Everyone knows that strong bones are crucial for good health and quality of life. Good nutrition and weight bearing exercise play key roles in keeping bones healthy and strong. Today we will focus on the nutrition part of the equation.
From conception to death, nutrition has an affect on our bone health and density. Bones grow the most before age 18 and hold steady until about 30. This is when things start to go the other way. Unfortunately, most people in the U.S. will lose about 0.5% of bone mass each year after forty. This chronic bone loss leads to osteoporosis in older age. How you eat can impact bone growth and rate of decline at any point in life.
There is very good reason, then, to do all you can to minimize bone loss through good nutrition. Most people don’t realize that their bones are continually breaking down and remodeling themselves. Just like other cells in the body, bone cells live, die and are replaced with new ones. Good nutrition helps these new cells create strong bone. But what do you need for good bones?
Simply put, a balanced diet of whole, fresh foods is the best for building new bones is. Combine that with regular, weight bearing exercise and your bones will support you for years. There are some specific nutrients that you must have: Calcium, vitamin D, protein, vitamins K, C and E, all the B vitamins, and magnesium.
First is calcium. Try to get as much of your calcium needs as possible from foods. Dairy products are your best source of absorbable calcium. Vegetables like Chinese cabbage, tofu with calcium, bok choy, kale, and broccoli are some of the better absorbing vegetable sources of calcium. If you must supplement with calcium, keep it to less than 1000 mg per day.
Vitamin D is needed to build bones and absorb calcium. This is why you often see it added to milk. Most people are deficient, to some degree, in vitamin D and is one vitamin that you may want to consider supplementing. People who don’t get much sunshine or who have a higher percentage of body fat tend to have higher occurrence of vitamin deficiency.
The next nutrient that is needed is protein. 20-30% of bone mass is made of protein. Eating a diet that is high in calcium and high in protein is optimal for good bone health. Be sure to choose a variety of protein sources to add to your diet.
Vitamins K, C and E work together to help the bones. Vitamin K2, especially, helps calcium get to where it needs to go. Vitamin C helps form new bones and vitamin E is an antioxidant that fights off bone destroying free radicals.
The B vitamins are vital for optimal cellular health, and bones are no exception. B vitamins help keep homocysteine levels in check. Higher levels of homocysteine are associated with increased fractures and inflammation. Unless you are eating all the right things, you probably will want to supplement with a B vitamin.
Finally, magnesium. This mineral is important for helping to lay down new bone. To get more magnesium in the diet, eat more dark leafy greens, beans, nuts and seeds.
These are some of the basic, important nutrients to help improve bone health. Other considerations are the body’s acid/alkaline balance, alcohol consumption, medications and chronic dieting. All of these things impact bone health too.
Having bone health is critical for a long, active life. Try to do all you can NOW to help your bones stay strong.