You probably know that a healthy diet is key to a healthy weight, but you might not realize that what you eat also influences your long-term wellbeing — including building strong bones.
Endeavor Health sports medicine specialist Shannon Powers, DO, shares tips for strong, healthy bones, including how to eat to maintain good bone health:
- Find a balance. “The biggest thing I tell people is to eat a well-balanced diet and avoid malnourishment. If you’re not getting all your nutrients, vitamins and minerals, your body won’t properly absorb calcium and vitamin D, which are essential for bone health,” said Dr. Powers.
Choose calcium-rich foods. Post-menopausal women should try and get 1200 mg of calcium a day, advised Dr. Powers, ideally getting as much as you can from food, but supplementing when necessary to make up the difference. “It’s important to track your diet so you know how much calcium you are getting through food and can determine how much you may need to supplement,” said Dr. Powers. There are many resources online that provide the calcium amounts for high-value foods. For example, 1 cup of yogurt provides 415 mg of calcium and 1 cup of cottage cheese provides 140 mg. What foods are rich in calcium?
- Sardines, tuna, salmon
- Yogurt, milk, almond milk
- Leafy green vegetables
- Broccoli
- Beans, lentils, chickpeas
- Cheese, cottage cheese
- Pumpkin seeds, nuts
- Juices fortified with calcium, but watch the sugar!
It’s also important not to go overboard and supplement with excessive amounts of calcium, as that can potentially create other health issues, said Dr. Powers, who urges patients to stick to the recommended amounts. The recommended amount may increase for older people and those who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.
- Get your vitamin D. Vitamin D intake should be 600- 800 IUs (international units) a day, and many people do need to take a supplement to achieve that level. Some medications can negatively interact with and limit vitamin D absorption, so Dr. Powers suggests you check with your physician or pharmacist to learn more.
- Get enough protein. This is another vital factor for bone health with a goal of 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight. “You need adequate protein to make sure your body is able to absorb nutrients, but again don’t overdo it with too much protein,” explained Dr. Powers. It’s best to get your protein from real food sources — both animal and plant — as opposed to using protein powders and other supplements, which are unregulated and often contain many other ingredients.
- Avoid bad habits. Smoking is a big “no no” for bone health as it is known to decrease bone density, putting people at increased risk for fractures. Similarly excessive alcohol consumption is also detrimental for bone health and should be avoided. Consuming too much salt can also cause your body to excrete more calcium.
- Keep moving. On top of a healthy, well-balanced diet, the best thing you can do for bone health is to move; weight bearing exercise is critical to maintaining strong bones.
