We all suffer from mobility issues as we get older. Unfortunately, it’s unavoidable. Our bodies wither in time, just like everything else in this world. However, there are some ways we can delay it from happening.
Osteoporosis is one of the most common diseases among older adults aged 50 above. More often than not, women in this age group are the most vulnerable, but men can be equally affected too. It all depends on the lifestyle you live and whether if you look out for yourself or not.
There are ways you can avoid osteoporosis, especially at such an early age. The first way you can prevent it is by living an active lifestyle.
Active Lifestyle
An active lifestyle is shared among the generation today. Many millennials and generation Z enjoy the thrill of adventure once in a while. They like to travel and move around. They are less likely to develop osteoporosis because of this.
Studies have found that light exercises like brisk walking and yoga are most likely to prevent osteoporosis than challenging exercises like lifting weights and CrossFit. But don’t get it wrong, complex exercises can still prevent osteoporosis, but if you overexert yourself every day, you’re more likely to develop it. Generally, if you want to avoid osteoporosis, you’d like to keep your exercises light and within one hour.
Is Obesity a Protective Factor?
There are also some studies going around stating that obesity can help you avoid osteoporosis. However, we would like to tell you that this is false.
The idea that obesity can help you avoid osteoporosis is that obese people tend to have increased bone density than those in a lower weight class. Although increased bone density can indeed help you prevent osteoporosis, obesity can’t protect you from it.
Further investigative studies have found that bone marrow fat deposition among obese people is detrimental to their overall bone health. So even if they do have increased bone density, their bones aren’t generally healthy, which can ultimately lead to osteoporosis.
Instead of getting obese, you should consider changing your diet to a high calcium and vitamin D diet.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Calcium and vitamin D are both known to improve overall bone health, and it’s the diet suggested for people with low bone density. This diet can help provide them with the nutrients they need to keep osteoporosis at bay.
Calcium can be found in much of the food we consume every day, such as milk and other dairy products. Vitamin D can also be found in such products, but it is prevalent in salmon (oily fishes), eggs, and red meat. Furthermore, you can also get some vitamin D by going out and getting it from the sun.
Getting Help
Getting help is something you should learn as you get older. Once you’re old, employing home care services shouldn’t be the last thing on your list. It should be the first. These services can help you regain your lost mobility due to such a disease. Remember that overworking your body can lead to osteoporosis at some point, so getting some help shouldn’t embarrass you.
Moreover, you shouldn’t be ashamed to ask for help from a family member or a neighbor. This makes maintaining a close relationship with people around you worthwhile.
Pushing your body to its limits once you’re older, especially if you’re not used to it, is something you should avoid. Getting help is one way to ensure that this doesn’t happen.
Sometimes its Genetics
By the end of the day, you might not be able to avoid such a disease, even how hard you try. It’s found that people with low bone mass are likely to develop osteoporosis early on in their lives, and for such people, it becomes unavoidable. However, this doesn’t mean that you should give up living a healthy lifestyle.
This should be the main reason why you should adopt a healthy lifestyle. But once again, you shouldn’t overexert yourself either. Try to balance things out the best way you can. Many exercises are meant for people with low bone mass that can help with mobility issues you might encounter as you grow older. Do your research and apply it to your life.
Final Thoughts
Osteoporosis is one of the main reasons why older adults have mobility issues. Although such a disease can’t be entirely unavoidable, especially if you have some genetic problems, it can be delayed through some lifestyle options we’ve stated above. It should help you keep such a disease at bay.
