10 Tips To Keep Your Bones Strong And Healthy

The words osteoporosis and woman almost always go hand in hand. Although there is a clear genetic influence, our lifestyle and eating habits are also key factors in preventing its development. So today we’ll give you 10 tips to keep your bones strong and healthy.

Each time we talk about osteoporosis, we relate the disease to women between 55 and 70 years old, as this is a stage where our bones are more fragile and we run a higher risk of suffering fractures.

It is true that after menopause the amount of estrogen in our body decreases. With the consequent bone decalcification, the level of calcium is lost from the age of 30, and that is why it is vital that we take measures early on.

So, we could say that osteoporosis can be prevented with a diet rich in calcium throughout our lifetime, before bone wear starts.

However, those who already suffer from osteoporosis can now also benefit from these tips that will help strengthen their bones and increase their calcium stores.

1. Control your weight to keep your bones strong and healthy

Find a balance between your age and your height. We all have an ideal weight at which we feel good and enjoy good health, and it’s not about “being too thin” because we mustn’t forget that extremes are never healthy.

Overweight puts an “extra” load on bones that increases wear and tear and weakens them, however, being too thin forces our body to seek reserves in our muscles and capture calcium from our bones.

Therefore, always maintain a proper weight.

2. The importance of vitamin D in keeping bones strong and healthy

You can find vitamin D in supplement form at pharmacies. It is a bone strengthener and helps us to assimilate much better and not lose all the calcium we get from food.

Of course, you can find vitamin D in salmon or in fortified milk, but the level in these foods is not very high, so it is better to talk to your doctor about using the supplements that are sold in pharmacies.

3. The Benefits of Vitamin K to Keep Your Bones Strong and Healthy

Have you ever heard of vitamin K? It may not even be as well known as vitamin C, but thanks to it our bone tissue can renew itself, making it easier for structures to be stronger and more consistent.

We cannot forget that bones are a “living tissue”, which needs nourishment and is always renewed. Therefore, increase your consumption of these foods:

• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Chard
• Cress
• Lettuce

4. Are dairy products good for the bones?

The subject of dairy products, as most of you already know, generates a lot of controversy. Are they good or are they dangerous for our health?

Dairy products contain animal proteins that not everyone processes correctly, so you’re the only person who can see whether a glass of milk suits you or not.

There is milk enriched with calcium and vitamin D which can be very good. However, there are other foods that are rich in calcium and can be very beneficial.

Some options are:

• the tofu
• fortified cereals
• Sardines in olive oil
• the salmon
• the greek yogurt

Tahini (a type of paste that can be found in health food stores) is very rich in calcium and made from roasted sesame seeds.

5. Watch out for vitamin E!

According to a very recent publication in the journal Nature Medicine, if we exceed our consumption of vitamin E (present in sunflower oil, avocados, almonds and peanuts), what we will achieve will be the formation of osteoclasts, a type of cell that degrades the bone and favors the appearance of osteoporosis.

So, despite vitamin E being a good antioxidant, you don’t need to consume it in excess, that is, don’t cook it every day with sunflower oil. Choose olive oil and you’ll be taking better care of your bones.

6. Avoid drinking soda to keep your bones strong and healthy

Consuming a soda once or twice a week, on time, is not a big problem.

However, it is necessary to consider that the composition of this sugary drink forms a type of acid that directly attacks the health of our bones. So drink it in moderation!

7. Beware of red meat

Red meat is rich in animal proteins that release a type of acid into the bloodstream.

This acid neutralizes calcium, thus preventing it from being assimilated into our bones.

Replace red meat with lean meats such as turkey or chicken.

8. Avoid smoking to keep your bones strong and healthy

This recommendation has been given on many occasions. There is no habit more harmful and dangerous to our overall health than smoking, and the nicotine in the blood is a direct enemy to the bones, capable of greatly decreasing bone density.

9. Coffee yes, but in moderation

Coffee is healthy as long as it is consumed in moderation, that is, no more than two cups a day (about 200 ml).

10. Yes to exercise!

You don’t have to run a marathon or leave your entire salary at a gym. Our bones appreciate moderate exercise, the gentle exercise of going for a walk every day for half an hour or swimming twice a week.

It strengthens our bone mass, maintains our flexibility and gives us general well-being.

How about putting these simple tips into practice today?