BUILDING HEALTHY BONES
Calcium-rich foods, beverages and physical activity help keep bones strong
Your bones are constantly changing: New bone is being made, and old bone is being broken down. When you are young, your body is making bone faster than it is breaking it down. You reach peak bone mass between the ages of 25 and 30.
Bones provide many key functions in your body. They help you walk and move around, protect your organs and store calcium for use in your body’s biological processes.
Your bones are constantly changing: New bone is being made, and old bone is being broken down. When you are young, your body is making bone faster than it is breaking it down. You reach peak bone mass between the ages of 25 and 30.
As you age, this ratio shifts, and bone is broken down faster than our bodies make it. This can lead to a disease called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which bones lose density and mass, which makes bones weaker and more brittle — more likely to break. Therefore, it is important to build bone density when we are young and maintain bone density as we age.
Bone health is impacted by several different factors. Some factors we can’t control. For example, women are more likely to develop osteoporosis than men.
However, we can promote bone health by getting enough calcium and vitamin D from foods in our diets and regular physical activity. Calcium is a building block of strong bones, and vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Our bodies make vitamin D from the sun, and it can be found in salmon, tuna and egg yolks. Some milks, juices and cereals are also fortified with vitamin D. Calcium and vitamin D can also be taken as dietary supplements. Please consult your primary care physician or a registered dietitian before adding supplements to your diet.
So what can you do to improve your bone health? Consider some of these tips and tricks:
• Try to reach your recommended dietary allowance for calcium and vitamin D every day.
• Choose dairy products such as low-fat yogurt, milk and cheese for great sources of calcium.
• Look for foods that are fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Items such as orange juice, soy milk, cereal and tofu have calcium added to them. Look for the words “calcium fortified” or the nutrition facts label to determine how much calcium and vitamin D is in your food.
• Eat more leafy dark green vegetables like spinach, kale, collard greens, bok choy or broccoli, all which are good sources of calcium.
• Exercise to help strengthen your bones. Any exercise in which your body is carrying your own weight, such as walking, weightlifting, dancing or hiking, helps to grow and maintain bone strength and density.
Because bone density is built during youth, it is important to talk to children about building strong bones. Explain to children that they can build strong bones by playing their favorite sports, games and playing outside with friends and pets. They need to eat or drink lots of calcium to grow strong bones. Encourage children to eat low- fat dairy products, green vegetables and foods with extra calcium and vitamin D added (fortified). Staying active and eating well allows us to become the strongest we can be — with impacts that last a lifetime.