Download Basic Bone / Skeletal System Information bones

Basic Bone / Skeletal System Information
bones - provide support for our bodies and help form our shape
skull - protects the brain and forms the shape of our face
backbone or spinal column - protects the spinal cord, a pathway for messages between the
brain and the body
ribs - form a cage that shelters the heart, lungs, liver, and spleen
pelvis - helps protect the bladder, intestines, and in girls, the reproductive organs
joints - occur where two bones meet. They make the skeleton flexible — without them,
movement would be impossible.
cartilage, a flexible, rubbery substance in our joints, supports bones and protects them where
they rub against each other.
ligaments - long, fibrous straps that fasten bones to other bones.
The human skeleton has 206 bones.
Bone building continues throughout your life, as your body constantly renews and reshapes the
bones' living tissue.
Bones are made up of:
1. calcium is needed to make bones hard, which allows them to support your weight. Bones also
store calcium and release some into the bloodstream when it's needed by other parts of the body.
2. phosphorus, sodium, and other minerals, as well as the protein collagen. The amounts of
certain vitamins and minerals that you eat, especially vitamin D and calcium, directly affect how
much calcium is stored in the bones.
The soft bone marrow inside many of our bones is where most of the blood cells flowing through our bodies are
made. The bone marrow contains special cells called stem cells, which produce the body's red blood cells and
platelets. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body's tissues, and platelets help with blood clotting when a person has
a cut or wound.
Bones are made up of two types of material:
1.Compact bone is the solid, hard outside part of the bone. It looks like ivory and is extremely
strong. Holes and channels run through it, carrying blood vessels and nerves from the
periosteum, the bone's membrane covering, to its inner parts.
2. Cancellous bone, which looks like a sponge, is inside the compact bone. It is made up of a
mesh-like network of tiny pieces of bone called trabeculae (pronounced: truh-beh-kyoo-lee). The
spaces in this network are filled with red marrow, found mainly at the ends of bones, and yellow
marrow, which is mostly fat.
Why Do I Need Calcuim?
Bones grow rapidly during adolescence, and teens need enough calcium in their diet to build strong bones to fight
bone loss later in life. But many fail to get the recommended daily amount of calcium. And those who smoke or
drink soda, caffeinated beverages, or alcohol may get even less calcium because those substances interfere with the
way the body absorbs and uses calcium.
Bone calcium begins to decrease in young adulthood and people gradually lose bone density as they age —
particularly women. Teens, especially girls, whose diets don't provide the nutrients to build bones to their maximum
potential are at greater risk of developing the bone disease osteoporosis, which increases the risk of fractures from
weakened bones.
If you got enough calcium and physical activity when you were a kid and continue to do so as a teen, you'll enter
your adult years with the strongest bones possible.
peak bone mass - the highest level of bone density a person can achieve. The stronger a child’s
bones are when they are young, the better.
How Much Do I Need and Where Can I Get It?
Teen boys and girls need 1,300 mg (milligrams) of calcium each day.
Get it from:
* Dairy products. Low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese are good sources of calcium.
* Veggies. You'll also find calcium in broccoli and dark green, leafy vegetables (especially collard and turnip
greens, kale, and bok choy).
* Soy foods. Turn to calcium-fortified (or "calcium-set") tofu, soy milk, tempeh, soy yogurt, and cooked soybeans
(edamame).
* Calcium-fortified foods. Look for calcium-fortified orange juice, soy or rice milk, breads, and cereal.
* Beans. You can get decent amounts of calcium from baked beans, navy beans, white beans, and others.
* Canned fish. You're in luck if you like sardines and canned salmon with bones.
What About . . .
Lactose intolerance - a condition in which the body does not easily digest foods that contain lactose, or the natural
sugar that is found in dairy products. People who are lactose intolerant have a shortage of enzymes that break down
lactose into sugars. Common symptoms include nausea, cramps, bloating, gas and diarrhea.
Supplements. Although it's best to get the calcium you need through a calcium-rich diet, sometimes it may not be
possible. Discuss calcium supplements with your doctor if you're concerned that you're not getting enough.
Vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption, so it's important to get enough of this nutrient too. Made
by the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight, vitamin D is also found in fortified dairy and other products, fish,
and egg yolks.
Exercise. Don't forget to be active and exercise regularly, which is very important to bone health. Weight-bearing
exercises — such as jumping rope, jogging, and walking — can help develop and maintain strong bones. In fact,
current scientific evidence suggests that for teens, exercise may be even more strongly linked to better bone health
than calcium intake.