We rely on our skeletons, even though we (I hope!) don’t see them. Keeping our bones strong is a good way to ensure that we have a happy and healthy old age. I’m here to talk about how.
Our skeletons respond well to work. They also, believe it or not, like gravity. To keep our skulls smiling, we need to keep all those bones in motion, preferably with a bit of weight or impact involved.
The simplest way to make our skeletons happy is to lift weights. We don’t have to get fancy or complicated. One or two weight workouts of 20 or 30 minutes a week is enough.
All right, maybe that’s not the simplest way. The simplest way might be to walk or run or play tennis or pickleball or basketball or anything where our bodies impact the ground. (Sadly, biking and swimming, two of my favorite activities, don’t have enough impact to make a difference for bone health.)
The really good news is that what is good for our skeletons is good for the rest of us, too. That weight lifting increases our lean muscle mass, boosts metabolism, and makes us look good. The cardio improves our mood and burns calories.
Make your skeleton happy!