Promoting bone health through nutrition -
Avoid Very Low-Calorie Diets Cutting too many calories can hurt your bones. Studies show that diets of fewer than 1, calories per day can lead to lower bone density.
To build and maintain strong bones, follow a well-balanced diet that provides at least 1, calories per day. It should include plenty of protein and foods rich in vitamins and minerals that support bone health.
Consider Collagen Evidence suggests that collagen supplements may help protect bone health. Collagen is the main protein found in bones. It contains the amino acids glycine, proline, and lysine, which help build bone, muscle, ligaments, and other tissues. Collagen can be found in gelatin, which has been used to relieve joint pain for many years.
Maintain a Stable, Healthy Weight Maintaining a healthy weight can help support bone health. Low body weight is the main contributor to reduced bone density and bone loss in older people.
Obesity can also impair bone quality by increasing the risk of fractures due to weight-related stress. And repeatedly losing and regaining weight can also hurt your bones. Magnesium and zinc are important, too. Magnesium helps to convert vitamin D into a form that promotes calcium absorption.
Zinc encourages the formation of bone-building cells and prevents excessive bone breakdown. Trace amounts of magnesium are found in small amounts in most foods, but you make want to supplement with magnesium glycinate, citrate, or carbonate.
A mong my friends, many of whom are women of a certain age, one topic seems to dominate our conversations about health: bones. It makes sense, given that 20 percent of American women age 50 and older have osteoporosis and that more than half have detectable bone loss osteopenia.
For men, the respective figures are lower: 4 percent and a third. Worldwide, one out of three women over age 50 and one out of five older men will develop an osteoporotic fracture—a hip, a wrist, a vertebra or two.
Another reason for the endless jawboning about bones is mass confusion over how best to strengthen your skeleton and whether diet and supplements really make a difference.
Diet research is always messy, and study results on nutrition and bone health have been wildly inconsistent. But gradually some clarity is emerging. As we review our resolutions about what to eat year after year, it's useful to look at new data on vitamin D, as well as recent research on coffee and other foods.
Bone is a dynamic tissue, constantly replenished with new cells. Calcium is the key nutrient for building bone, and vitamin D enables the gut to absorb calcium from the food we eat, so doctors often recommend D supplements to counteract age-related bone loss. Today more than a third of American adults ages 60 and older pop this vitamin.
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. Canned salmon.
A 3-ounce serving has mg of calcium. It's so rich in the mineral because canned salmon includes tiny, soft bones that you likely won't even notice, Dr.
It's easy to mix canned salmon with mayonnaise to make a sandwich spread as you would with tuna or whip it up into a dip. Plant milks. We automatically think of cow's milk as a solid calcium source, and with good reason.
But milk made from almonds, rice, or soy is typically fortified to reach a calcium level similar to its dairy counterpart: 8 ounces contains to mg. Check labels, and also watch out for sugar that might be added to plant milk.
This soy-based mainstay of Asian cuisine boasts mg of calcium in a 4-ounce serving, while calcium-enriched versions often have double that amount. Soy foods, which include edamame, are generally high in calcium, Dr. Rosen says, as well as an important source of protein — also important to bone health.
Almonds and almond butter. Known for their heart-health benefits, almonds are easy to love though calorie-dense. A half-cup of the nuts alone has mg of calcium, while 2 tablespoons of almond butter contains mg of calcium. White canned beans. Each cup of these soup- and chili-enriching legumes — which encompass navy, cannellini, great northern, and lima beans — contains about mg of calcium.
Beans are a smart source of protein as well, Dr. Osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become weak and brittle, strikes four times as many older women as men, a disparity due in part to our loss of bone-protecting estrogen after menopause.
But while you may shrink a bit in height or develop a slightly stooped posture as you age — hints that osteoporosis is lurking — the condition typically doesn't announce itself until you break a bone.
One weapon can stave off that painful scenario, however: bone density testing. The x-ray technology, known as a DEXA scan, measures the density of calcium and other minerals in bones. It can detect osteoporosis before a dangerous fracture happens.
DEXA can also predict your risk for a future bone break or determine how well osteoporosis medication is working. Bone density testing is recommended for all women starting at age 65 and every two years thereafter. Women 50 to 64 should also begin regular testing if they have certain risk factors for osteoporosis, such as low body weight, a past fracture, a parent who broke a hip, a disease linked to bone loss, or medication use known to thin the bones.
The foods you eat, including vegetables nutriition protein, and the physical healhh you engage Promoting bone health through nutrition, such as strength training, can Promoting bone health through nutrition support bkne maintain Delicious vegetable soups health and density. Minerals Promotinf incorporated into your bones during childhood, adolescence Kale and avocado recipes early adulthood. Once you reach 30 years of age, you have achieved peak bone mass. If not enough bone mass is created during this time or bone loss occurs later in life, you have an increased risk of developing fragile bones that break easily 1. Fortunately, many nutrition and lifestyle habits can help you build strong bones and maintain them as you age. Bone density is a measurement of the amount of calcium and other minerals found in your bones.Video
Boosting Bone Health to Prevent Injury and Speed Healing - Research on AgingPromoting bone health through nutrition -
They give cells structure; power chemical reactions throughout the body; and build and repair skin, muscles, and bones. In bone, protein makes up a major part of the mass and volume, creating a meshwork of fibers that lay the foundation for growth.
Calcium and phosphorous form on it and stiffen up," Dr. Rosen explains. Rosen warns. To figure out how much protein you need, multiply your weight in pounds by 0. For example, a pound person would need to eat about 61 grams of protein per day × 0.
That may sound like a lot, but protein adds up quickly if you eat the right foods. For example, a breakfast of one-and-a-half cups of bran cereal with a cup of skim milk starts you out with 14 grams of protein. A midmorning snack of half a cup of low-fat cottage cheese and some blueberries adds another 12 grams.
For lunch, a small spinach salad with half a cup of cooked lentils and 3 ounces of salmon or chicken gives you another 30 grams. You get a two-for-one benefit when you eat proteins that are also calcium-rich.
Examples include canned salmon with the bones or sardines, beans, dairy products cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, milk , leafy greens, and nuts. And the best way to ensure healthy bones is not only eating right but also maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes daily weight-bearing exercise such as brisk walking and weight training , limiting alcohol intake, and not smoking.
All of those lifestyle habits are linked to another benefit: warding off chronic disease. Heidi Godman , Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.
Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
Each year, osteoporosis contributes to more than 2 million bone fractures in the United States. This Special Health Report, Osteoporosis: A guide to prevention and treatment , can help you keep your bones strong and healthy, and avoid fractures.
It describes how you can prevent and treat osteoporosis through diet, exercise, and medications. You'll also find advice on the right amount of calcium and vitamin D, tips on fall-proofing your home, and help with putting together a personalized plan to preserve or boost your bone strength.
Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness , is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.
Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss That said, older adults at higher risk of bone-eroding osteoporosis should probably ignore trendy advice to engage in so-called jump training or high-impact activities requiring you to pound the ground, says Dr.
Harold Rosen, director of the Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Rosen says. A lot of older people also have shoulder or knee problems — I don't think they help themselves by pounding on their bones. Low-impact alternatives can also keep bones strong — and more safely, he says.
These include. Unlike prunes, most foods and drinks notable for bolstering bone health do the trick with calcium, a major component of bones. The mineral works best when paired with vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium.
It's normal for bone to break down and rebuild itself in a continuous process called remodeling. As the bones release stored calcium into the bloodstream to carry out body functions ranging from blood clotting to muscle contractions and more, we replenish the supply with the calcium we eat and drink.
Our bone mass reaches its peak when we're around age 30, and it remains steady for about the next two decades. But after menopause, we lose bone more quickly than our bodies can replace it. And aging in general can prompt our body to leach calcium from bones.
It's well known that top sources for calcium include dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, along with dark leafy greens such as collards, kale, Swiss chard, and broccoli. Breakfast cereals and fruit juices are often fortified with the mineral as well. Dried figs. Two figs contain about 65 milligrams mg of calcium.
Like prunes and perhaps even tastier than their cousin , figs can be sliced over oatmeal or blended into smoothies. They also work well paired with cheese and even as a pizza topping. Canned salmon. A 3-ounce serving has mg of calcium.
It's so rich in the mineral because canned salmon includes tiny, soft bones that you likely won't even notice, Dr.
It's easy to mix canned salmon with mayonnaise to make a sandwich spread as you would with tuna or whip it up into a dip. Plant milks. We automatically think of cow's milk as a solid calcium source, and with good reason.
For more information on how to eat to keep your bones as strong as possible and promote overall good health, you are welcome to book an appointment with our registered dietitian to develop an eating plan that is based on your specific needs. Sources: Osteoporosis Canada www.
Skip to content. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter. Dec 1 Protein High protein foods set. Categories: Nutrition , Osteoporosis By Markham Rheumatology Hub December 1, Related posts.
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Maintaining a varied diet may Proomoting eating some foods Delicious vegetable soups for fun Promoting bone health through nutrition others thgough function. Tthrough often fall thrpugh the latter camp, widely regarded as a gastronomic tool to stay regular. But new Promotkng suggests Ptomoting dried Restorative yoga for recovery are more than a one-trick pony, boosting not only digestion but bone strength as well. The study, published in the October issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutritionfound that eating five or six prunes a day helped women past menopause to preserve bone mineral density in their hips, which could translate to fewer bone breaks. The researchers, who tracked older women for a year, speculated that the daily handful of prunes lowered inflammatory chemicals that contribute to bone breakdown.
Mayo Halth offers appointments in Digestive enzyme optimization, Promoting bone health through nutrition njtrition Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System Promoting bone health through nutrition. Protecting your bone health is easier than you think. Nktrition how diet, physical activity and other lifestyle factors can affect your bone mass. Bones play many roles in the body — providing structure, protecting organs, anchoring muscles and storing calcium. While it's important to build strong and healthy bones during childhood and adolescence, you can take steps during adulthood to protect bone health, too.
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