Do you want your kids to have healthy bones?
You can be sure that it will take more than just a milk moustache
For the first time in his 14 years, my oldest son brought home the bacon with two paid summer jobs. Boy, did he relish the reward of the paycheque. He has always spent whatever money he acquired on the newest baseball glove, the hottest basketball shoes or, dare I say it, candy. But this summer, he said there was something about devoting long days to work that made him want to save his pennies.
At the same time, he hit a growth spurt, and comparable to how the paycheque changed his perspective on money, his rapid growth altered his perspective on health. He is much more interested in what will keep him on this upward trajectory. He used to eat without thinking, but now he is making the food-health connection when he chooses what to eat.
As an athlete, he is more committed to eating a healthy breakfast. He has five-hour football practices in the morning, and he wants to have strength and energy for them.
While experiencing some intense growing pains, he asked about his bones. I explained that although bones appear to be hard and static, they are made of living tissue that is constantly changing. Little pieces of older bone are continually being replaced by newer, healthier bone. His bones are kind of like that bank account he has been building with paycheque deposits; throughout his adolescence, he will deposit healthy tissue into his bones. Skeletal development peaks in the 20s, so ideally he should make as many nutritional deposits as he can now to build a strong skeleton for adulthood.
In fact, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, osteoporosis has been called “a pediatric disease with geriatric consequences, because the bone mass attained in childhood and adolescence is an important determinant of lifelong skeletal health. The health habits your kids are forming now can make, or literally break, their bones as they age.”
Bones are made of the minerals calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese and potassium, as well as vitamins D and K. Calcium is your body’s most abundant mineral, with 99 per cent found in your bones and teeth. Vitamin D helps your bones and teeth absorb it. In fact, studies show that only 10 to 15 per cent of the calcium in food is absorbed without vitamin D. Zinc bone regulates growth,a hormoneand vitaminthat supportsK (found in leafy green vegetables) activates proteins that deposit calcium into your bones and teeth while keeping it out of places it doesn’t belong.
Although the milk moustache has led many of us to believe that milk is the magic bullet of bone health, there are better ways to build bones. Cow’s milk is a good source of calcium and is often fortified with vitamin D, yet milk has downsides for some people. A large portion of the world is lactose intolerant, which can cause digestive distress.
Instead of dairy, try alternative sources of bone-building nutrients. Leafy greens such as spinach and kale are good options, as well as broccoli, artichokes and other green vegetables. Nuts and seeds provide calcium and zinc. Homemade bone broth is a flawless bone-building food. Beans such as chickpeas,are a great navy sourcebeans and edamameof calcium. Blackstrap molasses, delicious in oatmeal, makes a bone-healthy breakfast. Salmon, sardines and other oily fish are good foods for bones because they help reduce inflammation while also providing vitamin D and other nutrients. Inflammation can strip minerals such as calcium from the bones.
Weight-bearing exercise such as running, hiking and lifting weights support bone growth and strength, so keep those kids on the move.
Children shouldn’t require a calcium supplement, as bone health is a balance of minerals and vitamins, not just large amounts of calcium. Too much of one nutrient confuses the body, causing it to not use other nutrients beneficially. Most calcium gummies are full of sugar, anyway.