subject: Preventing The Development Of Osteoporosis [print this page] Osteoporosis is a disease the results from aging and lack of bone density. This disease can be postponed or prevented through exercise and calcium intake.
One of the diseases the women are more prone to getting than men is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is something that most women are at risk for from birth.
When you were born, your bones were still fairly soft and they had to build up a store of calcium to become stronger. As you grew older, your bones grew through extending through the ends which are called growth plates.
These growth plates shut down when you reached your maximum height. Throughout your growth phase a few of your bones fused together resulting in a total of 206 bones that make up your skeleton.
When you had your twentieth birthday, your bones became as dense and often strong as they will ever be. After that point, your bones will begin to decline in health.
Fortunately, there are many things that can help slow down this decline so that you will not have to experience the side effects of developing osteoporosis and other bone diseases. Most of the things you can do to positively affect your bone growth have to do with your choice of diet and exercise.
If you are not yet twenty, you will want to incorporate some of these things into your life to ensure that your bones are as dense and strong as possible when you do turn twenty. The denser and strong your bones are at the twenty, the more of a decline they have to go through to develop osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis can largely be prevented through calcium intake and exercise. These two factors have a larger impact on this condition than anything else.
The best time to build up calcium is when you are a teenager. A teenager should get about 1500 mg of calcium every day to maximize the benefits they can receive from calcium.
Of course, he or she should also exercise regularly and often. There are three main types of exercise that can help prevent osteoporosis and which should be included in a regular workout.
The first type of workout you should include is endurance training. Endurance is how long you can exercise at any one time performing a particular exercise.
For example, if you like to work out on the stationary bike, your endurance level is how long you can keep going while maintaining a certain level of difficulty. The more you work out on the stationary bike, the longer you will be able to work out.
Riding the stationary bike is ideal if you are already experiencing some weakening of the bones as it is not too easy to fall off of. In addition, it is low impact and it puts no pressure on your spine.
The second type of work out you need to include in your routine to prevent osteoporosis is strength training. Strength training can strengthen your bones and the density of your bones.
Weight lifting is not the only form of strength training. In some cases it may not be a good idea to weight lift as it could be too much for your bones.
A doctor should always be consulted before you participate in any form of exercise. You do not want to overdo it and then not be able to exercise at all.
The third thing you should learn is how to position your body and move so that you reduce your risk of falling or injuring a weakened bone. Once you have weak bones, it can be very difficult for your body to mend them if they are broken.
The lower the density of your bones, the easier it will be for them to break. It is best to avoid any activities that may result in broken bones.
Exercises that work on balance and flexibility can help you recover when you are in a situation where you may fall. There are many classes offered by universities and public gyms that focus on balance.
These classes could be a lot of fun to take not only to help prevent osteoporosis, but because you will be able to make friends in the class. There may also be classes which can help you strength train safely.
Strong calf and thigh muscles are an essential element of your ability to recover your balance when it is in danger. Exercises that help you straighten out your back can also help you to put less strain on your back muscles.
There are many different exercises that you can perform. Various exercises can be looked up online or learned from the instruction of a physical trainer.
