What would happen if humans didn’t have bones? We’d just be a puddle of skin on the floor. We won’t able to walk, talk, or even stand up! Our body’s framework is made up of over 206 bones. They provide the structure and support to keep our bodies upright, enable us to move and also protect our internal organs (e.g. heart and lungs). They also serve as storage areas for 99% of our body’s total calcium. As our bones are important for many vital functions, therefore it is critical to keep them strong and healthy.

Bones are living tissue made up of living cells (collagen, etc.) and non-living minerals (calcium, etc.), and has a blood supply and a distribution of nerves.Your bones break down and re-build itself by going through a natural process known as “bone re-modeling”, which occurs throughout your life. The breaking down and re-building processes allow new bones to be formed. These 2 processes need to be in balance to maintain bone mass. If there is more breakdown than re-building activity, this might result in bone loss. Which means with less bone breakdown, you are able to protect your bone strength.

When we’re young, the bone re-modeling process causes us to build more bone tissue than lose it. By our twenties or thirties, our bone mass reaches its peak. The older we get the more bones we lose as there is more breakdown compared to building back in out bone re-modeling process. In other words, our bones become “thinner” over time. If it continues thinning out too much, they become weak which can lead to bone fractures.

How To Maintain Strong Bones

• Proper Nutrition – Getting enough ‘bone nutrition’ like Calcium, and Vitamin D in your diet is important. Milk is a great sources as it provides you with other important bone nutrients like Protein, Magnesium, and Zinc.
• Weight Bearing Exercise – Our bones become stronger with exercise and use. Some examples including walking, running, jumping rope, climbing stairs, jogging, and dancing.
• Healthy Lifestyle – Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, which can rob bones of their Calcium and mineral content, making them weak and fragile.