Are you dealing with the challenge of weakened bones?
A common question I hear from baby boomers who are concerned with their bone health as they age is this – “how can I improve my bone density without using drugs?”
The trouble is that you might not realize just how weak your bones are getting until you experience a fall.
One wintry day my husband told me to call his dad to check on him. When he answered the phone, I asked him how he was to which he responded “not too well.” I asked what the matter was and he non-chalantly replied:
“I went out to get the paper and fell on the icy driveway and couldn’t get up. But my neighbor and the mailman who both saw me fall helped me get back into the house. Now I am on the sofa but I can’t get up.”
Trying not to panic, I calmly said, “Dad, do you want to call 9-1-1, or do you want me to call?” He chipperly replied, “Oh no. I will call. I am just waiting for this tv show to finish first.” Don’t you love him?
Anyway, he had broken his hip and had surgery, but it was all downhill for his tired 87 year old body. He never recovered and two months after his fall, he entered eternity.
Here are 8 tips that can help us build strong bones.
1. Make weight-bearing exercise a priority. Use weight lifting, aerobic workouts such as stair climbing, jumping rope, an elliptical machines, and whole body exercise regularly to improve your bone quality.
2. Eat a diet rich in calcium and minerals. Your diet should go beyond dairy products to sardines, oranges, salmon, and green vegetables that are all mineral-rich food to help maintain bone integrity.
3. Avoid salt, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and processed foods. Too much of these in your diet can affect your body’s ability to absorb calcium.
4. Quit smoking. Multiple studies have shown that smoking can also inhibit the body’s absorption of calcium which results in decreased bone mass.
5. Supplement with an all-natural calcium/magnesium. You can use ones that you swallow or ones that you chew. Calcium is well-known as helping to have healthy bones and teeth.
6. Add in some Vitamin D and Vitamin K. You need more than just calcium to build strong bones. Your body needs a unique matrix of critical nutrients including calcium, vitamins D & K, magnesium, and more to build and maintain strong bones.
Your body can also get Vitamin D from exposure to the sun, but most people who live north of the equator cannot get adequate Vitamin D through sun exposure.
7. Don’t forget the potassium. Now potassium isn’t necessarily known for helping to build strong bones. It’s main function is to help muscles and nerves to communicate and also to help your cells remove waste.
But it is important to realize that potassium can actually neutralize the acids that will deplete your body of calcium. A good food source of potassium is a sweet potato which boasts a whopping 694 mg of potassium.
8. Know your family history. Weak bones can be inherited, so be sure to find out your family history so you can be extra vigilant to build strong bones.
It is not only elderly people who suffer with brittle bones.
Young people suffer too. Whatever age you are, be sure to follow these steps for strong bones.
Take needed steps now to build strong bones. Check with your doctor or LifeLine Health Screening in your area to determine the current strength of your bones and then take action to build even stronger ones.
First published: Nov. 2015
Updated: Dec. 2018
Health Disclaimer: This post is the opinion of the author and these statements have not been approved by the FDA. This is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. Contact your health professional for all your medical concerns and be sure to ask him about the best ways to prevent osteoporosis.
Amy, thank you for always providing information to help us make our health optimal. I like to walk for exercise – does that count as weight bearing? Glad to hear that oranges are on your list of good foods to eat…that’s something I can add more of to my diet! Dr. Michelle Bengtson recently posted…Counterfeits Never Satisfy
Good for you, Dr. Michelle, for your walking. Brisk walking is considered weight bearing, but suit your pace to your needs. Yes, oranges are great food for us. I have some in my fruit bowl right now. 🙂
Thank you Amy! I teach Silver Sneakers Yoga for older active adults and I’m always “lecturing” them about healthy bones & joints! Thanks for giving me more info for my “lectures” 😉
Many blessings! Jody
That is awesome, Jody. Good for you. I work out at a senior living facility and I am often saddened by the extreme deterioration some of my friends have from their infirmities. Of course, others are right there on the machines beside me. I love promoting health!
Hi April, I really appreciate those words of encouragement – especially knowing your history. We must be so proactive to help our bodies fight disease. Thanks for being you.
Amy,
This article is loaded with good health information. I usually eat bananas as a source of potassium but I also take a multivitamin and a calcium pill. I was recently diagnosis with osteoarthritis so I am concerned about bone health.
Bananas are a great source of potassium, Mary. Be sure that your multi and calcium are all-natural, whole food supplements so you can body can truly utilize the nutrients. Sorry to hear about your osteoarthritis. Praying for your healing.
Amy, thanks for posting these tips to maintaining strong bones. From what I have heard, osteoporosis is becoming more and more common in younger people thanks to our highly acidic, processed food diets and sedentary lifestyles. This information is becoming more and more important.
I am in danger of having osteoporosis due to the curvature of my spine. Good thing you mentioned that too much caffeine can affect my body’s ability to absorb calcium. Thank you as well for the other tips on building a strong bone.
Hello Amy! We are dealing with some of these issues with my own grandmother right now. Her osteoporosis has gotten so bad, her leg broke in four places just from a simple fall. Thanks for the education – I feel like I understand the issue better now. Wish I had found it sooner! Falls are just so dangerous for these older folks. Shared this post on social to help spread the word.
Good for you for being on top of this, Janene. You can actually reverse osteopenia with lyophilized supplements like Shaklee’s. I have lots of testimonies about that. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
LOL Amy, you lost me at no caffeine. I can’t imagine life without coffee. I have an autoimmune disease and was adviced to add magnesium and Vit D… so glad I have some things from the list going on 😉 Tiffany Montgomery recently posted…Words of Affirmation Are the Best Gift for My Husband
Now that I’ve reached 40, and I’ve seen all of the things that my mother has gone through, I actually did plan on speaking to my physician about adding in things like magnesium, calcium, potassium, etc. thank you for the timely article! Erin recently posted…Waiting for the door to open
Supplementing with good calcium/magnesium is so important for our strong bones, Erin. Be sure the ones you use are lyophilized as other ones won’t help and might harm you. All the best, Amy
Hi, very Informative blog!! Poor bone health can cause conditions such as rickets and osteoporosis and increase the risk of breaking a bone from a fall later in life.You need sufficient calcium to strengthen your bones and vitamin D to help your body absorb calcium. By eating a healthy balanced diet you should be able to get all of the nutrients you need for healthy bones. A good diet is just one of the building blocks for healthy bones, including physical activity as well as reducing certain risk factors.
24 comments on “8 Tips to Build Strong Bones”