The CDC recently posted an article about how to be healthy, and we at Orthopedic Performance Institute decided to pull out the important info, with a focus on your bones and joints!

Here’s how you can enjoy the holidays while prioritizing your health in simple, fun ways.

Why Staying Active is Essential for Bone and Joint Health

Movement is medicine, especially for your bones and joints. Staying active during the holidays helps improve circulation, maintain muscle strength, and keep your joints mobile. The good news? You don’t need a grueling exercise regimen to reap the benefits.

• Holiday Shopping Steps: Turn your shopping trips into a workout. Walk a few laps around the mall before hitting the stores.
• Take the Stairs: Opt for stairs whenever possible—even going partway up before switching to the elevator can make a difference.
• Group Walks: Gather your friends and family for a walk after a holiday meal. Make it entertaining by turning it into a scavenger hunt.

Simple actions like these can keep your joints healthy and reduce stiffness, especially during the colder months when inactivity can creep in.

Fun, Active Holiday Traditions

Holidays are the perfect time to mix festivities with fitness. Seasonal activities bring a joyful twist to staying active:

• Explore Holiday Lights on Foot: Bundle up and walk through neighborhoods decorated with festive lights. It’s more immersive than driving and great for your step count.
• Ice Skating or Hiking: Outdoor winter activities like skating or hiking combine holiday spirit with a healthy dose of cardio.
• Yard Games or Park Activities: Set up an active group game like tag football or Frisbee during family gatherings.

These activities not only boost your physical health but also create lasting memories with loved ones.

Nutrition That Supports Your Orthopedic Health

What you eat plays a crucial role in maintaining strong bones and flexible joints. The holidays might tempt you with calorie-rich, sugar-laden treats, but balance is key.

• Portion Control: Indulge in festive treats in moderation, but start meals with fruits and vegetables to fill your plate with nutrients.
• Healthy Swaps: Modify traditional recipes with low-fat dairy, reduced sodium, or added spices for flavor without extra calories.
• Lean Proteins and Veggies: Opt for dishes featuring baked fish, chicken, or legumes alongside a variety of vegetables to promote bone strength.

A little creativity in the kitchen can turn holiday favorites into healthier options that everyone can enjoy.

Creative Ways to Keep the Focus Off Food

Holidays don’t have to revolve around food. Consider shifting your gatherings toward activities that engage the mind and body:

• Volunteer Together: Helping at a community center or food bank can bring meaning to the season while keeping you active.
• Explore Museums: Discover local exhibits with family or friends for a low-impact activity.
• Try Seasonal Crafts: Engaging in creative projects is a great way to connect while keeping your hands and mind busy.

By diversifying the focus of holiday gatherings, you can foster healthier traditions for years to come.

Building Long-Term Healthy Habits

Small changes made during the holidays can set the foundation for a healthier new year. Activities like regular walks, mindful eating, and enjoying nutritious meals can easily transition into year-round habits. The key is consistency and finding joy in your efforts.

For those with orthopedic conditions, these strategies aren’t just helpful during the holidays—they’re essential for maintaining mobility and reducing discomfort throughout the year. Let the season of giving inspire you to give yourself the gift of health.

Enjoy Your Healthy Holiday!

With these tips, you can fully embrace the holiday spirit while supporting your orthopedic health. So lace up those walking shoes, grab a handful of holiday veggies, and enjoy every step, laugh, and bite of the season—guilt-free!

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What does calcium do for our bones?

Our bodies are comprised of many different minerals, such as iron and magnesium, but the most abundant mineral in the body is calcium.

Our bones are partly made of calcium salts (mixtures of calcium with other minerals), especially calcium phosphate. Calcium phosphate hardens and strengthens bone.

Since our bodies cannot make calcium, we need to get it from foods and drinks to build strong bones and teeth and to keep them healthy. Healthy bones are less likely to break if we have a traumatic injury.

What happens to our bones without enough calcium?

Calcium does more than build strong bone. It also helps our muscles, heart, and nerves work properly.

If we do not get enough calcium in our diets, our bodies take the calcium we need from our bones. Over time, this process makes bones weaker and raises the risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that renders our bones weak and brittle, and people with osteoporosis have a higher risk of fractures.

How much calcium do we need?

The amount of calcium each person needs depends on their age and sex. Here’s how much calcium people need every day to keep their bones strong and healthy.

Source: National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements

Which foods have calcium?

The best food sources of calcium are milk and other dairy products, like cheese and yogurt. Other food sources of calcium include:

• Fish (such as salmon and tuna)
• Leafy green vegetables (such as kale and turnip greens)
• Tofu (set with calcium)
• Small fish with bones (including sardines and canned salmon)

Some foods and drinks are fortified with calcium. A food is fortified when the manufacturer adds vitamins or minerals that the food does not naturally have. Examples of foods fortified with calcium are certain brands of juice, soymilk, oatmeal and breakfast cereal.

Some supplements contain calcium. Talk to your health care provider, such as the professionals at the Orthopedic Performance Institute, if you are considering whether or not to take a calcium supplement.

What does vitamin D do for our bones?

Vitamin D promotes bone health in these ways:

• Helps absorb the calcium we get from food.
• Along with calcium, helps protects older adults from osteoporosis.
• Promotes healthy functioning of our muscles and immune system. We need strong muscles to maintain our balance and reduce the risk of falling and breaking bones.

What happens to our bones without enough vitamin D?

When children do not get enough vitamin D, they can develop rickets. With this condition, the bones become soft, weak, deformed and painful.

In adults, too little vitamin D over time can cause:

• Osteomalacia, a painful condition that makes bones and muscles weak and more likely to bend and break.
• Osteoporosis.

How much vitamin D do we need?

Source: National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements

In the United States, most people do not consume enough vitamin D to meet recommended intakes. Some vitamin D can be made in the body with sun exposure but many people have low vitamin D status.

Which foods have vitamin D?

Not many foods have vitamin D. Some kinds of fish can provide some of the vitamin D we need each day. Examples are:

• Trout
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Mackerel

Most of the vitamin D that Americans get from food comes from fortified foods. Most milk and some yogurts in the United States are fortified with vitamin D, but most other dairy products do not have added vitamin D.

Other foods that may be fortified (check the label to be sure) include:

• Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals
• Orange juice

Some supplements contain vitamin D. Again, consult your health care provider if you are considering taking a vitamin D supplement.

If you’re concerned about your bone strength, a bone density test can help alleviate your worries. Contact the Orthopedic Performance Institute in San Antonio at (210) 545-7171 for more information.

Medical information provided by the National Institutes of Health.

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Reasons to exercise

Just like muscle, bone is made of living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming stronger. Young women and men who exercise regularly generally achieve greater peak bone mass (maximum bone density and strength) than those who do not. For most people, bone mass peaks during the third decade of life. After that time, we can begin to lose bone.

Women and men over the age of 20 can help prevent bone loss with regular exercise. Exercising can also help maintain muscle strength, coordination and balance, which in turn helps to prevent falls and related fractures. This is key for older adults and people who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.

The best bone-building exercises

Weight-bearing and resistance exercises are the best for your bones, as they force you to work against gravity. These include walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, playing tennis and dancing. Resistance exercises such as lifting weights can also help to strengthen bones.

Exercise tips

If you have health conditions such as heart trouble, high blood pressure, diabetes or obesity — or if you are age 40 or older, check with your doctor before you begin a regular exercise program.

According to the Surgeon General, the optimal goal is at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days, preferably daily.

“When you begin an exercise routine, it’s common to have some muscle soreness and discomfort at the beginning,” says the Orthopedic Performance Institute’s Dr. Alexandra Matthews. “But if it’s painful and lasts more than 48 hours, you maybe working too hard or doing it wrong.”

Definitely stop exercising if you feel any chest pain or discomfort, and see your doctor before you start again.

Exercising with osteoporosis

If you have osteoporosis, ask your doctor which activities are safe for you. If you have low bone mass, experts recommend that you protect your spine by avoiding exercises or activities that flex, bend or twist it. You should avoid high-impact exercise to lower the risk of breaking a bone.

You also might want to consult with an exercise specialist to learn the proper progression of activity, how to stretch and strengthen muscles safely, and how to correct poor posture habits. An exercise specialist should have a degree in exercise physiology, physical education, physical therapy or a similar specialty. Be sure to ask if he or she is familiar with the special needs of people with osteoporosis.

Exercise is only one aspect of a complete osteoporosis prevention or treatment program, along with a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D. 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.

It is important to speak with your doctor about your bone health. Discuss whether you should take a bone mineral density test. If you are diagnosed with low bone mass, ask what medications might help keep your bones strong.

If you’re planning on starting an exercise regimen for bone health, make an appointment with Dr. Alexandra Matthews, Sports Medicine specialist for the Orthopedic Performance Institute.

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Babies

Bone growth begins even before babies are born. Premature and low-birth-weight infants often need extra calcium, phosphorus and protein to assure they get the nutrients they need for strong bones. Most baby formula contains calcium and vitamin D.

Breastfed babies get the nutrition they need for good bone health from their mothers. That’s why mothers who breastfeed should increase their intake of vitamin D. Most baby formula contains calcium and vitamin D.

Children

Good bone health begins early in life with good habits. While children and young adults rarely get bone diseases, kids can develop habits that endanger their health and bones. Parents can help by encouraging them to eat healthful food and get at least an hour of physical activity every day.

Jumping rope, running and sports are fun activities that are great for building strong bones. Kids need the amount of calcium equal to three servings of low-fat milk each day. If your child doesn’t drink enough milk, serve low-fat cheese, yogurt or other foods that are high in calcium. If your child is allergic to milk or lactose-intolerant, you should talk to your pediatrician about milk substitutes.

Teens

Teens are especially at risk for not developing strong bones because they are growing so rapidly. Boys and girls from ages 9 to 18 need 1,300 milligrams of calcium each day, more than any other age group. Parents can help teens by making sure they eat four servings of calcium-rich and vitamin D-fortified foods a day.

At least one hour a day of physical activities such as running, skateboarding, sports, and dance is also critical.

But take note: extreme physical exercise when combined with undereating can weaken teens’ bones. Teens who miss adding bone to their skeletons during these crucial years never make it up.

Adults

Adulthood is a time when we need to carefully monitor our bone health. We need 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium, depending on our age, and at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. Activity that puts some stress on your bones is essential:

• Physical activity at least 30 minutes every day
• Strength training two to three times a week
• Balance training once a week

Many women over age 50 are at risk for bone disease, but few know it. At menopause, which usually happens in women over age 50, hormone production drops sharply. Because hormones help protect bones, menopause can lead to bone loss. Your doctor can help advise you on protecting bone health around menopause.

Seniors

Seniors can take steps to help prevent bone problems. Physical activity and diet are vital to bone health in older adults. Calcium and vitamin D help reduce bone loss. Activities that put stress on bones keep them strong. Find time for activities like walking, dancing, and gardening. Strengthening your body helps prevent falls. Protecting yourself against falls is key to avoiding a broken hip or wrist. All women over age 65 should have a bone density test.

Seniors should also know that recent studies conclude that anyone over age 50 should increase his or her vitamin D intake to 600 International Units (IU) per day. After age 70, 800 IU per day are needed.

You can prevent most falls

Falls are not just the result of getting older. However, as you age, falls become more dangerous. Most falls can be prevented. Here are some things you can do to make a fall less likely.

Begin a regular exercise program

Exercise is one of the most important ways to reduce your chances of falling. It makes you stronger and helps you feel better. Exercises that improve balance and coordination, like dancing and Tai Chi, are the most helpful. Consider joining an organized program at your local community center or gym.

Make your home safer

• Remove things you can trip over from stairs and places where you walk.
• Remove all small rugs.
• Don’t use step stools. Keep items you need within easy reach.
• Have grab bars put in next to your toilet and in the bathtub or shower.
• Use nonslip mats in the bathtub and shower.
• Use brighter light bulbs in your home.
• Add handrails and light in all staircases.
• Wear shoes that give good support and have nonslip soles.

Ask a health care professional to review your medicines

Ask your doctor, nurse, pharmacist or other health care professional to review all the medicines you are taking. Make sure to mention over-the-counter remedies such as cold medicine. As you get older, the way some medicines work in your body can change. Some medications can make you drowsy or light-headed, which can lead to a fall.

Have your vision checked

Poor vision increases your risk of falling. You could be wearing the wrong glasses or have a condition such as glaucoma or cataracts that limits your vision.

Your Doctor Can Help You Protect Your Bones at Any Age

Talk to your doctor about bone health. Together you can evaluate your risks. Some things to discuss include your current health, your diet and physical activity levels, and your family background.

The doctor can look at your age, weight, height and medical history. From that, he or she can determine if you need a bone density test. Broken bones are a “red flag” for your doctor. If you break a bone after the age of 50, talk to your doctor about measuring your bone density. Even if you broke a bone in an accident, you might have weak bones. It is certainly worth checking.

If your doctor finds that your bones are becoming weaker, there are things you can do to make them stronger. You can be more physically active, change your diet, and take calcium and vitamin D supplements. If your bones are already weak, there are also medications that stop bone loss. They can even build new bone and make it less likely that you will suffer a broken bone.

The physicians at Orthopedic Performance Institute offer Bone Wellness and Fracture Prevention services dedicated to helping you keep your bones strong for a lifetime. Make an appointment today.

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