KEEP YOUR BONES STRONG
Our bones remain strong until we hit our 30's
- Bones slowly begin to thin out
- In women, this process accelerates after menopause
- There are ways to slow down the process
- The proper vitamins, diet & exercise can give you the maximum bone strength & boost your bone density at any age
Calcium builds strong bones
- Adults up to age 50 need 1,000 milligrams per day
- Beginning at age 51 for, women & 71 for men, you need 1,200 milligrams every day
- Don't depend on the sun for your vitamin D since it isn't available all the time &
the sun damages your skin - Without vitamin D our bodies can't properly absorb the calcium in foods
- Adults should take a daily vitamin D supplement of 600 IU (under 70) & 800 IU (70 & above)
- If you're taking Calcium supplements & Vitamin D take them at the same time when eating
FOOD WITH GOOD SOURCES OF CALCIUM
DAIRY FOODS
- In addition to calcium, milk is a great source of choline, vitamin D & potassium all of which is essential for improving bone health & preserving bone mineral density
- A single 8 oz cup of milk, whether skim, low-fat, or whole, has 300 milligrams of calcium
- If you don’t drink milk, a cup of yogurt has at least as much calcium as an 8 oz cup of milk
- 1 oz of Swiss cheese has almost as much as that glass of milk
- Try lactose-free dairy products since removing lactose from milk & dairy foods doesn’t affect
the calcium content
FISH
In addition to having calcium, oily fish
is also very rich in omega - 3's, polyunsaturated fatty acids
Sardines are a good source of Calcium
- All those little fish bones have just what you need to build bone mass in your own body
- Eating 3 oz of canned sardines delivers a little more calcium than a cup of milk
Salmon & other types of fatty fish
- Have an assortment of bone-boosting nutrients
- They contain vitamin D, which assists in calcium absorption
- They're also high in omega-3 fatty acids, which may also help bones
- Fish oil supplements have been shown to reduce bone loss in women & may help prevent osteoporosis
OTHER FOODS
Calcium is plentiful in many vegetables
- Go for dark leafy greens like bok choy, Chinese cabbage, kale, collard greens & turnip greens
- 1 cup of chopped, cooked turnip greens has about 200 milligrams of calcium
Fortified foods have been improved with essential minerals
- Breakfast foods like fortified orange juice has about the same calcium as milk
- Fortified cereals deliver up to 1,000 milligrams per cup
- Check the nutritional label for the exact amount
Isoflavones, plant-based chemicals in soy foods, strengthen bones
- Half a cup of calcium-enriched tofu contains over 400 milligrams of calcium
- Soy milk is usually fortified with 300 milligrams of calcium per cup
- This may make soy useful in warding off bone disease in postmenopausal women
Nuts & seeds can bolster bone health in several ways
- Walnuts & flaxseeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids
- Peanuts & almonds contain potassium, which protects against the loss of calcium in urine
- Nuts also contain protein & other nutrients that play a supportive role in building strong bone
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Salt deprives the body of calcium
- The more salt you eat, the more calcium gets carried away by urine
- Sticking to a low-salt diet can help you keep more calcium to strengthen your bones
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It's always best to get your nutrients from food
- If you don't get enough calcium from your diet, supplements can help fill the gap
- If you're already getting enough calcium from food, taking more in pill form won't help your bones & may increase side effects, like kidney stones
- For the best absorption, take no more than 500 milligrams at one time
- Some calcium supplements, such as calcium carbonate, are better absorbed if taken withzz
meals - Calcium citrate can be taken anytime
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Daily Weight-Bearing Exercise
Will Help Your Bones
- Putting regular weight-bearing exercise in your schedule will help your bones
- This includes any activity that uses the weight of your body or outside weights to stress the bones & muscles
- The result is that your body lays down more bone material & your bones become denser
- Brisk walking, dancing, tennis & yoga have all been shown to benefit your bones
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Health Directory | Exercise Directory
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