Bones, bones, bones
We have 32 teeth if we haven’t lost any along the way, 22 internal organs and about 206 bones.
Without bones we couldn’t stand up, roll over, or breathe. In short, we couldn’t exist without bones.
But what are bones?
They may feel like smooth, lifeless objects, but they grow and can feel pain. They consist of living tissue made of calcium and phosphorus and other inorganic salts in a tough web enclosing spongy, or porous, bone tissue. The outer layer of a bone is dense and compact, but the bone tissue inside is soft because it consists of thin blades of bone that contain blood vessels and red blood marrow.
Bones are hardy.
Perhaps you’ve seen the online video of the man who was caught up in a tornado, tossed and twisted inside it and deposited on the ground about a quarter of a mile away without breaking a single bone.
Most people would not be that lucky. For some of us, even a small slip or stumble would result in a fracture. Every year more than 1.5 million fractures occur because of weakened bones in a condition known as osteoporosis. The total cost for direct medical treatment of these fractures is about $15 billion per year. Even more damaging than the cost is the crippling of otherwise healthy persons because of fractures related to osteoporosis.
Medications are available today to counteract this crippling disease, but you have to start early. Once bones are weakened or fractured due to osteoporosis, the damage can’t be reversed.
Be kind to your bones.
Brought to you compliments of Griffith Publishing
Tags: bones, osteoporosis, protecting your bones
