It’s easy to overlook bone health. After all, you can’t physically see them but when things go awry, you’ll certainly feel it! The reality is, taking care of your bones is so important, especially as you grow older. Fortunately, there are simple strategies that can help boost your bone strength.
Why Bone Health Is So Important
Before diving into effective ways to take care of your bones, it’s important to know why you need to do it. Bones play a very important role in the body from providing structure (keeping you on your feet!) and protecting vital organs, to anchoring muscles and storing nutrients and minerals. Without healthy bones, individuals are at risk for pain and fractures which lead to serious conditions, such as limited mobility. 1
Osteoporosis is the most common type of bone disease. It’s characterized by low bone mass and structural loss of bone tissue. The bones become so depleted of minerals that it makes them fragile and susceptible to fractures. It affects men and women of all races and your risk increases as you age. All the more reason to start implementing healthy habits as soon as possible. So, how can you boost your bone strength exactly? Let’s find out!
Nutritional Strategies for Bone Health
It’s no secret that a healthy diet is essential for optimal health but what you put in your body affects your bones too.
Calcium and Vitamin D Food Sources
Your body needs sufficient calcium to keep your bones healthy and it requires vitamin D to help your body absorb it. You should be able to get enough calcium by eating a varied diet.2
Some excellent food sources of calcium include:
- Milk, cheese, and other dairy products
- Soybeans
- Tofu
- Nuts
- Green leafy vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage, and okra)
- Bread made with fortified flour
- Fish where you eat the bones (such as sardines or pilchards)
Some good sources of vitamin D include:
- Oily fish (such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel)
- Fortified foods
- Egg yolks
It’s hard to get all the vitamin D you need from foods, so try to get short periods of sun exposure from late March to the end of September. When you can’t get enough Vitamin D in your diet or from sun exposure, you should consider a supplement, which we’ll talk about later.
Get Enough Protein
Getting enough protein every day is also important for bone health, after all, your bones are made up of about 50% protein.3 What’s more, research suggests that low protein intake decreases calcium absorption and it may also affect the rate of bone formation and breakdown.
Some of the best sources of protein include:
- Salmon
- Greek yogurt
- Chicken
- Lentils
- Garbanzo Beans
- Cottage cheese4
Exercise and Physical Activity for Healthy Bones
Exercise is another vital pillar of health. It helps improve muscle strength, endurance, and heart health, but it also plays an important role in keeping your bones strong and healthy. While there are tons of different types of exercises, the two most beneficial types for bone health are weight-bearing exercises and strength-training exercises.5
Weight Bearing Exercises
Weight-bearing exercises refer to any movement performed on your feet that engages your bones and muscles to work against gravity. Essentially, when your legs and feet have to carry your body weight, stress is placed on the bones, making your bones work harder. Some great examples of weight-bearing exercises include:
- Brisk walking
- Jogging and running
- Dancing
- Jump rope
- Tennis, badminton, and pickleball
- Stair climbing
- Sports, such as soccer, basketball, and volleyball
It’s important to note that high-impact activities can be great for strengthening bones but individuals already diagnosed with frail bones should consult their doctor before starting these types of exercises.
Strength Training Exercises
Strength training exercises are activities designed to improve muscle strength and endurance by challenging muscles with resistance. While strength training exercises are great for increasing muscle strength and mass, they also put stress on the bones to help strengthen them. Common types of strength training exercises include:
- Weight training with weights and weight machines
- Exercises that use your own body weight, such as push-ups and pull-ups
- Exercises using elastic bands can also be a great way to add resistance exercises into your routine.
You’ll want to aim to exercise each major muscle group at least twice a week. Don’t forget to take time for rest and recovery!
Other Important Exercises for Bone Health
Weight-bearing and strength training exercises aren’t the only type of activity that will benefit your bones. Non-impact and non-weight-bearing exercises can do a lot of good too! While they’re not as effective at strengthening your bones, they do provide flexibility and balance benefits as well as strengthen muscles.
Some examples of non-impact exercises include yoga pilates, and tai chi. Non-weight-bearing exercises include swimming, cycling, and chair exercises. These can be good alternatives if you have a condition that prevents you from doing weight-bearing exercises.
Always remember to clear new exercise routines with your doctor first.
Bone-Boosting Supplements
It’s best to try and get all your nutrients from a well-rounded diet but this isn’t always possible, especially if you’re on a limiting diet, have certain health conditions, or if you have an increased need due to age. If this is the case, you may benefit from supplementation.6 There are tons of supplements on the market but three stand out for their bone-boosting benefits: calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K.
Calcium Supplements
While calcium is one of the most abundant minerals in the body, the body can’t make it on its own. If you’re not able to get enough calcium through your diet, then it might be worth considering supplementation. Calcium is vital for building hard and strong bones but it also plays a role in the functioning of nerves, muscles, and the heart.
It’s important to consult your doctor before taking any new supplements but it is especially important if you have a history of heart disease, kidney disease, or any other condition that affects your body’s calcium levels.
Vitamin D Supplements
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, and together they can help reduce the risk of bone fracture and may help treat low bone mineral density.
As mentioned earlier, short periods of sun exposure (about 15 minutes) on exposed skin may be enough to absorb the vitamin D you need. However, if you live in an area where sunlight exposure is lower (such as in the Northern U.S. and Canada), and you’re not getting enough vitamin D in your diet, then supplements may be necessary.
Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, there is such a thing as taking too much, which can be toxic. It’s best to check your vitamin D levels with your doctor to determine if supplementation is right for you.
Vitamin K Supplements
Vitamin K plays a crucial role in making the proteins that are in charge of bone metabolism. This means that it helps the resorption of old or damaged bone, followed by the formation of new bone tissue. While more research is needed, it may also help improve bone mineral density, reduce your risk of bone fractures, and slow bone deterioration.
You can get it in your diet through leafy greens like collards, turnip greens, kale, and spinach, as well as through broccoli and soybeans. However, individuals with celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, and ulcerative colitis may be at risk of not getting enough. If you don’t get enough vitamin K in your diet or you have a health condition that prevents you from getting enough, supplementation may be right for you. Vitamin K may also interact with certain medications, such as blood thinners and antibiotics, so as always, consult your doctor first.
Learn More About Bone Strengthening Strategies
Taking care of your bone health is important, especially as you age. By incorporating these simple strategies into your daily routine, you may significantly enhance your bone strength. Keep learning about other effective bone-strengthening strategies, and consult your doctor about your bone health. If you start today, you’ll be well on your way to building a stronger foundation for a healthier future!