5 Best Poppy seeds benefits in Ayurveda

Are you aware about the structure that holds your body together? Do you know about the support provided by this structure? That is possible with the presence of bones in your body. 

Bones play an integral part in keeping your posture right, enabling movement of different body parts, etc. The stronger the bones, the healthier will be the body. 

A descriptive light will be thrown on the bone strength and benefits of poppy seeds further below. 

 

How To Measure Bone Strength?

bone Strength poppy seeds

A well-known test i.e. bone mineral density(BMD) test is used to measure total bone strength. For this dual-energy X-Ray absorption(DEXA) scans are used. X-Rays of low scale takes measure of your lumbar spine and hip bones.

A T-score value is calculated using bone mineral density test. T-score value obtained within different ranges is an indicator of your bone strength. You can know about your bone strength by going through below details

  • If your T-score value lies between +1 and -1, then it is considered appropriate.
  • If your T-score value lies between -1 and -2.5, then it is an indication of low bone mass. It can be improved by lifestyle and diet changes, exercising. 
  • You may suffer from osteoporosis if your T-score value is -2.5 or lower than that. Medications might be suggested by a health professional in case of osteoporosis. 

How Can Bones Become Weak?

 

Your bones can become weak as a result of osteoporosis. The risk factors that lead to brittleness of bones or osteoporosis are

  • Overactive adrenal and parathyroid glands
  • Overactive thyroid glands
  • Failure of kidney
  • Eating disorder like anorexia nervosa
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Less absorption of minerals and Vitamin D in the body
  • Aging
  • Alcohol addiction
  • Smoking addiction
  • Deficiency of calcium 
  • Overcomsumption of caffeine
  • Lack of exercise or any physical activity
  • Genetic reasons
  • Medications used to prevent cancer, seizures, etc. can also lead to it.
  • Intake of steroids can also have a side-effect of causing osteoporosis.

 

Symptoms Of Weak Bone Strength

 

You can face a few symptoms due to weak bones, which are

  • Prone to developing fractures 
  • Brittle and weak nails
  • Neck pain
  • Back pain
  • Improper body posture

 

How To Strengthen Your Bones?

 

strengthen your bones

Since bones form a vital part of your body structure, its necessary for them to be strong and healthy. Bones keep one developing as you keep aging. A peak bone mass is achieved usually around age of 30. 

The tendency to develop weak bones can increase once you cross 30 years of age. Still, with proper lifestyle and diet intake, you can strengthen your bones. 

 

A few of the methods to work on bone strength are

 

  • Consumption of proper amount of protein- Around half percentage of your bones consists of proteins. The absorption of calcium decreases with less intake of proteins. 

Since women are usually prone to weaker bones with growing age, they need to consume sufficient amount of protein. If you are aiming for weight loss, then it is suggested  to have a proper intake of proteins. This will help in maintaining your bone mass.

 

Around 100 grams of protein intake is recommended by health professionals for stronger bones. 

 

  • Consume lots of veggies- Since childhood we are told to Go Green. Here Go Green, not only refers to planting more trees, but consuming more of green diet. In layman terms, the more vegetables you intake, the less chances you will develop of having weak bones.

Due to presence of Vitamin C in the vegetables, you are less prone to bone damage. Bone density also gets increased. Thus, appropriate bone mass is maintained until you grow old. 

 

The chances of developing osteoporosis  is reduced due to aging. Green vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, okra, etc. are preferred usually to increase your bone density at a fast rate. 

 

  • Include strength training in your routine- To maintain and build strong muscles, you need to engage in certain kind of exercises. A high-impact or weight lifting exercise can be best to work on your bone strength.

 

To maintain bone density in adults, regular exercise during growing childhood years, is essential. In older men, it has been scientifically proved that an increase of bone density was found after weight lifting exercises for a few months. 


Further, strength training exercises can help in an increase of muscle mass.The risk of suffering from breast cancer, osteoporosis, etc. can be reduced in older ladies due to these exercises in younger ages.

 

  • Intake of calcium rich foods- Calcium is one of the basic nutrients that is needed by the body to build bones. For building and maintaining bone strength,you need to intake calcium rich foods regularly.

 

According to scientific research, teenagers require maximum amount of calcium in their diet intake. Thus, it is recommended to include a calcium based food in every meal by teenagers.

 

Further, this will reduce chances of having weaker bones in older stages of growth. A few of the calcium rich foods that you can include in your diet are

 

    1. Yogurt
    2. Lentils
    3. Beans
    4. Green vegetables
    5. Tofu
    6. Almonds
    7. Milk
    8. Figs

     

    • Avoidance of low calorie diets- Health professionals suggest to have a balanced diet that comprises of proper calorie intake per day. Even if you are doing strength training exercises, a calorie intake of less than 1000 calories per day can lead to weak bones.

     

    Thus, around 1200 calories per day should be consumed. Your diet should include green vegetables, minerals, vitamins, etc.

     

    • Get plenty of sunshine and Vitamin K- Vitamin D in the form of early sunrise can majorly help your body to absorb calcium. Though there are many Vitamin D supplements available in the market, it is advised to bask the rays of sun for around half an hour during early morning. 

     

    Adults and children with low Vitamin D level can have weak bones. Vitamin K is also essential for bone formation. 

     

    Two of the essential forms of Vitamin K are MK-7 and MK-4. A few of the food items rich in these Vitamin K forms are

    1. Eggs
    2. Meat
    3. Cheese
    • Consumption of products rich in Omega-3
    • Balanced body weight
    • Intake of food rich in magnesium and zinc

     

    Use Of Namhya’s Poppy Seeds

    Namhya’s poppy seeds come under its herbs categories in the products section. You can buy and consume Namhya’s poppy seeds due to its various benefits which are

    • Boosting immunity
    • Promoting heart health
    • Helping in increasing and maintaining bone strength
    • Promoting female fertility
    • Enhancing skin glow
    • Natural antioxidant properties 

     

    Bone strength as discussed is necessary for daily movement  of your body. Though your bones can become weak as you get older, you can still work on improving your lifestyle. 

     

    With a proper lifestyle and sufficient calories intake per day, you bone strength can be improved. Besides, consuming Namhya’s poppy seeds can definitely strengthen your bones within a short time. 

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    Author

    Ridhima Arora

    Ridhima Arora is an Indian entrepreneur, author, trained yoga instructor, and practicing nutritionist. She is the founder of Namhya Foods.Besides being the founder of Namhya foods, Ridhima also gives nutrition coaching in seminars to kids, NGOs, and corporates. She also works as a freelancer at Global Changemakers.