YOUR GUIDE TO HEALTHY BONES AT EVERY AGE

We think of bone as hard, sturdy and unyielding - the internal scaffolding that holds us together and helps us stand tall. That's true. But bone is also living tissue that adjusts and evolves throughout our lives. Maintaining healthy bones doesn't just happen; it takes work. Eat the right foods, do the right exercises, dodge the bad habits - and you'll likely be rewarded with strong bones that resist breakage. Indulge in unhealthy activities, like partying and fad diets, and you could be stuck with a frame that's porous, weak and easily fractured. Read on to learn how they develop each decade, and what you can do to keep them healthy.

In your 20s:

You can eat almost anything without consequence and have boundless energy to boot - but you still haven't hit peak bone mass, when your bones are at their strongest.

1. Eat bone building foods to make sure your bones become as strong as possible - 1,000-1,200 mg of calcium every day and 400-800IU of Vitamin D.

2. Load up on other nutrients too - including magnesium, phosphorous and Vitamin K.

3. Avoid excessive dieting and exercise.

4. Limit alcohol

5. Nix the cigarettes. Smoking tobacco slows down cells that make bone.

6. Watch your soft-drink intake. The phosphoric acid in sodas can overload your system and upset its balance with calcium.

In your 30s:

Unless there is a lifestyle issue or a health issue, bones remain fairly stable druing your 30s. This is a good time to establish healthy bone habits.

1. Make exercise a priority.

2. Protect your skeletal health during pregnancy.

3. Pay attention to your thyroid

In your 40s:

Forty may be the new 30, but like it or not, this is the decade when most women approach menopause, and the body produces less estrogen.

1. Consider interval training, which alternates short bursts of intense exercise with less intense recovery periods.

2. Take up weight training. The resistance forces bone to rebuild itself and improves both bone and muscle strength.

3. Watch your weight. Gaining too many pounds can worsen conditions like osteoarthritis, which may limit your mobility and make it harder for you to exercise.

In your 50s:

Congratulations on reaching the half-century mark! But, alas, once you hit menopause, your ovaries stop producing estrogen, and bone loss accelerates. Your risk of osteoporosis also significantly increases. 50% of all Americans over the age of 50 are at risk for osteoporosis, and 80% of those who have the disease are women.

1. Load up on fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

2. Get more calcium. Increase your calcium intake to 1200mg per day, and if necessary, take a supplement to reach those levels.

3. Take up balance exercises. Balance training becomes more important at this age.

In your 60s and beyond:

As you age, bones become more fragile. The risk for fractures rises, making good habits and preventing falls even more important.

1. Get your Vitamin D levels tested. Many people in their 60s have low Vitamin D levels. If you aren't taking a supplement, now is the time to start.

2. Have a bone-mineral density test.

3. Mind your meds. Certain medications, such as steroids, can cause bone loss. Other medicines or combinations of drugs can cause problems with balance and coordination.

4. Keep exercising. While you may no longer want to do the high-intensity workouts you once did, it's important to stay active.

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