Hi friends,

Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease, affecting 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50. It's a condition that causes bones to weaken and increases the risk of fractures, but here's what many people don't realize—it's largely preventable.

Our bodies naturally decrease the amount of new bone formed as we age, especially when we live sedentary lifestyles.

Think of your bones as living tissue that's constantly rebuilding itself. The strength of our bones typically peaks at 30 years old and then declines thereafter, but your activity levels and diet play crucial roles in how quickly that decline happens.

The ideal approach to osteoporosis is preventing it from occurring in the first place, and one of the most powerful tools you have is exercise—specifically, resistance training and weight-bearing exercises.

Your bones respond to exercise much like your muscles do. When you lift weights and give your body enough nutrients and rest to recover, the tissues strengthen.

When you lift weights, your muscles contract, which pulls on the tendons, which in turn pulls on the bone to produce movement. This creates mechanical stress on the bone, which activates osteoblasts (the specialized bone-building cells that lay down new bone tissue).

Exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, pushups, and pullups are excellent starting points for building stronger bones.

But exercise is only part of the equation. The foods you eat play an equally important role in bone strength.

Calcium is the primary mineral in bones, making up about 99% of the body's calcium stores. The current daily recommendation for calcium intake is around 1,000 mg per day.

Dairy products such as milk and yogurt are excellent sources of calcium, though a calcium supplement may be beneficial if you struggle to reach the daily recommended amount through food alone.

Vitamin D works hand-in-hand with calcium. Without adequate vitamin D, your body can only absorb a fraction of the calcium you consume. Sunlight exposure, fatty fish, and eggs are excellent sources of vitamin D.

Osteoporosis may be common, but it's highly preventable with the right approach.

By combining resistance training with proper nutrition, you're not just maintaining your current bone strength—you're actively building stronger bones for the future. The best time to start was years ago, but the second-best time is today.

Until next week,

Kevin

✍️ Quote I’m reflecting upon

"The best time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining."

— John F. Kennedy