Growing old is just part of life’s true essence, yet some of us can struggle to deal with the changes we go through. Let’s take a closer look at the journey of aging.
Aging, it’s something we all experience, yet every journey is unique. Some of us show signs of aging through wrinkled skin or grey hair. Others age underneath the surface level, within. As we grow older, we experience a shift in the structure of our cells from the influences of our environment and diet. In response, our tissues and organs decline that impacts our overall health.
Every day, our bodies are working hard to replace old cells with new cells and old bones with new bone. Up until we reach the age of around 25, we contribute more new bone than what we take away that means a higher bone density. Between the ages of 25 to 50, bone density remains around neutral. It’s when we reach 50+ that we begin to lose bone density — this usually occurs around the time when most women are experiencing menopause.
What causes us to lose bone density?
Osteoporosis, meaning “porous bone”, can make us prone to skeletal fractures even from a small bump. As we grow older, especially for women, we lose bone density. To prevent osteoporosis from occurring at a later age, we can take small yet mighty measures when we are young to protect our bones, joints, and muscles.
Statistics show that 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men suffer from weakened bones that lead to a break. But, why are women more likely to experience a decrease in bone density? It all comes down to hormones. When women are going through menopause, their hormones change and this has a direct effect on bone density. Oestrogen, the female hormone, plays a key role in healthy bones. After going through menopause, estrogen levels drop drastically which in turn leads to a rapid decrease in bone density.
It’s our bones that carry us through our daily lives to run, dance, and play. As the years go by, these bones weaken as they shrink in size and density. It’s our job as humans to protect our internal organs and muscle support by ensuring we have strong bones. So, how can we do this?