Statement: The content of this article is written by quoting authoritative medical information combined with personal opinions, the source of the literature and screenshots have been marked in the text, in order to facilitate everyone's reading and understanding, some of the storylines have fictional components, which are intended to popularize scientific health knowledge, please be aware.
"My bones are really getting worse and worse."
Recently, Aunt Li has always felt unwell, especially the pain in her waist and knees, but she didn't dare to go to the hospital for examination by herself, and wanted to take her old friend Aunt Wang for a check-up.
So the next day, she took Aunt Wang to the community center to prepare for the scheduled health check-up, but she was a little apprehensive.
Aunt Li and her friends underwent physical examinations in turn, and while waiting, everyone chatted about health topics, shared their life experiences and health experiences, and the atmosphere was relaxed and happy.
When it was Aunt Li's turn, she walked into the physical examination room.
The nurse used an instrument to measure her blood pressure, take a blood sample, and perform a bone density test, although Auntie Li tried to stay relaxed, she was still a little nervous, and she has been feeling unwell lately, especially in her lower back and knees.
Therefore, the results of this physical examination are particularly important to her.
When she opened her medical report, her face suddenly became heavy, and the report showed that her bone density was much lower than the normal range, and the doctor's diagnosis was osteoporosis.
The result made her anxious, and she realized that her recent physical discomfort turned out to be closely related to osteoporosis.
At this time, Aunt Wang came over, she learned from her report that her bone density was almost at the level of a young man in her thirties, and the result made her happy, Aunt Li sighed and barely squeezed out a smile:
"Yes, my bone density is significantly lower than normal, the doctor said I have osteoporosis, I did feel not well during this time, especially the pain in my lower back and knees, and now I finally know the cause."
Dear readers, in order to bring more high-quality content, a 5-second ad has been added to this article, and you can read the full text for free after watching, your understanding is the biggest motivation~
Aunt Wang frowned slightly after hearing this, and looked very concerned: "I can understand your feelings, Aunt Li, although your bone density situation is worrying, I may be able to give you some advice." Let's talk together and see how we can improve. ”
A hint of anticipation flashed in Aunt Li's eyes, and she listened carefully to Aunt Wang's advice, Aunt Wang said: "First of all, one of the keys to maintaining bone density is to increase weight-bearing exercises, and I do moderate amounts of exercise several times a week, such as brisk walking and jogging.
These exercises can help stimulate calcium deposits in the bones, which can enhance bone density. ”
Aunt Li nodded, listening carefully to Aunt Wang's every word, and Aunt Wang continued: "In addition, calcium and vitamin D in the diet are also very important.
You can eat more calcium-rich foods such as milk, yogurt, green leafy vegetables, and fish, as well as moderate sun exposure, which can help the body synthesize vitamin D, which is also important for bone health. ”
Aunt Wang smiled and said, "Of course, if you have difficulty getting enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet, you can consider using supplements, but it should be noted that the use of supplements should be scientific and best carried out under the guidance of a doctor." ”
Aunt Li's mood relaxed a little, and she thanked Aunt Wang for her advice: "Thank you, Aunt Wang, your advice is very helpful to me, I will consult a professional doctor as soon as possible to formulate a treatment plan that suits me." ”
This physical examination experience made Aunt Li realize that osteoporosis is not only a problem on the physical examination report, but also a health challenge that needs to be dealt with through a scientific lifestyle and professional medical advice.
What is bone density? What difference does it make to health if it is above or below the standard?
In fact, bone density refers to the mineral content per unit volume of bone tissue, which mainly reflects the density of bone, which is an important indicator for evaluating bone health, and the detection of bone density is usually carried out by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
It is a non-invasive examination method that can accurately measure the amount of minerals in the human bones.
However, the normal standard of bone density varies according to age, gender and race, generally speaking, young adults have the highest bone density, and with age, bone density gradually decreases, and the World Health Organization divides bone density into three grades: normal, osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Based on the peak bone mineral density of adults, osteopenia is indicated by less than 1 standard deviation and osteoporosis is considered by less than 2.5 standard deviations.
When bone density is lower than the healthy standard, it means that the bone does not contain enough minerals and the bone mass is looser, which can lead to osteoporosis and increase the risk of fractures if not improved in time.
Especially in the elderly, fractures due to osteoporosis often occur in the hips, spine and wrists, and these fractures can not only cause severe pain, but can also seriously affect the quality of life, and even lead to long-term bed rest and increased complications.
This may be because, as we age, the metabolic capacity of bones decreases and the rate of bone loss accelerates, especially in women after menopause, the rate of bone loss increases significantly due to the sudden drop in estrogen levels.
Long-term lack of physical activity can also lead to a decrease in bone strength and density.
Although most people are concerned about low bone density, too high bone density should not be ignored, which can mean that the bones are too dense and lack normal elasticity, and are prone to fractures when impacted.
In addition, excessive bone density can also be a sign of some diseases, such as osteosclerosis, which may lead to abnormal thickening and stiffness of bones, and the key to avoiding excessive bone density is to have a good balance in life.
The sixty-two-year-old aunt's bone density is like that of a thirty-year-old, which are her two habits
Aunt Wang's bones are so healthy, thanks to three good habits in her daily life, let's take a look at how she maintains bone density through scientific methods.
1. Exercise appropriately every day
Aunt Wang insists on moderate exercise every day, which is one of her important secrets to maintaining bone density, scientific studies have shown that proper exercise has a significant effect on bone health, such as a study in the journal Nature pointed out:
Exercise can promote bone formation and remodeling through mechanical stimulation and metabolic changes.
When we exercise, muscle contraction and ground reaction force will exert pressure on the bones, these mechanical stresses will stimulate the activity of bone cells, increase bone deposition, in addition to exercise can also promote blood circulation, improve the absorption of calcium and other minerals by bones.
In addition, various growth factors and hormones secreted during exercise also contribute to bone health.
For seniors, it's important to choose the right exercise, such as the common tai chi, which is a low-intensity, full-body exercise that helps improve balance and muscle strength, while also promoting bone health.
2. Appropriate vitamin D supplementation
As we all know, vitamin D is very important in bone health, it can promote the absorption and utilization of calcium, is an important nutrient to maintain bone density, Aunt Wang's second good habit is to properly supplement vitamin D.
Vitamin D, which promotes the deposition of bone by promoting intestinal absorption of calcium, increases blood calcium levels, and regulates calcium and phosphorus metabolism to ensure bone strength and density.
If there is enough vitamin D in the body, bone cells will be more active and bone formation will be more effective.
However, vitamin D supplementation should also be done in moderation, as excess vitamin D may lead to hypercalcemia, in which the concentration of calcium in the blood is too high, which in turn will increase bone loss and lead to osteoporosis.
For example, a study in the journal JAMA pointed out that long-term excessive vitamin D supplementation can negatively affect bone density and increase the risk of fractures.
If the diet and sunlight can not meet the needs, you can supplement the appropriate amount of vitamin D preparations under the guidance of a doctor, but also avoid excessive dose.
"The heart and bones are not separated", the bones are healthy, and the benefits of the body are indispensable
"The heart and bones are not separated", behind this sentence, there is actually a profound medical truth.
Our bones are not only the support system of the body, but also closely related to the health of the whole body, healthy bones can promote the metabolic balance of the whole body, and the state of health of the whole body will in turn affect the strength of the bones.
For example, healthy bones indirectly contribute to heart health.
Exercise is not only good for bones, but also improves the function of the cardiovascular system, Aunt Wang's insistence on brisk walking and strength training, not only enhanced her bone density, but also improved her heart function, studies have shown that:
Moderate exercise can lower blood pressure, improve blood lipid levels, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
In addition, vitamin D is not only essential for bone health, it is also closely related to heart health, and vitamin D deficiency is considered a risk factor for high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases.
By supplementing with vitamin D in moderation, Auntie Wang not only protects her bones, but also promotes heart health, and her diet is rich in vitamin D foods, combined with moderate daily sun bathing, this natural way of supplementation, also effectively maintains the vitamin D levels in her body.
Also, healthy bones can also reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
A study in the United States Journal of Neurology pointed out that the elderly with low bone density have a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease, which may be related to the inflammatory response caused by the decline in bone density, and the inflammatory response is also considered to be one of the important causes of Alzheimer's disease.
By exercising consistently and supplementing with vitamin D, Aunt Wang not only maintains bone density, but also may indirectly reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
In addition to her healthy lifestyle, she also pays attention to mental health and maintains a positive and optimistic attitude, which is also an important factor for her to maintain her physical and mental health, and we can learn from her appropriately according to our own situation. #寻找热爱表达的你#
Bibliography:
[1] Application of Bone Density Testing in the Diagnosis of Osteoporosis. Chinese Journal of Osteoporosis, 2022, 17(3): 213-219.
[2] Study on the Effect of Weight-bearing Exercise on Bone Mineral Density in the Elderly. Journal of Sports Medicine, 2021, 24(5): 112-118.
[3] Discussion on the relationship between vitamin D and bone health. Chinese Journal of Nutrition, 2023, 45(2): 98-104.