– George Eliot

As the machine was measuring my bone density, I was asking myself: What will the results be? What are the things I can try to do to stay healthy? How do I try to prevent osteoporosis?

Bone density is a measurement taken with special equipment that measures the weight of your skeleton overall or in specific regions. Bones are living tissue – a hard, porous structure with a blood supply and nerves – that constantly rebuild themselves. Bones protect our organs and provide the supporting framework for the body. Without bones, we would be nothing more than a blob of tissue. The good news is that we are never too young or too old to improve our bone health.

The surgeon general is the nation’s highest-ranking public health officer, and is appointed to help protect and promote the health of all Americans. The information that the country’s top scientists, doctors and public health experts have to show could be very important to us.

They say we must be aware of our personal health risks as suggested by our medical history and family history. We also need to know how to take advantage of modern preventive medicine such as making the best use of diagnostic screening tests now available.

Let’s review tips for keeping bones strong. (I certainly need to be reminded.) Calcium is the most common mineral in the body. It maintains bone structure and strength, and repairs bone damage. The best natural resources are yogurt, milk, cheese and calcium-fortified foods. Calcium from oxalate-rich dark green, leafy vegetables like spinach is poorly absorbed.

Symptoms of deficiency include osteoporosis, increased risk of high blood pressure, heart palpitations, brittle nails, insomnia, muscle cramps, elevated cholesterol, eczema, and nervousness. Enjoy snacks of yogurt and cheese to increase your calcium.

Which other foods keep our skeleton strong? I would never think of kale, collards and other greens as bone builders. Yet researchers suspect that green leafy vegetables protect bone because they are loaded with vitamin K.

Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. Make sure you get enough vitamin D in your diet. Your skin can synthesize all the vitamin D your body needs as long as you get enough sunlight every day. Vitamin D deficiencies may occur during the winter and where overcast weather is the norm.

Among the benefits are the control of absorption and utilization of calcium and phosphorus throughout the body, the building of strong teeth and bones, regulation of cardiac function, and the maintenance of a healthy central nervous system. The best natural sources are sunlight, eggs, yogurt, fatty fish such as tuna and salmon, and fortified foods such as milk and breakfast cereals.

Even simple activities like walking or stair climbing will strengthen your bones. Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day, even if it is only 10 minutes at a time. Children should get at least 60 minutes a day.

The cornerstones of maximizing health and happiness are keeping our minds and bodies in good working order, letting nature take its course while doing everything in our power to delay the onset of disease, and to live as long as well as possible.

— Zaffie Hadiaris of Saco is the host of “Zaffie,” a weekly television talk show on Channel 3 Biddeford public access. It can also be seen at biddefordmaine.org. Contact Hadiaris at [email protected].