Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
By Archana Gogna, MS, CNS, MBA Maintaining strong and toned muscles are very important; not just for the sake of vanity and for attracting admiring looks, but the health of muscles translates to real health and vitality. While a great deal has been made of strong …
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has reported roughly one in four women over the age of 65 have osteoporosis of the hip and spine, a painful and debilitating bone disorder. Yet, this disorder only plagues less than 6% of men over the age of …
Peel back the layers of skin and muscle and imagine your bones. You are likely thinking of something very rigid and static that does not change once you reach adulthood. Despite being a hard substance, our bones are very much alive, growing and changing throughout our lives. This means that if we nourish our bones correctly, we can keep them healthy for our entire lifetime. There is a lot more to bone health than just getting enough calcium. In fact, taking calcium alone may even be problematic, as calcium needs several nutrients to direct it to the bones. Without these nutrients, calcium may get laid down in our arteries, kidneys and other organs and can eventually cause damage. In 2011, the per capita consumption of milk alone was 174.1 pounds (or 2,785 ounces) and 603 pounds of all dairy productsi , yet there are still millions of people who have low bone density. The National Osteoporosis Foundation reported in 2014 that 10.2 million Americans have osteoporosis (brittle bone disease) and another 43.4 million Americans have osteopenia (low bone density, a precursor to osteoporosis)ii. Two million bone breaks and fractures are also attributed to osteoporosis, yet more often than not, osteoporosis is never tested for or even considered.iii Clearly, there are other factors involved besides getting enough calcium. In fact, there are nearly 25 nutrients that make up our bones and are needed for proper mineralization of our bones.
Our bones are made of a protein-mineral matrix. We essentially have two types of bones – 75% makes up the hard exterior and protects bone from trauma and 25% of softer tissue on the inside of bone, which includes bone marrow and allows bones to withstand pressure without breaking. The minerals make our bones hard and strong. Our bones contain calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, silica, iron, zinc, selenium, boron, phosphorus, sulfur, chromium, and many more. The proteins include collagen and osteocalcin, which gives our bones flexibility and allows them to bend without breaking. It is collagen which allows us to twist our bodies and sustain falls without experiencing a bone fracture. This softer tissue is more metabolically active and has a higher turnover rate. There are a few factors that affect the health of our inner bones, like low estrogen levels in both women and men, steroid use and immobilization. Similarly, a very sedentary lifestyle can lead to loss of this type of bone.
Photo by J. Kelly Brito on Unsplash Try out this delicious, refreshing recipe for Bone Food Lemonade. This healthy drink gives your bones a boost with a blend of lemon juice, natural sweeteners, and a few scoops of InVite’s exclusive Collagen Hx® Powder and Bone Food …
If you don’t eat dairy, don’t worry! This doesn’t mean that your bones will suffer later in life. There are plenty of calcium-rich foods that can easily provide enough calcium for healthy bones. Adults need about 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day – that’s a …
Building strong bones is important throughout our lives. From our childhood days, we’re taught to drink milk to help keep our bones strong and healthy. But there’s a lot more to it than just drinking milk. The long term effects of osteoporosis can wreak havoc on your body over time. It’s important to note that osteoporosis can affect an individual at any age which, to the surprise of many, includes children on rare occasions. But generally, it affects people over the age of 50. By the age of 70, almost 40 percent of women will suffer from at least one fracture related to osteoporosis.
Strengthening your bones at a young age can literally ‘make or break’ your bones when you are older. Eating a diet rich in bone-strengthening foods can significantly reduce the effects of osteoporosis over time. Calcium, the major nutrient needed to form new bone cells, is vital for bone health. Your bones store more than 99 percent of the calcium in your body. Milk, yogurt and cheese have the highest amount of calcium.
Senior Men and Women over 50 more Prone to Osteoporosis
Other good sources of calcium include almonds, dark green leafy vegetables and calcium-fortified tofu. Our calcium needs change at different stages of life:
Adequate intake of Calcium is linked to reduced risk of osteoporosis through the mechanism of slowing the rate of bone loss for individuals with a family history of the disease, post-menopausal women, and elderly men and women. Adequate Calcium used as part of a healthy diet, along with physical activity, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. If you are not or cannot consume enough calcium each day, you may want to consider a calcium supplement.
Although calcium is vital, it’s not the only nutrient that’s important in maintaining healthy bones. Vitamin D, potassium, fluoride and magnesium are all important contributors as well. Bones are made by laying down a base of collagen and other proteins, which are then filled in with mineral crystals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. This action is directly driven by the presence of enough Vitamin K. Osteocalcin, which cannot become sticky due to lack of Vitamin K, may be a major factor in bone breaks and fractures.
Read, ‘Vitamin K: A Powerhouse Nutrient’, By Nicole Crane, B.S., NTP
If you’re lactose intolerant, choose options that will still give you these benefits. There are also plenty of nutrient-dense foods and supplements to choose from. So don’t let the osteoporosis creep up on you – include the whole family with snacks and meals that keep bones healthy and strong over time.