How To Keep Bones Healthy – And The Importance Of It.
Natural Ways To Keep Bones Healthy & Strong.
Bone health is incredibly important. Minerals are absorbed and incorporated into our bones during early childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, and once we reach 30 years of age, we should have achieved our peak bone mass.
If not enough bone mass is created during this time, or if bone loss occurs later in life, then we run the risk of developing fragile bones that will break more easily.
Thankfully, there are many nutrition and lifestyle habits that will help you to build stronger bones while maintaining them as you age.
So let’s get right into it!
Eat Your Veggies
Vegetables are one of the best sources of Vitamin C, which is a vitamin that stimulates the production of bone-forming cells. On top of this, some studies have shown that Vitamin C’s antioxidant effects can actually protect the bone cells from damage.
Vegetables have also been shown to increase our bone mineral density, which is a measurement of the amount of calcium in our bones. Bone osteopenia and osteoporosis are conditions that can occur when low bone density is present. By consuming green and yellow vegetables, we can increase bone mineralization during childhood and maintain bone mass as we get older.
Strength Training and Weighted Exercises
We can build and maintain strong bones by engaging in specific types of exercise, the most effective being high-impact exercises, or weight-bearing workouts, this is because these kinds of workouts can promote the formation of new bones.
Research in older men and women showed that those who performed weight-bearing workouts showed increased bone mineral density, bone strength, and size, as well as reductions in markers of bone turnover and inflammation.
Consume More Protein
Getting enough protein in your diet is incredibly important for maintaining healthy bones, considering our bones are 50% protein!
However, there are some concerns that have been raised about a diet too rich in protein can leach the calcium from bones in order to counteract the increased acidity in the blood – thankfully, studies have shown that this does not occur in people who consume up to 100 grams of protein daily, as long as it is balanced with plenty of plant foods and an adequate calcium intake.
Vitamin D and Vitamin K
Both Vitamin D and Vitamin K are especially important for building strong bones.
Vitamin D plays a number of roles in bone health, which includes helping our bodies to absorb calcium. There have been studies that have shown children and adults who have lower vitamin D levels usually have lower bone density and therefore are more at risk for bone loss compared to those who get enough.
You can read more about the importance of Vitamin D by reading our blog here.
Vitamin K2 supports our bone health by modifying osteocalcin – which is a protein involved in bone formation. This modification lets osteocalcin to bind to minerals in bones while also preventing the loss of calcium from our bones.
Ensuring you get an adequate amount of vitamin D and K2 from food or supplements might help to protect your bone health.
You can shop our range of vitamin D and K2 by browsing our website by clicking here!
Collagen Supplements
Although the research is still being done, there is early evidence that suggests that collagen supplements can benefit and protect our bone health.
Collagen is the main protein found in our bones, it contains the amino acids needed to help build muscles, bones, ligaments, and other tissues.
To learn more about collagen supplements, you can read our blog on the benefits of collagen by clicking here. Alternatively, you can shop our range of collagen supplements by clicking here!
Say ‘No’ To Low-Calorie Diets
Not consuming your recommended amount of calories is never a good idea – it slows down your metabolism and creates rebound hunger which can cause muscle mass loss and can be harmful to your bone health.
Research has shown that diets that have you consuming less than 1,000 calories per day can evidently lead to lower bone density in normal weight, overweight and obese individuals.
If you want to build strong, healthy bones, it is important to follow a well-balanced diet that will allow you to consume at least 1,200 calories per day. This should also include plenty of protein and foods rich in vitamins and minerals.
