How to Keep Your Bones Healthy

Learn how to maintain healthy bones throughout every stage of your life.

: Consult your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen.
Step 1: Determine calcium intake Determine how much calcium a person your age and gender needs daily. This information can be found by doing an internet search for "recommended calcium intake."
TIP: It is recommended that people between the ages of 19 and 50 receive 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily.
Step 2: Eat calcium-rich foods Increase calcium-rich foods in your diet. Calcium-rich foods include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, dried beans, and pink salmon.
Step 3: Incorporate light exercise Incorporate light cardiovascular exercise, like jogging and walking, into your routine. Since bones are tissue, just like muscles, they strengthen with exercise.
Step 4: Incorporate resistance training Incorporate some light weight-resistance training into your exercise routine, like push-ups, sit-ups, and squats.
Step 5: Consider a supplement Consider taking a calcium supplement if you aren't getting an adequate amount of calcium in your diet.
TIP: Use a supplement with magnesium -- it aids in the transfer of calcium to your bones.
Step 6: Consider a bone density scan Consider a bone density scan and find out about other available therapies. A little preventative medicine can promote healthy bones and guard against osteoporosis well into your twilight years.
FACT: Archaeologists have found evidence of osteoporosis in ancient Egyptian mummies.