It goes without saying that bones play an incredibly important role in our bodies: providing us with mobility, support, and protection. Unfortunately, as we age, our bones start to break down faster than our body can rebuild them. This leads to a loss in bone density, causing bones to be weaker and leading to the development of bone disease.
Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease and occurs when bone mineral density decreases. It can cause bones to become so weak and fragile that even minor falls or normal stressors like coughing can lead to broken bones.
Our nutrition and lifestyle play an important role in our bone health. To ensure strong bones that will be less likely to break and to help prevent osteoporosis, we want to focus on incorporating a variety of foods that contain key nutrients for bone health:
Calcium
o Calcium is one of the main components of bone. If we don’t consume enough calcium, our body will pull calcium from our bones.
o Food sources of calcium include milk, yogurt, cheese, canned salmon and sardines with bones, kale, broccoli, fortified juices, and tofu.
Vitamin D
o Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium. A lack of vitamin D can lead to soft bones.
o Food sources of vitamin D include fatty fish and fish liver oils.
o If you are deficient in vitamin D, a supplement may be needed.
Protein
o Protein is the building block for strong bones and makes up a large portion of bone volume and mass.
o Food sources of protein include dairy, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and legumes.
Some other key nutrients that are necessary for calcium metabolism and strong bones include:
• Magnesium: found in leafy greens, legumes, and nuts
• Potassium: found in bananas, potatoes, spinach, acorn squash, and lima beans
• Vitamin K: found in kale, collard greens, spinach, and Brussel sprouts
• Omega-3 fatty acids: found in fatty fish such as salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel
In addition to food, incorporating the right types of exercise will also be necessary for strong bones. Focusing on weight bearing exercises will help to strengthen bone, increase bone density, create new bone, and prevent bone loss. Weight bearing exercises include walking, jogging, stair climbing, tennis, and dancing, as well as strength and resistance exercises using free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, or body weight.
Overall, a healthy lifestyle focused on eating a variety of foods paired with weight bearing exercise can help to support strong bones. Meeting with a registered dietitian can help you make the best food choices to promote a healthy lifestyle that leads to stronger and healthier bones.
