The Not So Funny Bones
"To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone" ("Reba McEntire"). This quote by musician Reba McEntire hits on what is needed for a successful life; ambition and a little luck, courage, and a sense of humor. But, in reality, many more bones are needed for a good life. Bones play a vital role in health and without them; everyone would be just a pile of tissues. Healthy bones help in nearly every function a person does; providing the ability to move, supporting the body, protecting vital organs, and manufacturing important cells. Bone health, commonly measured by bone density, is often overlooked, with other health issues such as obesity, cancer, and heart disease getting much of the …show more content…
The book The Intelligent Patient's Guide to Osteoporosis defines bone density as the amount of bone mineral, which is primarily calcium, in an area of the bone. Bone density is lost as people age. It has been linked to two thirds of a bone's strength (Sutton 33, 79,189). Bone density correlates to the strength of the bone. It is a concise way to measure this. Without strong bones, horrible consequences can occur. The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that nearly 34 million people have low bone density on top of the 10 million who suffer from osteoporosis, a disease of low bone strength (Palumbo). This often debilitating disease is increasingly common. With nearly 50 million people suffering from impaired bone strength due to low bone density in the United States alone, this problem should not be overlooked. Yet, this stealthy attacker is often ignored until it has caused serious damage. The article "The Importance of Bone Health" details the many important functions of a healthy skeleton. Bone health does more than just provide a good structural support. It plays a vital role in red and white blood cell production, production of various regulatory enzymes in the endocrine system, fat storage, energy metabolism, and overall homeostasis of the body (Perricone). Without a doubt, bones are one of the most functional and necessary …show more content…
To start, calcium is perhaps the most commonly linked component to higher bone density, and with just cause. Calcium is a versatile and important element. Connie Weaver, a member of the Institute of Medicine, explains, "Calcium is very critical for every body function-without it, your muscles won't contract and your nerves won't send messages. You either provide calcium through your diet or your body will strip it from your bone tissue. If your body robs the bones, they will weaken and break" ("Calcium Moves Front and Center"). Since calcium plays so many important roles, is easy to see that it is necessary to consume adequate amounts. The bones need calcium. But, many of these other functions take precedence over bone growth. Calcium will go to these first, so inadequate intake of calcium will not allow bones to strengthen because calcium is the major component of
"To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone" ("Reba McEntire"). This quote by musician Reba McEntire hits on what is needed for a successful life; ambition and a little luck, courage, and a sense of humor. But, in reality, many more bones are needed for a good life. Bones play a vital role in health and without them; everyone would be just a pile of tissues. Healthy bones help in nearly every function a person does; providing the ability to move, supporting the body, protecting vital organs, and manufacturing important cells. Bone health, commonly measured by bone density, is often overlooked, with other health issues such as obesity, cancer, and heart disease getting much of the …show more content…
The book The Intelligent Patient's Guide to Osteoporosis defines bone density as the amount of bone mineral, which is primarily calcium, in an area of the bone. Bone density is lost as people age. It has been linked to two thirds of a bone's strength (Sutton 33, 79,189). Bone density correlates to the strength of the bone. It is a concise way to measure this. Without strong bones, horrible consequences can occur. The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that nearly 34 million people have low bone density on top of the 10 million who suffer from osteoporosis, a disease of low bone strength (Palumbo). This often debilitating disease is increasingly common. With nearly 50 million people suffering from impaired bone strength due to low bone density in the United States alone, this problem should not be overlooked. Yet, this stealthy attacker is often ignored until it has caused serious damage. The article "The Importance of Bone Health" details the many important functions of a healthy skeleton. Bone health does more than just provide a good structural support. It plays a vital role in red and white blood cell production, production of various regulatory enzymes in the endocrine system, fat storage, energy metabolism, and overall homeostasis of the body (Perricone). Without a doubt, bones are one of the most functional and necessary …show more content…
To start, calcium is perhaps the most commonly linked component to higher bone density, and with just cause. Calcium is a versatile and important element. Connie Weaver, a member of the Institute of Medicine, explains, "Calcium is very critical for every body function-without it, your muscles won't contract and your nerves won't send messages. You either provide calcium through your diet or your body will strip it from your bone tissue. If your body robs the bones, they will weaken and break" ("Calcium Moves Front and Center"). Since calcium plays so many important roles, is easy to see that it is necessary to consume adequate amounts. The bones need calcium. But, many of these other functions take precedence over bone growth. Calcium will go to these first, so inadequate intake of calcium will not allow bones to strengthen because calcium is the major component of