Bones provide the overall structure and connective tissue that keeps our skin and other organs in place. Without bones, we could not move or do most other things to lead a physically active life. Missing, broken, or fractured bones are painful, and they compromise our quality of life until they are repaired or we learn to make do without them. That is why it is vitally important to maintain healthy bones throughout our lives, beginning from the time we are young and continuing through the senior years.

Bones need calcium and other nutrients to get strong and remain so. Lacking proper nutrition, they can grow soft or weak. Eventually they begin to decay, which can lead to serious problems like fractures, falls, and immobility as we age. As the medical community becomes more knowledgeable about how to protect human bones and keep them working better for longer periods of time, they inform patients about simple but basic lifestyle changes that can have a positive influence on our skeletal framework.

Do you fall often? Are you prone to bone fractures or breakage? Some people seem to have this natural tendency, while others develop it over time. As a result of either type of condition, we need to drink milk and perhaps even take calcium supplements to build strong bones that will support our bodies for the rest of our lives. Without calcium, bones may not be able to grow adequately to bear our weight or sustain a tumble, which can lead to an injury.

Ask your doctor what you can do at whatever stage of life you are at to protect and preserve your bones. The doctor may recommend a multivitamin supplement with minerals to provide all the nourishment your body needs to stay healthy. Or you may receive the recommendation to eat plenty of foods and beverages that provide adequate nutrition for your bone health. These probably will include two to three eight-ounce glasses of milk each day, and perhaps more for nursing or pregnant women. Leafy green vegetables like spinach may be helpful as well. Your doctor can suggest the type of diet you should follow that will address all your physical conditions and needs.

Weight-bearing exercise is another way to strengthen your bones over time. Aim to get 30 minutes daily of moderate exercise like walking, aerobics, or jogging to promote bone health and strengthen them. Lose extra pounds and stay at your recommended healthy size to prevent bone stress from carrying around unneeded weight. To keep active, join a walkers' group or find an exercise partner so you can help each other maintain physical exercise accountability.

Following a general plan of overall health enhancement should have a good effect on your bones, too. Ask your doctor for specific foods and exercises you can try to keep your bone network in great shape for years to come.