Love your Bones, Be Strong

Good health is something we often take for granted, especially when we're young. Some of us can be quite naive about our health, thinking that certain health issues can only affect other people and many of us  live with a YOLO  (you only live once) attitude because we often associate health issues with people much older than ourselves. The reality is that anyone can fall ill at anytime, we're not all as invincible as we would like to be, therefore looking after ourselves while we are fit and young should be a priority.

Hellenia, the health supplement company is currently running a campaign called 'Love your Bones, Be Strong' to highlight the importance of strong bones among females. Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies and is the structural building block present in muscles, bones, skin and cartilage, therefore Hellenia have created a Pro - Active collagen  that can be added to juice or water to help maintain the musculoskeletal system and provide essential amino acids for joint protection which helps rebuild tissues and build strength and muscle mass.

Bone and joint issues in young women is quite common due to hormonal imbalances, especially in fertile young women. According to an article on Everyday Health 'many women notice an increase in joint pain just before or during their period and this is likely because estrogen levels plummet right before menstruation and rise again after a woman's period is over'. I have suffered from joint pain from a very young age and a few years ago I had an operation on my knee and the doctor discovered I had a chrondomalcia patella, which is thinning of the cartilage in the knee. He explained to me that it is common in young women due to hormones and would probably settle down once I have reached the menopause.

Another common bone and joint disorder rising in young women is autoimmune arthritis.  You normally wouldn't associate arthritis with a young woman in her twenties, but two years after enduring months of pain in my wrists, feet and knees, I finally went to the doctors and after a series of tests I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. It came as such shock knowing that I wasn't even a quarter of the way through my life and my joints had started slowly degenerating. There was days I was in so much pain I could barely get out of bed and at the time, I was in my final year of university trying to write my dissertation. The first year or two living with my condition was the hardest, but now I'm doing really well because I've started looking after my joints as much as I can.

Eating healthy and taking supplements is just two of the many ways to look after your joints, as well as regular exercise. I have been told by my rheumatologist to take regular Vitamin D medication alongside my arthritis medication and eat plenty of calcium rich products. Exercise is also really important because it keeps your joints active and prevents stiffness. Swimming is one of the best exercises you can do if you have joint problems because it works every part of body without putting too much strain on your joints. 

It's important to look after your bones and joints while you are fit and young to prevent deterioration when you are older, after all prevention is usually better than the cure. We don't often realise how important our joints and bones actually are - we walk with them, carry things with them and do many of the things we love with them, therefore it's important to try keep them in the best shape. Love your Bones, Be Strong and conquer the world.

Do you do anything to look after your joints and bones?