Have you ever experienced a sharp pain in your bones, lower back or maybe a change in posture?
Well, if you experience these things quite often, then there are chances that your bones are weak.
Many people, especially the elderly, go through chronic pain in their bones and joints for various causes. As you get older, your bone health deteriorates; however, a balanced diet may help you avoid problems such as osteoporosis and other bone-related or muscle-and-joint disorders.
Osteoporosis is a health condition in which the bones gradually become thin and weak. This disease develops susceptibility to bone fracture, even from minor accidents and falls.
Check out some osteoporosis symptoms
The number one piece of advice that we get is to increase calcium intake for stronger bones. However, just calcium might not be enough for bones to increase their density. Even though it’s a crucial nutrient, many other nutrient-rich foods can aid in bone health.
These nutrient-rich foods can help in preventing osteoporosis and will help you manage your bones well and make them even stronger:
Dairy Can Be an Excellent Source of Bone-Building Calcium
Calcium helps in maintaining the strength of bones and teeth. This mineral also provides support for the well-functioning of nerves, heart and blood clotting.
There are reasons dairy products like milk, yoghurt, and cheese always come up in conversations about bone health: They are loaded with calcium, the main nutrient that contributes to bone strength and structure. If you do not get enough calcium through your food, your body will take the calcium it needs from your bones.
Whether you choose full- or nonfat dairy products will depend on your personal preference. If you’re going the nonfat route, choose foods that have been fortified with fat-soluble vitamins that are key for building strong bones, namely Vitamin A and Vitamin D.
Get the Yogurt Based Healthy Snacks Recipes
When you pull out the fat, you also pull out the fat-soluble vitamins.
Omega 3 fatty acids Supplies Vitamin D, a Nutrient Necessary for Healthy Bones
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, also known as the “sunshine” vitamin and plays a key role in bone growth and remodelling. This mineral is important for calcium to be absorbed readily by the intestine and increase bone growth.
Some sun exposure can trigger vitamin D production, but based on your skin type and where you live, you may not get enough. Plus, there are concerns that too much sun exposure can increase your risk of skin cancer, so we need to focus on food options to get adequate vitamin D.
Omega 3 are well known for their anti-inflammatory effects. They’ve also been shown to help protect against bone loss during the ageing process. Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in various ‘superseeds’ such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds , flaxseeds and fish. Though Fatty fish are among the best food source of sunshine vitamins, such as salmon, tuna, and rainbow trout.
In addition to including omega-3 fats in your diet, it’s also important to make sure your balance of omega-6 to omega-3 isn’t too high.
Eggs are another great source of vitamin D necessary for bones. The egg yolks in particular are packed with vitamin D and they are essential for calcium absorption and maintaining optimum bone health. Consume eggs in moderation with a variety of other vitamin D-rich foods.
Cruciferous Veggies Offer a Bevy of Nutrients That Help Fortify Bones
Leafy green vegetables, called cruciferous veggies, provide several nutrients that support bone health, such as vitamin K and calcium, these nutrients play a role in bolstering bone health.
Vitamin K works in a team with calcium to assist in building healthy bone and supports bone health by modifying osteocalcin, a protein involved in bone formation.
Spinach and other cruciferous vegetables like Collard greens, turnip greens, kale, okra, Chinese cabbage, dandelion greens, mustard greens and broccoli. Lack of vitamin K has been associated with osteoporosis and fractures. Vitamin A and iron are also abundant in these fibre-rich leaves.
Get the Broccoli Walnut Recipe here
Beans Are a Powerhouse Plant Food Loaded With Bone-Friendly Nutrients
Beans serve up a hearty dose of bone-building nutrients like magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. They are also an excellent source of plant protein. About 50% of bone is made of protein, as well as this helps in the absorption of calcium by the body.
Plant foods like beans can help you reach that calcium target and provide additional nutrients. All kinds of beans, including black beans, edamame, pinto beans, and kidney beans, serve up a hearty dose of bone-building nutrients like magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. They are also an excellent source of fibre and are a source of plant protein which helps to keep the bones strong, so one should include beans & legumes in their diet for healthy bones.
Beans are also high in substances called phytates. Phytates interfere with your body’s ability to absorb the calcium that is contained in beans. You can reduce the phytate level by a soaking method.
Nuts & Seeds Provide Magnesium and Phosphorus to Help Strengthen Bones
Magnesium plays a key role in converting vitamin D into the active form that promotes calcium absorption Meanwhile, Phosphorus supports the building of tissues and bones during growth — roughly 85 per cent of the phosphorus in your body can be found in your bones and teeth
Nuts contain some amount of calcium, but they also offer two other nutrients essential to bone health namely, magnesium and phosphorus. There are plenty of nut varieties to choose from, including walnuts, peanuts, and pecans, but Almonds are always a good bet.
Nut butter like peanut butter and almond butter are great when you need a protein-powered snack on the go. Here is Super Smart Ways to Cook with Peanut Butter full towards good health with these Easy Peanut Butter Desserts Recipes.
Citrus fruits have vitamin C, which has been shown to help prevent bone loss
Vitamin C helps reduce the risk of inflammatory arthritis and maintain healthy joints. The key is to get the right amount —not too much or too little.
Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, limes, strawberries, mangos, pineapple, bell peppers have vitamin C, which has been shown to help prevent bone loss, increase bone mineral build-up and calcium absorption.
Freshly squeezed orange juice offers the body calcium and Vitamin D, which helps strengthen bones. Can’t handle the sourness of citrus fruits, here is a refreshing way to drink them.
Most importantly, what we eat and the activities that we do throughout the years have an impact on bone health.
So How do You make your bones and joints stronger? 😃
Detoxpri 