As we age, we can begin to feel the effects of a life playing sports, working and general wear and tear on our joints. Our bones often become less dense and weak, increasing our risk of fractures and breaks. Diet, gut health, exposure to sunlight and exercise levels are all important in maintaining healthy bones and joints and preventing osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Osteoporosis is a common condition where the bones lose strength and become brittle. Bones can be thought as a bank where you deposit and withdraw bone tissue. When growing, we deposit new bone to the skeleton faster than old bone is withdrawn, but after age 40, bone withdrawals can begin to go faster than deposits, leading to osteoporosis....
Often when we see bones, they are dry and brittle but in our bodies they are living, growing tissues made of a soft collagen framework and minerals for strength and hardness, to be strong and flexible under stress. As we age our bones can become less dense, leading to Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis increases our risk of fractures and breaks but, in many cases, is preventable.
Vitamin D is sometimes called the “sunshine vitamin” because it is produced in our skin in response to sunlight. It is an essential vitamin that helps to regulate calcium in our bodies and so is vital for good bone health and preventing osteoporosis. Research over the past few years has also shown some evidence that vitamin D plays a role in our immune response and how susceptible we are to infection.
