Simple steps to strong bones!

When it comes to warding off bone loss, you know the standard advice is to up your calcium intake, aiming for top sources like milk, cheese, leafy greens and fortified OJ. But you can slash your risk of bone loss even more with these studyproven (and surprisingly easy!) strategies experts recommend.

Jump for joy!

Jumping around in gym class was so much fun when we were little kids—and it turns out it’s a real boon for bones! A study in the American Journal of Health Promotion revealed that women who did nothing more than jump 10 to 20 times twice a day significantly improved the bone-mineral density in their hips within 16 weeks. Kimberly Kaiser, M.D., assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Kentucky, says high-impact exercises like jumping trigger cells to lay down fresh new bone. Tip: To get motivated, try jumping to your favorite up-tempo music.

Dine like a belladonna!

Postmenopausal women who eat a Mediterranean diet—rich in fruit, veggies, nuts, legumes, whole grains and fish—have a 20% lower risk of hip fractures, according to research in JAMA Internal Medicine. Plus, the extravirgin olive oil that’s a staple in the delicious diet offers bonus benefits: It contains a compound (called oleuropein) that slows down age-related bone loss while powering the body to build new bone.

Take nature’s miracle mineral!

All that calcium you’re ingesting can’t do its job without the help of its companion, magnesium— and a whopping 80% of us are deficient in the mineral. Women who simply up their intake of magnesium can lower their fracture risk by up to 62%, according to a study in the British Journal of Nutrition. “Magnesium is like a traffic cop that directs calcium from your diet into your bones, which is why it’s critical for bone density,” explains Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., author of From Fatigued to Fantastic! After a bone-building night of good sleep, restock your magnesium stores with a slice of whole-grain toast topped with cashew butter, which provides 35% of your 320 mg. RDA. Other top sources include avocado, spinach, nuts and seeds and dark chocolate.