Stop! Your Bones Need You

stop! your bones need you to read this article - whatever age you are!

By Natalie McCulloch

2 Have you heard of the term ‘osteoporosis?’ I’m guessing most people will say ‘YES’. Do you know it’s a term relating to bone health? Again, more than likely the answer is ‘YES’. Did you know you can be at risk at any age and can make positive changes to improve bone health? Hopefully the answer is ‘YES’ but many will say ‘NO’. Regardless of your answer, please read on to find out more! Let’s start with some facts: • According to the NHS over 3 million people in the UK are affected by osteoporosis and more than 500,000 people receive hospital treatment as a result of it annually. • There are simple everyday changes you can, and should, make to improve your bone health. • As you get older, the strength of the bone tissue you do have also starts to naturally decrease. This increases your risk of osteoporosis and broken bones. • Ultimately ‘there’s no bones about it – now is the ideal time to start looking after your bone health!’ Your future self may thank you! So what is osteoporosis? Put simply, it is a condition where your bones lose strength, meaning you are more likely to break a bone than the average adult. The condition is often associated with elderly generations, but it can occasionally affect children and adults, so it’s helpful to learn about all the things that can put you at risk earlier in your life. In 2017 the Royal Osteoporosis Society, the only UK-wide organisation dedicated to finding a cure for osteoporosis and improving the lives of everyone affected by it, launched a campaign called ‘a message to my younger self’. The campaign, as it suggests, invited older generations of people to spread the message of the importance of securing good bone health from an early age. This campaign is no longer ‘live’ however, the need to continue spreading the message continues. We build our bones when we are young and reach optimum bone density and strength around the age of 30. Past age 30 there is still room for improvement, so weight-bearing with impact (e.g. jogging, skipping) and muscle resistance exercise

(e.g. using weights or resistance bands) can help to maintain our bone strength and ensure a steady and gradual decline as we age, alongside a healthy diet.

On a personal note, I’m ashamed to say I actually missed the campaign in 2017, but one thing I didn’t miss out on was getting osteoporosis. I have had anorexia nervosa since my early teens and accordingly neglected my physical and mental health since this. People with an eating disorder are more susceptible to osteoporosis due to hormone production, poor nutrition, low body weight and lack of menstruation. By the age of 20 my bone density was in the osteoporosis range – I had failed to respond to warnings of low bone density previously.

I’m now over 20 years into anorexia and still struggling to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle, sadly and as a consequence my bones are struggling. I am fortunate to have an excellent, supportive and knowledgeable gym instructor at Penarth Leisure Centre who is helping me with appropriate weight resistance exercises and appropriate amounts of exercise, as overdoing it can be as detrimental as inactivity. I have access to mental health services including dietetics to help me with diet and mental health. Alongside this, I also work with older residents in the NHS, many of whom have osteoporosis and have had falls, which makes my passion to spread positive bone health messages even more prominent.

Most people I share that I have it are surprised ‘at my age’, which is why I’m keen to spread the word that when it comes to bone health and age, osteoporosis doesn’t discriminate. As mentioned, it

mainly affects older people, but certain stress factors such as poor diet, eating disorders and certain medications can put younger people at risk. For these reasons it is vitally important to maintain good health and seek support if you find yourself struggling with your diet, mental health or weight.

Some simple things you can do today to aid better bone health are: • Eat a balanced diet - eating and drinking the right things can help support your bone health at every stage of your life. Calcium and vitamin D are two nutrients well-known to be important for bones. But there are many other vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are vital to help your bones stay healthy and strong. • Weight training - can help make you stronger and may improve your bone density if you train regularly a few times a week on non-consecutive days. Most gyms run introductory sessions and provide some basic advice about safe lifting techniques and which machines to use. • Refrain from excessive alcohol consumption - alcohol affects the cells that build and break down bone and also makes you unsteady on your feet, making you more likely to trip, fall and break a bone. • Give up smoking - smoking slows down the cells that build bone in your body.

You are not alone with the quest for better bone health. The Royal Osteoporosis Society have an excellent website designed to support everyone to maintain a good level of bone health. Visit theros.org.uk for a great range of information to help increase your knowledge and ways to access support.

BESPOKE LIVING DESIGN & BUILD

• We are specialists in creating lifestyle spaces that set your home apart with our tailored design & build packages

• House refurbishments, Renovations, Extensions, Loft Conversions, Basements and New Build Developments

Contact us on enquiries@bldb.co.uk or Tel: 02920490237 for more information and a free home consultation. Facebook - Bespoke Living Design & Build