Primary osteoarthritis has multiple risk factors including auto-immune, inflammatory, degenerative and environmental factors. While the exact cause of Osteoarthritis is difficult to pinpoint, having close relatives with the disease increases your chances manifold.
The following at-home tips are very important to maintain bone health :
- A balanced diet: Fresh, locally produced fruits and vegetables are most important to boost up the nutritional status
- Exercise: Regular exercise helps in increasing joint muscle strength and delays bone loss. The key is to be regular and slowly increase your activity level.
- Adequate Vitamin D: Soaking in the sun naturally increases Vitamin D levels in your body, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
- Decrease your stress levels : Cortisol (stress hormone) has a detrimental effect on bones.
- Try avoiding acidic food and fizzy drinks to protect bone loss.
Yes, soft drinks have a negative impact on your bones. Phosphoric acid is a main component of soft drinks. Increased intake of phosphorus from soft drinks causes relatively reduced calcium to maintain the balance which directly leads to lowering the bone density. Also, most soft drinks have caffeine, thus interfering with calcium absorption, lowering bone density even further.
Doctors ask for post-surgery follow ups to check the healing progression and to make sure your calcium and Vitamin D levels are within normal range.
