As people age, their health needs and requirements progressively change. The body starts getting weaker and demands more attention.
In that context, it’s essential for the elderly to take proper care of their overall health, in specific to their bone, which is more prone to common problems including osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Paget’s disease.
Here are 5 tips for older people to keep their bones strong and healthy:
1.Audit your diet (and make changes)
This is the single most important part of the process. What you eat (and what you don’t) plays a significant role in how your bone nourishes.
So, audit your diet. And then make changes to it.
Foremost, avoid highly processed foods. Yes, those cheese, tinned vegetables, bacon and pastries taste good, but they are also quite unhealthy. Eliminate them from your diet.
Following, opt for whole foods like wholegrain rice, barley, almonds, peanuts, chickpeas and more. They pack rich nutrients.
In addition, diversify your diet. Eat many varieties of food to not only keep your meals interesting but to consume various nutrients from different foods.
2.Get more Calcium and Vitamin D
Calcium and Vitamin D are the two most important nutrients for older people. While calcium helps build block of bone tissues, vitamin D ensures your body consume and process calcium.
So, increase your daily intake of these nutrients. There are many food items that are rich in calcium and Vitamin D, like milk, yogurt, cheese, salmon, egg yolks, and soy and rice beverages.
If you have any preexisting disease or illness, make sure to consult a qualified dietician or nutritionist before making any change in your diet.
3.Be more active
This is quite a basic advice. When you’re physically active, it puts a strain on your bones, joints, and muscles, which helps them grow.
Aim to get at least 20 minutes of exercise every day.
Walking, running and yoga are good to begin with.
If you’re in good shape and can take up slightly intensive workout, get more involved with the resistance, interval and strength training.
4.Cut back on the bad habits
Just doing good isn’t sufficient. You’ve got to eliminate the bad.
Foremost, limit the number of times you drink coffee. Caffeine decreases the amount of calcium your body absorbs.
In addition, stop smoking and consuming alcohol. Stop eating unhealthy foods.
Small measures taken every day to adopt a healthy lifestyle can make the biggest difference for you.
5.Visit a good orthopedic clinic in Kolkata
This is essential. Even if you do not necessarily have any evident bone problem, seeing a good doctor every once in a while for a regular checkup is a fairly good idea.
And then, of course, if you do have any pain or discomfort in your bones and joints, you should visit the best orthopedic doctor at Baguihati immediately.
Do your thorough research before finalizing on any one orthopedic clinic in Kolkata.
Remember, your treatment would be only as good as the doctor. So, be careful in selecting the right professional.
Conclusion
As people grow older, their bones would show evident signs of aging.
The bones will get weaker. The joints will pain. And overall health will frail.
Yes, it’s an outcome of aging, which is often inevitable. However, there are many proactive measures you can take to ensure that your bones are healthy and strong even when you’re old.