Bone health concerns…focused largely at aging women… or even the elderly in general…is no longer a valid stereotype. Osteoporosis is gender neutral. By age 70, men experience bone loss just as rapidly as women. Now…more and more younger people are developing osteoporosis. From body-conscious enthusiasts to classic indoor-dwelling couch potatoes, whose bone-building cells become lazy in response sedentary habits. Sun exposure is a primary source of bone-supportive vitamin D…and you can’t get that indoors.
Here are some key highlights to stimulate your thinking:
Bone Health Begins with Youth Lifestyle – Osteoporosis in younger people can occur for many reasons. .. but poor lifestyle choices are usually to blame: nutrient-deficient diets, sedentary behavior, smoking, excessive alcohol intake…even too much coffee. Adolescents are Prone to Eating Poorly and hence are especially vulnerable to the nutritional deficiencies linked with osteoporosis. Almost half of our bone mass develops in young adulthood, which means good nutrition early on is vital. Soft drinks rob bones of calcium and promote inflammation, as do processed foods…also linked by many studies to poor bone health.
Nutrients that Build Strong Bones
- Avoiding processed foods and
- consuming a nutritious diet built around a wide variety of whole foods is the best strategy for building and maintaining strong bones. Variety supports food synergy: the concept that certain nutrients work together, boosting the benefits they would have as individual components.
- regular weight-bearing exercise can help to build strong, healthy bones.
- Calcium – almost all the calcium in our bodies resides in our bones. However, the results of studies on calcium supplementation and bone health have been dismal, to say the least.
- Vitamin D – which helps your body to absorb calcium.
- when researchers expanded the range of nutrients to include minerals like magnesium, strontium, fish oil, and vitamin K2, the picture changed. They found that certain combinations of nutrients work together to improve bone density, even in people diagnosed with osteoporosis.
- Vitamin K2 – a potent anti-inflammatory and is, consequently, an emerging star in the field of healthy aging. Research is showing it can protect the brain and nervous system and wage war against numerous conditions, including heart disease and cancer. It also plays a vital role in bone health, channeling calcium to your bones and away from soft tissues like the arteries, where it can be damaging.
The Best Strategy is a Healthy Diet…the sooner the better!