As we age, bone mass density will definitely decrease. Bone mass density peaks in one’s 20’s, and will decrease steadily from our 30’s onwards. Therefore, efforts to prevent this silent disease should start early – among others by performing routine physical activity, for at least 150 minutes a week.
“When we exercise, we build up muscle and stamina, maintaining cardiac health while simultaneously sustaining our bone mass density. The correct types of exercise to offset the risk of osteoporosis are weight-bearing, resistance, and flexibility exercises. Performing 30 minutes of physical activity every day will build up healthy bones, which positively affects the overall health of the muscle and the body’s functions,” concurred dr. Antonius Andi Kurniawan, Sp.KO, Pondok Indah Hospital Jakarta’s sports medical specialist.
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At the same event, dr. Putri Sakti, Sp.GK, M.Gizi, AIFO-K, clinical nutrition and sports anatomy specialist, declared that other than performing routine physical activity, “Adopting a healthy and balanced diet, especially consuming foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, will lower the severity of bone degradation. These two nutrients are essential in helping the formation of bones and maintaining their density. However, to avoid brittle bones, we also need strong muscles and a healthy heart. The health of the bones, muscles, and the heart is simply inseparable. To maintain this, consume highfiber foods that contain omega-3 and 6, as well as natural antioxidants that obstruct free radicals,” she said. “And finally, we can’t say this often enough: please stop the bad habits of smoking and alcohol consumption. Apart from other bad consequences, they also accelerate the degradation of bone cells.” (est)