Your skeleton is constantly changing in response to a variety of factors including activity and nutrition. Every cell in your body is constantly being replaced, but each at a different rate.
The full skeleton is completely replaced in about 3 months. The durability of the skeleton is determined by activity level and the nutrition used as building blocks of the skeletal cells. Osteoporosis and ostepenia does not have to be a long term problem!
Activity is important because activity is one way to tell the body what you want to get out of it. If you challenge the body and tell it you want to move then the body will build itself so it can do that better. If you do not use the body then it will not expend the extra energy required to make it stronger and able to move better.
To strengthen your bones stresses need to be placed through the bones, ideally through the length of the bones. For this to be done most effectively weightlifting is ideal. Using weights places more strain on the bones and encourages them to build stronger. The weight can be as low as 2 lbs to be effective for the arms and 10 lbs for the spine.
Good exercises for this include overhead presses with weights since it places the strain through the long bones of the arms and also down the spine. Squats are also effective for strengthening the legs and spine especially if weight is involved.
Squats are universally helpful because it strengthens so many muscles in the legs and back and improves the ability to get up and down from a chair and up and down steps while also strengthening your bones.
Activity tells your body that you want it to be stronger so the next step is giving it the building blocks so that it can build new healthy bone cells. Bones are made of connective tissue reinforced with calcium and other minerals that lend strength. The connective tissue is made of protein with 90% of this protein being comprised of collagen.
The connective tissue lends more strength to the bone because it is has some flexibility and pliability. Without the collagen the bones will be more brittle and fragile. Think of it like adding an elastic component to your pants. With this elastic component in clothing it allows it to deform and change in response to the movements without tearing. This is similar with your bones; the collagen gives them some bounce and resilience.
I am sure you are aware that the most prominent mineral in your bones is calcium; however, you may not know that additional minerals are required including phosphorus and magnesium. All of these minerals are also required for additional functions in the body. Phoshorus is required for the growth, maintenance and repair of all cells of the body. Calcium and magnesium are integral for all nerve conductivity and muscle contraction / relaxation in the body.
Your body will take the minerals from your bones when there is a shortage and use them for the nerves and the muscles. If the minerals are not replaced it will negatively affect the integrity of the bones. It is important to ensure you are getting enough of all the minerals required and the collagen to form strong and flexible bones that are resistant to breakage.
Supplementation may be important since the nutrient density of foods has diminished through the years. I have been a fan of Natures Sunshine products for some time because they are focused on quality control throughout the production process. You can check out a video on their quality control by checking out this page www.lisamariekeller.net. The video is located at the top of the page. They have all the supplements required for strong healthy bones, including collagen. If you want to learn more about collagen check out my article from November of 2022.
Natures Sunshine also has two mineral combinations for strong bones. One is called Skeletal Strength and the other is Calcium Magnesium Synerpro. Skeletal strength has all the minerals you need for strong bones along with specialized herbs to support strength in the structural system including horsetail which helps in repair and building of connective tissue and papain to help break down the proteins such as collagen for better absorption. Click the link above for more information.
Calcium Magnesium Synerpro has all the minerals you require to build strong bones including phosphorus in a blend of green and cruciferous vegetables for added nutritional benefit. If you have a tough time getting in your greens this may be the one for you. Click the above link for more information.
Tell your body you want strong bones with exercise and activity and then give it the building blocks it needs to do its job with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and collagen and your bones can rebuild themselves stronger than they were before. If you have any questions or are interested in a consultation reach out to me at lisakeller888@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you!
In Abundant Health,
lisamariekeller 