The bones of the human skeleton seem so strong; it's hard to imagine that some people's bones are very susceptible to fractures and breaks under even the slightest stress. Bone degeneration can cause our once strong and sturdy bones to become brittle and fragile. Degenerative bone diseases like osteoporosis are just coming into public awareness, as are new ways to prevent and treat them.

Bone degeneration's painful effects can be crippling to sufferers. In addition to fragile bones, slouching posture and chronic pain can be the results of degenerative bone diseases. Bone degeneration is preventable, though, and prevention behaviors should be started as early in life as possible.

Preventing Bone Loss

With today's high paced, high stress lifestyles, it can be difficult to remember to take care of our bodies. Fast foods rarely contain any of the vitamins and minerals we need to perform at our most efficient. While it is most effective to obtain these nutrients through food intake, vitamin and mineral supplements are also a good way to get what we need into our bodies. Calcium and vitamin D are the most important vitamins to maintain bone health.

Exercise is another great way to fight bone degeneration. A good exercise regimen can not only fight bone disease now, but will help you ward off bone disease later in life by increasing your bone mass. Weight bearing exercises like dancing, running and jogging, weight lifting and tennis will cause bones to work against gravity which strengthens and maintains bone mass.