Can you imagine not being able to garden, travel or spend quality time with your spouse, kids or grandchildren? Without good bone health, you won’t be able to do what you love whenever you want to do it. Developing good bone health starts when you’re young and should be supported, promoted, monitored and maintained as you age. To make an appointment with the Healthy Bone Clinic and Kali Moe, NP, or our Healthy Bone Medical Director, Dr. Bob Golz, call 618-997-6800!   Here are 7 reasons why you should take better care of your bones today:   Bones protect important organs inside your body like your brain. Your skull is the safety helmet inside your head. The rib cage made out of bone protects your lungs and heart. Your skeletal system keeps your insides in place and adds an extra layer of protection when you need it for example, during a fall or accident.   Bones form the structure of your body and make it move the way it should. It would be hard to bend over to pick up your grandchild, work in your flower bed or reel in that big one without the help of your muscles and bone working together.   Healthy bones make you beautiful. Think of the phrase “good bone structure.” Your jaws and teeth are made out of bone, and they support the rest of your face and skull above it.  Strong, healthy bones create strong teeth and a beautiful smile. These same bones support and prevent the fat, muscle and tissue of your cheek from sagging. You’ll look more attractive and youthful throughout your life with good bone health.   Bones hold and build important nutrients and minerals that make your body work its best. Calcium is stored in the bone, and in the bone marrow, red and white blood cells are made. Red blood cells carry oxygen to your muscles and organs including your brain, liver, heart and digestive system. White blood cells fight colds, flu and other diseases. Calcium has many important roles including carrying messages between your brain and every other part of your body via nerves. Your body will use the calcium stored in your bones for this function if you don’t consume enough calcium in your diet.   Your body continually makes and breaks down bone. Before the age of 30, you produce new bone faster than you break it down. After the age of 30, you lose more bone than you make it. Attaining good bone mass while you are younger will help you retain more of your bone later in life and decrease your chance of bone disease.   Without good bone health, you are prone to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes your bones to become weak and brittle. It is often called a “silent disease” because most people don’t know they have it until they break a bone or experience a fracture. 1 out of 2 women over the age of 50 and 1 out of 4 men will experience an osteoporatic fracture in their lifetime. One osteoporatic fracture in your spine, hip or wrist makes it more likely you’ll have another one as each fracture weakens your bones further.   Taking care of injuries associated with bone loss can cause financial strain and emotional distress. When you fracture a bone, you may have to miss work to go to doctors appointments, surgery and physical therapy costing time and money. On top of that, you may have to say goodbye to dance lessons, gardening, travel plans, hunting and other activities you enjoy as your body recovers and heals. However, there is good news. It is never too late to maintain, gain or promote better bone health and prevent bone disease. Be your best advocate and ask your healthcare provider to test and monitor your bones. When you are proactive about your health, you can live life to its fullest and enjoy doing what you love most to do. Take care of your bones, and your bones will take care of you!