By Enyeribe Ejiogu

The human body, as in the case of other higher vertebrate animals has an internal skeletal structure categorized as endo-skeleton which is composed of different bones. A bone is a rigid, mineralized organ specially designed to provide support (or posture) and protect the various soft organs of the body such as the liver, lungs, intestines, kidney, brain, etc. The bone produces red and white blood cells, stores minerals and enables mobility.
To be able to produce red blood cells, the bone, particularly the long bones has a marrow, which is a flexible tissue in the interior of bones. In the human bone, red blood cells are produced by marrow in the heads of long bones in a process known as hematopoiesis. On average, bone marrow constitutes 4% of the total body mass of humans. According to Wikipedia, an adult who weighs 65 kilograms, the bone marrow typically accounts for approximately 2.6 kilograms. The hematopoietic component of bone marrow produces approximately 500 billion blood cells per day, which use the bone marrow vasculature as a conduit to the body’s systemic circulation. Bone marrow is also a key component of the lymphatic system, producing the lymphocytes that support the body’s immune system.
Like every other organ in the body, the bones can “fall sick” as a result of infection or some other disease such as cancer. Bones can also emaciate, that is lose weight, if they are not properly ‘fed’ with the right nutrients and cared for through exercise. Below are a series of tips to guide you in caring for your bones, to maintain their health.
 What can I do to keep my bones healthy?
You can take a few simple steps to prevent or slow bone loss. For example:
•Include plenty of calcium in your diet. For adults ages 19 to 50 and men ages 51 to 70, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium a day. The recommendation increases to 1,200 mg a day for women after age 50 and for men after age 70.
Good sources of calcium include dairy products, almonds, dark green vegetables, canned salmon with bones, sardines and soy products, such as tofu. If you find it difficult to get enough calcium from your diet, ask your doctor about supplements.
•Pay attention to vitamin D. Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. For adults ages 19 to 70, the RDA of vitamin D is 600 international units (IUs) a day. The recommendation increases to 800 IUs a day for adults age 71 and older. Good sources of vitamin D include oily fish, such as tuna and sardines, egg yolk, and fortified milk. Sunlight also contributes to the body’s production of vitamin D. If you’re worried about getting enough vitamin D, ask your doctor about supplements.
•Include physical activity in your daily routine. Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, tennis and climbing stairs, can help you build strong bones and reduce bone loss.
•Avoid substance abuse. Don’t smoke. Avoid drinking more than two alcoholic drinks a day.
Enlist your doctor’s help
If you’re concerned about your bone health or your risk factors for osteoporosis, including a recent bone fracture, consult your doctor. He or she might recommend a bone density test. The results will help your doctor gauge your bone density and determine your rate of bone loss. By evaluating this information and your risk factors, your doctor can assess whether you might be a candidate for medication to help slow bone loss.
How do I make my bones stronger?
Here are ten tips to make deposits in your ‘bone bank’ for a healthier future.

1. Know your family history
2. Boost calcium consumption through your diet
3. Get plenty of vitamin D. Vitamin D helps improve the body’s ability to absorb calcium.
4. Boost bone density with vitamin K
5. Pump up the potassium intake
6. Make exercise a priority
7. Consume less caffeine by drastically reducing coffee consumption
8. Drink less alcohol
9. Eat protein, but not too much
10. Include magnesium in your diet
11. Eat foods rich in B-complex vitamins. …
12. Get enough vitamin C.
What foods are good for bone health?
Good sources of calcium include: milk, cheese and other dairy foods as milk and yogurt; green leafy vegetables, such as okra fruit half-cooked, made into a mash and eaten with yam, good quality red palm oil (provide vitamin D), soya beans, soya drinks with added calcium, nuts, bread and anything made with fortified flour and fish where you eat the bones, such as sardines. Avoid spinach it provides less calcium because a substance called oxalate gets in the way of absorption of calcium.
For a person that suffers from osteoporosis, it is particularly recommended that you take low-fat and non-fat milk, yogurt fortified with Vitamin D.

What lifestyle choices help a person maintain healthy strong bones and prevent bone loss?
Like a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, exercise helps strengthen bones at any age. But proper exercise and diet may not be enough to stop bone loss caused by medical conditions, menopause, or lifestyle choices such as tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption.
How do you increase bone strength?
Here are six really easy ways to strengthen your bones. Walk or run daily. Daily exercise isn’t only good for your waistline and even mental health, but it can improve your bone health as well.  Increase your consumption of green foods such as vegetables (lettuce, ugu, ewedu) green fruits like cucumber. Drink green tea and practice the Chinese exercise called Tai Chi.
Do more strength training, to help your bones build up load bearing strength. Get outside, take long walks; jump up and down. Jog regularly.
How does exercise help to prevent osteoporosis?
Resistance means you’re working against the weight of another object. Resistance helps with osteoporosis because it strengthens muscle and builds bone. Studies have shown that resistance exercise increases bone density and reduces the risk of fractures.
How do you prevent osteoporosis?
Adults should ensure a nutritious diet and adequate calcium intake; avoid under-nutrition, particularly the effects of severe weight-loss diets and eating disorders; maintain an adequate supply of vitamin; participate in regular weight-bearing activity; avoid smoking and second-hand smoking; avoid heavy drinking.
A good weight-bearing exercise to incorporate into your routine (depending on your current level of fitness, of course) is a walking lunge, as it helps build bone density in your hips, even without any additional weights. Running and jumping are also effective, as is weight training.

How can you delay osteoporosis?
You can build strong bones and help prevent osteoporosis with weight-bearing exercise and a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D. Young women in particular need to be aware of their risk for osteoporosis. They can take steps early to slow its progress and prevent complications.
Weight bearing exercise, which works against gravity and stimulates bone formation, is more effective in preventing osteoporosis than non-weight bearing exercises such as cycling and swimming. Walking, jogging, climbing stairs, tennis and dancing are often recommended for people with osteopenia.

Why is weight bearing exercise good for osteoporosis?
These exercises include activities that make you move against gravity while staying upright. High-impact weight-bearing exercises help build bones and keep them strong. If you have broken a bone due to osteoporosis or are at risk of breaking a bone, you may need to avoid high-impact exercises.

How can I increase my calcium intake?
The easiest ways to increase calcium intake include: taking dairy products every day, falling in love with eating green vegetables. Mothers must particularly make their children eat greens and less of noodles and pastries as well as junk foods like pizza. Eat more fish and less red meat. Snack on calcium-rich nuts like Brazil nuts or almonds. As stated earlier, reduce your intake of caffeine, soft drinks and alcohol.
Welcome, health bones!

With additional material from Webmd.com