PROTECT YOUR BONES
Lifestyle factors can mean the difference between a healthy, strong skeleton and weak, fracture-prone bones:
■ Eat well: Aim for a minimum of 700mg of calcium a day, advises Sarah. “That’s the equivalent of a pint of milk.” Although dairy is the best food source, calcium is also found in bony fish such as tinned salmon and sardines, leafy green veg such as kale, broccoli and spinach, dried fruits, and cereals fortified with calcium.
■ Get more vitamin D: Vitamin D is made in the body by direct sunlight on the skin and helps us to absorb calcium. Studies suggest most Brits are deficient in the winter so consider taking a good supplement, suggests Sarah. Try Healthspan Super Strength Vitamin D3 (£4.99 for 60, healthspan.co.uk). ■ Ideally, do some form of weight-bearing exercise, advises Sarah. “It needs to be something more than just walking so activities that involve impact, such as running, jumping and skipping are effective. It’s the impact of your foot hitting the floor, causing a jolt through the skeleton that helps maintain bones.
“Swimming and cycling doesn’t count as the body’s weight is supported. You should also do resistance exercise, such as lifting weights, in which your muscles are pulling on your skeleton, as this boosts bone strength.”
■ Rethink high-protein plans: Diets like these often limit fruit and vegetables (especially Atkins and Dukan) and can cause bones to thin, says Dr Marilyn Glenville, author of Osteoporosis: How to Prevent, Treat and Reverse it (Kyle Cathie, £10.99). “Our blood exists best at a neutral pH of around 7.5 where acid and alkaline levels are even. But highprotein diets cause an acidic effect on the body so it tries to rebalance its pH levels by leaching alkalising calcium from the bones and teeth. Over time this can weaken bones.
“If you’re trying to lose weight, having protein such as lean meat, fish, poultry, pulses or nuts at every meal satisfies appetite
– but try to pair it with alkalising fruits and vegetables so your blood pH remains neutral.”
■ Avoid calcium ‘blockers’: Salty convenience foods and fizzy drinks containing phosphoric acid can leach calcium from bones.
Too much caffeine and salt are also linked with lower levels of calcium in the body which, in the long term, can weaken bones.
■ Work on your balance Yoga, Pilates, barre work – anything that builds up your balance could help reduce falls later in life.
One study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that Tai Chi practised weekly could reduce the risk of multiple falls in later life by almost 50%. ■ Snack on prunes: Prunes contain potassium and boron which are thought to boost bone metabolism and prevent loss of bone mass over time. Studies have shown that a diet rich in prunes can help prevent the detrimental effects of the menopause on bone density.