The 8 Common Habits That Weaken Your Bones
Now, let’s look at the specific, often unnoticed habits that can contribute to bone loss. Recognizing them is the first step toward building a stronger, more resilient you. Here are some of the most common habits that damage bone health in seniors, along with simple, expert-backed ways to correct them.
1. Spending Too Much Time Indoors
The Habit: You enjoy reading, watching television, or simply relaxing indoors, and you don’t get outside much, especially on cloudy days or during colder months.
Why It Weakens Bones: The sun is our primary and most efficient source of vitamin D. When sunlight hits your skin, your body synthesizes this essential vitamin. As we discussed, without adequate vitamin D, your body cannot effectively absorb calcium. A chronic lack of sun exposure can lead to a deficiency, directly impacting your body’s ability to build and maintain strong bones.
The Solution: Aim for about 15-20 minutes of direct sun exposure on your arms and legs a few times a week, without sunscreen. The best time is typically mid-morning or late afternoon to avoid the strongest rays. Of course, skin cancer is a valid concern, so it’s a balance. If you live in a northern climate, have darker skin, or are diligent about sunscreen, you will likely need to get vitamin D from fortified foods (like milk and cereals) or a supplement. Talk to your doctor about testing your vitamin D levels to see if a supplement is right for you.
2. Living a Sedentary Lifestyle
The Habit: Your daily routine involves a lot of sitting—whether it’s at a desk, on the couch, or in the car—with little dedicated time for physical activity.
Why It Weakens Bones: Bones are like muscles; they get stronger when you use them. The mechanical stress of weight-bearing exercises—activities that make you work against gravity—sends a signal to your body to deposit more minerals and bolster bone density. When you lead a sedentary life, your bones don’t get this “build stronger” signal, and they can gradually weaken.
The Solution: You don’t need to become a marathon runner! The key is consistency. Incorporate weight-bearing exercises into your week. This includes activities like brisk walking, dancing, climbing stairs, gardening, or playing tennis. Strength training with light weights or resistance bands is also fantastic. Even simple things like standing up and moving around for a few minutes every hour can make a difference. This is a key part of how to strengthen bones naturally after 55.
3. Over-salting Your Food
The Habit: You regularly reach for the salt shaker at meals or consume a diet high in processed foods, which are often loaded with hidden sodium.
Why It Weakens Bones: Your body strives to maintain a delicate balance. When you consume too much sodium, your kidneys work overtime to excrete it through urine. Unfortunately, as the sodium leaves your body, it takes calcium with it. This process, known as calcium excretion, means that the calcium being pulled from your system could have been used to strengthen your bones. A consistently high-salt diet can lead to significant calcium loss over time.
The Solution: Start by tasting your food before you salt it. Try replacing salt with other flavorful herbs and spices like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, or black pepper. Be a savvy label reader; you’d be surprised how much sodium is in canned soups, frozen dinners, and cured meats. Opting for fresh, whole foods gives you complete control over your salt intake.
4. Consuming Too Much Alcohol or Caffeine
The Habit: You enjoy more than one or two alcoholic drinks per day, or you rely on multiple cups of coffee or soda to get through your day.
Why It Weakens Bones: Both alcohol and caffeine, in excess, can interfere with your body’s calcium balance. Heavy alcohol consumption can disrupt vitamin D production, which impairs calcium absorption. It can also affect the production of hormones that protect your bones. Similarly, high caffeine intake can slightly increase calcium excretion and may reduce how much calcium you absorb from food.
The Solution: Moderation is key. Health guidelines generally recommend no more than one alcoholic drink per day for women and two for men. For caffeine, most experts agree that up to 400 milligrams a day (about four cups of coffee) is safe, but it’s important to ensure your calcium intake is adequate to offset any minor losses.
5. A Diet Lacking in Key Nutrients (Beyond Calcium)
The Habit: You focus on getting enough calcium, perhaps from a supplement, but overlook other crucial bone-building nutrients.
Why It Weakens Bones: Strong bones are built by a team of nutrients, not just a single player. While calcium is the star, it needs a strong supporting cast. Nutrients like magnesium, vitamin K, potassium, and protein are all essential for optimal bone health.
The Solution: Eat a “rainbow” of whole foods. Leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach are excellent sources of vitamin K and magnesium. Bananas and sweet potatoes provide potassium. Lean proteins from sources like fish, poultry, beans, and lentils are also vital, as protein makes up a significant portion of your bone structure.
6. Smoking Cigarettes
The Habit: You have a history of smoking or are a current smoker.
Why It Weakens Bones: This is one of the most detrimental habits that damage bone health in seniors. The toxins in cigarette smoke have a direct, damaging effect on your bone-building cells (osteoblasts). Smoking also reduces blood flow to the bones, interferes with the body’s ability to absorb calcium, and breaks down estrogen more quickly, which is a critical hormone for maintaining bone density in women.
The Solution: It is never, ever too late to quit. The moment you stop smoking, your body begins to heal. Quitting can slow the rate of bone loss and lower your fracture risk over time. If you smoke, please talk to your doctor about cessation programs and resources. It’s the single best thing you can do for your bones and your overall health.
7. Being Significantly Underweight or Frequent Yo-Yo Dieting
The Habit: You have a very low body mass index (BMI) or have a history of restrictive diets that cause your weight to fluctuate significantly.
Why It Weakens Bones: Having some body weight provides a natural form of weight-bearing stress on your bones, which helps keep them strong. Being underweight means less of this stimulus. Furthermore, a very low body weight, especially in women, is often associated with lower estrogen levels and poor nutrition, both of which are risk factors for osteoporosis. Yo-yo dieting often leads to losing not just fat but also muscle and bone mass, which may not be fully regained when the weight comes back on.
The Solution: Focus on maintaining a healthy, stable weight through a balanced diet and regular exercise. If you are underweight, work with a doctor or registered dietitian to create a plan for gaining weight in a healthy way that supports both muscle and bone.
8. Ignoring Your Balance and Flexibility
The Habit: You don’t practice activities that challenge your balance or help you stay flexible, like yoga, tai chi, or simple stretching.
Why It Weakens Bones: This habit is a bit different—it doesn’t directly thin your bones, but it dramatically increases your risk of fracture. Strong bones are only half the battle. If your balance is poor and your muscles are weak, you are far more likely to fall. For someone with already compromised bone density, a fall is the event that turns weak bones into a broken bone.
The Solution: Make balance and flexibility training part of your routine. Tai chi has been extensively studied and is proven to reduce fall risk in seniors. Simple exercises like standing on one foot (while holding onto something sturdy!) or walking heel-to-toe can dramatically improve your stability. This proactive approach protects the strong bones you’re working so hard to build.
