Overview
Until your 30s, your bones take in more calcium than they use, resulting in increased bone mass. Sometime in your 30s, the balance shifts, and your body begins to leach calcium from your bones without replacing it, leading to decreased bone density. Low bone density means your bones are more fragile and break more easily. As you age, maintaining or gaining bone mass becomes an important part of your health care regimen.
Step 1
Increase your calcium intake to at least 1,000mg per day by eating calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products or leafy green vegetables, or by taking calcium supplements. If you're a postmenopausal woman, you need more calcium, so plan your diet to include 1,200 to 1,500mg of calcium, says Betsy Felser, a physician and assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of California's Keck School of Medicine, in "USC Health" magazine.
Step 2
Take a vitamin D supplement to ensure that you get between 400 and 800mg of vitamin D every day, recommends Robert K. Rude, professor of medicine at the Keck School of Medicine and osteoporosis specialist, in "USC Health" magazine. Vitamin D helps your bones absorb calcium.
Step 3
Stop smoking. If you're a smoker, your chances of developing osteoporosis--low bone density--are significantly higher, according to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Quitting can help you improve your bone mass.
Step 4
Exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. According to Cedars-Sinai, a sedentary lifestyle increases your osteoporosis risk while regular exercise boosts your bone health.
Step 5
Do weight-bearing exercises like running, walking, weight training, tennis or dancing regularly. Weight-bearing exercises improve your bone strength by forcing bones to work against gravity, explains the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.
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About this Author
Holly Roberts is an award-winning health and fitness writer whose work has appeared in health, lifestyle and fitness magazines. Roberts has also worked as an editor for health association publications and medical journals. She has been a professional writer for more than 10 years and holds a B.A. in English and an M.A. in literature.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/193544-how-to-gain-bone-mass/#ixzz1AgVHOgSw
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