Our Bones and Aging Do Have A Strong Connection 

Our bones and aging is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when they will be affected.

However, it is not only our bones that are affected by the aging process; it is also our joints and muscles.

As we all begin this process of aging in our early 50’s, we can all feel the small and subtle changes.

While some of the changes may be very small and barely noticeable, others will become quite obvious to a lot of us with each passing year.

If we stay active, eat a good and balanced diet, we can easily adjust to most of these changes, even into our late 60’s and beyond.

However, if we become inactive, weigh more than 20 pounds over our ideal weight, we will not be able to control them.

The First of The Connections With Our Bones and Aging

If we do not take the right precautions, there are several different conditions that will begin to affect us as we get older, including osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.

In understanding the connections with our bones and aging, the first place to start is with our muscles.

Here is the first set of three changes that is occurring with our muscles.

• They, like our bones, are beginning to lose some of their mass
• The number as well as the size of them are beginning to decrease
• The water content inside of them is decreasing.

As we get older, our muscles will begin to lose some of their mass, even if we stay very active.

We can tone and even lift light weights and other like exercises, but gravity and the aging process is taking its natural course.

Our muscle tissues are also decreasing both in size and production, and it is perfectly natural that our muscles are taking longer to respond than they once did.

Our body is estimated to be made up of at least 55% to 58% water, but with each year we pass the 50 year old mark, this amount decreases as well

More Aging Changes in the Bones

Once this occurs, the water content in our tendons begins to decrease.

Our tendons are very strong twine like tissues that attach to our bones and muscles, and this loss of water begins to make them slightly stiffer.

As a result, they are not able to handle stress like they once did.

The next three of the connections with our bones and aging includes the following.

• The strength in our hands and their ability to grip is diminishing
• Our heart muscles are slowing down
• Our metabolic rate is beginning to slow down

While diminishing hand strength is very offensive to men, it is a reality we are all facing.

In fact, if we all think about it, very routine activities are becoming just a bit more challenging such as opening a jar of any kind.

While we used to handle most any of these tasks, they now need some help to accomplish in our mid or late 60’s.

Our heart muscles are also beginning to slow down, and the amount of blood flowing to all of our key organs is not quite what it used to be.

This is the major reason we get tired more easily than we once did.

Our metabolic rate, the process that converts the food we eat into energy, is also beginning to slow down.

The Connection With Our Bones

The next connection with our bones and aging is with the bones themselves and they include the following.

• The mineral content, their key components, is decreasing.
• They are beginning to loss their mass which triggers “conditions”
• Our cartridges makeup or chemistry is beginning to change
• Our ligaments are losing some of their flexibility 

Throughout or entire life span our bones have very easily remodeled and reformed themselves.

However, as we get older, this very delicate balance begins to slow down as well, and this is the major reason we are starting to lose what is referred to as “bone density”.

The first major change is with our mineral content, as they will begin to become not quite as dense. As a result, they will begin to become more fragile in nature.

The connection with our bones and aging continues with the loss of “bone mass”, and this affects both men and women equally.

Once this begins to happen, a lot of things will begin to happen, and most all of them will not be good.

The makeup or the chemistry of our cartridges also begins to change, as they are beginning to intake less water.

Just like our muscles, our cartilages are not getting as much water as they used to.

We have all heard the adage to drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day, and once we pass the age of 55, it has never been truer.

We Must Water Our Body

If we do not keep water in our body, our cartilages are a lot more prone to stress, and if they begin to wear down, several forms of arthritis can begin to form.

Our connective ligaments that are located between our bones also begin to lose their flexibility, as they are losing their ability to expand like they used to.

The final connection with our bones and aging is with our joints, as they too are beginning to wear down.

Here is what is happening.

• Our joint motions begin to become restricted
• As a result, they are not nearly as flexible
• Our “padding” or our cushion cartilage is wearing down

Our joints, as we all get older, are not nearly as flexible as they once were, because of the changes in both our ligaments and tendons.

The “padding” or cushion cartilages that have protected our joints all these years are also breaking down and this can and will lead to inflammation.

Once they become inflamed, it is only a matter of time before several types of arthritis will begin to surface.

However, there are several things we can do to fight off the effects of our bones and aging, and they include the following.

What We Can Do

They include the following.

• Keep active including walking and stretching of any kind
• Make sure we are getting enough calcium in our diets
• Make sure we are getting enough vitamin D in our diets
• Control our weight—very, very important
• Stop smoking and control alcohol intake

Keeping physically active is the first step in slowing the connection between our bones and aging, even if it is simply walking.

However, stretching is also extremely helpful as it will help to keep our bones, muscles, and joints more flexible.

One of the most effective, soft, and easy forms of exercise is Tai Chi. It is very soft and easy for people our age to do, and it also extremely effective and quite relaxing.

However, if we do not keep all three “lubricated” by drinking enough water, none of it will really matter.

Calcium as well as Vitamin D is critical to all our bones, muscles, and ligaments and once we pass the age of 55, we may want to use supplements to reinforce our diet.

Smoking as well as too much alcohol will only add to the unavoidable process of our bones and aging, as well being overweight.

References

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00191

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