to keep you healthy. It significantly influences your body functions including bone health.


Hippocrates, “the father of modern medicine”, has always been associated with these words “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”.


These words are true and I have always mentioned them to my patients/clients. Food has the power to heal as well as to prevent diseases. Nevertheless, it has to be balanced and varied. (Please do note that although certain food can heal your body it cannot heal underlying chronic diseases). 



Your body isn’t the only thing that acts as a whole, but nutrients too. To illustrate, calcium will not fully support your bone health without phosphorus and vitamin D. Similarly, vitamin D needs healthy fats to work its benefits, as it is a fat-soluble vitamin.



To have strong bones you need to incorporate these nutrients in your body:

Calcium and Vitamin D
Ossification is a process where the bone is formed. The bone consists of collagen fibres and mineral crystals (calcium and phosphorus). Several hormones play a key role in facilitating the absorption of calcium for bone formation. The parathyroid hormone regulates the concentration of calcium in the blood. That is to say, both vitamin D and parathyroid hormone help calcium unlock its full potential in bone health.



Remember, vitamin D needs to be made with the help of sunlight therefore, it is recommended to take vitamin D supplements if you’re not having enough exposure to sunlight.

Examples of food that contains calcium:

•     Milk, cheese, yoghurt
•     Tofu, tempeh
•     Broccoli, bok choy, collard greens
•     Soy products

•    Almonds
•    Sesame seeds
•    Seaweeds

 

Examples of food that contains vitamin D:

•     Oily fish (salmon, herring, mackerel)

•      Eggs
•      Fortified food such as cereals and spreads

Examples of food that contains phosphorus:

•    Nuts
•    Grains
•    Beans
•    Lentils

Carbohydrates
Your body thrives in food that gives you energy. Carbohydrates provide calories/energy to maintain bodily functions. Similarly, your bone needs this energy to move. Make sure you have enough intake of this macronutrient. However, support yourself with complex carbohydrates like whole grains.

Examples of food:

•    Peas
•    Beans
•    Whole grains (rye, barley)

Protein
As your bone is made up of cells and tissues, protein is vital to repair them. In addition to that, protein also plays a role in hormone production.

Examples of food:

•     Pulses (lentils, beans, peas)
•     Nuts
•     Seeds
•     Meat
•     Poultry
•     Fish
•     Eggs

 



Nourishing your bone health from the outside
1. Strengthening exercise
Generally, physical exercise is important to keep your body from failing health. Numerous studies have shown evidence that exercise is beneficial to the body. Not only that it is essential for physical health, but also mental health. However, many only perform aerobic exercises but fail to incorporate strengthening exercises.


Strengthening exercise has the power to build muscle mass, muscle strength, and endurance. This form of exercise also has shown benefits to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. The recommendations are to practice either 1 or 2 types of strengthening exercises for at least 30 to 60 minutes. 

Examples of strengthening exercises:

•    Lifting weights
•    Squats
•    Push-ups
•    Sit-ups

2. Healthy weight
Maintaining a healthy weight is important in sustaining bone health. Several studies have stated that obesity protects against osteoporosis. Meanwhile, other studies find no association between obesity and bone health. Nevertheless, maintaining a healthy weight has proven to be beneficial for overall health. As I mentioned earlier, your body acts as a whole (one) unit, therefore since you need to include a balanced nutrition, you must also include a balanced lifestyle.



3. Medical condition
According to a study, both diabetes and dyslipidemia (imbalance of cholesterol) link to a higher association of fractures. So, patients with these 2 diseases need to be careful not to fall, as this increases fractures. Control your sugar and cholesterol levels with proper nutrition, exercise, and medications.
 
 






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All in all
Although bone diseases are not famous like heart disease and cancer, it still affects the population around the world. Most importantly, you would not have structure and the freedom to move around without healthy bones. Healthy bones can be nurtured from the inside and outside with simple guidelines. However, if you have a higher risk to develop bone disease or are concerned with your bone health always seek a healthcare professional to assist you.




 







References
1.  Office of the Surgeon General (US). Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville (MD): Office of the
     Surgeon General (US); 2004. 4, The Frequency of Bone Disease.
2.   Cowan PT, Kahai P (2022); Anatomy of Bones In: Stat Pearls; Treasure Island (FL): Stat Pearls
3.  https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/bone-health/bone-health-life-health-information-basics-you-and-your-family
4.  Rizzoli, R. (2022); Dairy products and bone health; Aging Clin Exp Res; 34:9–24
5.   Maestroni, L., Read, P., Bishop, C. et al. (2020); The Benefits of Strength Training on Musculoskeletal System Health: Practical
      Applications for Interdisciplinary Care; Sports Med; 50:1431–1450
6.  Sale, C., Elliott-Sale, K.J. (2019); Nutrition and Athlete Bone Health; Sports Med; 49:139–151
7.  Murray CE, Coleman CM. (2019); Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on Bone Health; International Journal of Molecular Sciences.;
     20(19):4873. 
8.  Robert P Heaney (2007); Bone Health; The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 85: 300s-303s
9.  Sue A. Shapses, L. Claudia Pop, Yang Wang (2017); International Journal of Molecular Sciences; 39:1-13