HEALTH: Make No Bones about their Health

Dr. Dharmakanta Kumbhakar

Bones are the living tissues that form the major portion of our skeleton. There are 206 bones in an adult’s body whereas infants have around 300 bones in their body. Bones help us in mobility and protect our internal organs. They also serve as a bank for important minerals, such as calcium, that help support numerous organs in our body.

Bone is made up of proteins and other minerals like calcium, phosphate and magnesium. Collagen (a protein), which is a cementing substance, forms the structure and framework of bones. The thin membrane that covers the outer surface of a bone is called Periosteum. It consists of nerves and blood vessels. The outer layer of a bone which is very dense is compact bone. When we look at a skeleton, the compact bone is what we see. The cancellous bone layer, which looks like a sponge and is not as hard as the compact bone covers the bone marrow which is the innermost part of our bone.

Bones continuously keep undergoing a vigorous process of resorption (removal of old bone) and deposition (formation of new bone) known as bone metabolism throughout the life. In adults, the entire skeleton is completely replaced every 7–10 years. Osteoblasts are cells that are responsible for the formation of new bones and osteoclasts are cells that are responsible for the breaking down of bones. It is with the co-operation of these cells that our body maintains proper balance of minerals required for our body’s physiological functions.

There are various factors that affect bone health. They are:

Bones are so important that it is vital to keep our bones healthy throughout our lives. Healthy bones provide a strong foundation, allowing mobility and protection from injury. Bone disorders can affect the quality of life. The development of strong bones begins early in life.

Taking care of bones by proper nourishment with a Calcium and Vitamin D rich diet; and regular physical exercise when we are still young will help us to attain good bones helping us to live the life that we love. Intake of adequate Calcium is necessary to maintain healthy bones and to reach the highest level of bone strength since our bone contains 99% of the calcium present in our body. Foods that are rich in calcium are milk and dairy products.

Vitamin D serves many important functions in relation to calcium metabolism. It helps to increase calcium absorption from the gastrointestinal system and kidney; and thereby makes it available to our body tissues, blood and deposition of calcium to our bones. Sunlight provides our body with enough Vitamin D which is absorbed by our skin. It can also be obtained through dietary sources such as fortified milk, Vitamin D-fortified foods and fatty fish. Regular exercise can help to prevent bone loss and allows us to maintain muscle strength, coordination and balance, which in turn help to prevent falls and related fractures and provide a lot of relief in some chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

(Dr. Dharmakanta Kumbhakar can be reached at drkdharmakanta@yahoo.com.)