A Spoonful of Nutrition
Bone Health Month
Eating foods that support bone health is essential because bones are living tissues that constantly undergo a process of renewal and repair. Bones need a combination of key nutrients to stay strong and healthy. As you age, bone density naturally decreases, leading to osteoporosis (weak and brittle bones). Eating a bone-healthy diet can slow down this process and reduce your risk of fractures or breaks. Bone health is crucial during childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, as bones are growing and developing. Bones rely on a variety of nutrients working together. Without one or more of these, your bones may not get the nutrients they need to stay healthy and strong.
Bone mineral density (BMD) measures the strength of your bones. It is important to keep in mind that chronic inflammation can harm bone health. Certain foods (like omega-3 rich foods, fruits, and vegetables) have anti-inflammatory properties that help protect bones from this damage. Foods that support bone health also tend to benefit joints and cartilage. A diet rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and anti-inflammatory compounds can support joint function, reducing pain and stiffness while improving overall mobility. Bone health impacts your overall quality of life. Maintaining strong bones and joints can help prevent pain, maintain independence, and promote mobility as you age. Strong bones support your muscles, balance, and coordination, contributing to overall well-being.
Calcium is a vital mineral for maintaining healthy bones and teeth. It plays a crucial role in the structure and strength of bones by being a major component of bone tissue. Here’s how it contributes to bone health:
- Bone Density and Strength: Calcium helps maintain bone density, making bones strong and resistant to fractures. Without enough calcium, bones can become weak and brittle, leading to osteopenia or osteoporosis.
- Bone Formation and Remodeling: Calcium is essential for bone formation, where new bone tissue is created and old bone is broken down and replaced. This constant remodeling helps keep bones strong throughout life.
- Mineralization: Calcium works with other minerals, such as phosphorus, to form calcium phosphate, which makes up the hard mineral part of the bones. This mineralization process is crucial for maintaining bone rigidity and strength.
- Hormonal Regulation: Adequate calcium intake helps regulate hormones that influence bone health. For example, when calcium levels are too low, the body releases parathyroid hormone (PTH) to increase calcium levels, which can result in the body breaking down bone tissue to release calcium.
- Prevention of Bone Loss: Consuming enough calcium, especially in the early stages of life and adulthood, can help prevent significant bone loss later in life, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures as people age.
Dairy products are particularly rich in bioavailable calcium, meaning more calcium is available for absorption in dairy (yogurt, kefir, milk) than other sources. Additional foods to consider including in your weekly repertoire are leafy greens such as kale, spinach, collard greens, and bok choy. Canned seafood, tofu, hard cheeses, broccoli, molasses, and sesame seeds are also good food sources of calcium.
Magnesium plays a key role in bone health and is essential for maintaining strong bones. Here’s how it contributes:
- Mineralization: Magnesium helps with bone mineralization, meaning it assists in the incorporation of calcium into the bone matrix. Without enough magnesium, bones might not properly utilize calcium, which could lead to weaker bones.
- Regulation of Calcium: Magnesium helps regulate calcium levels in the body. It ensures that calcium is absorbed and properly distributed to the bones. Too much calcium in the blood, without enough magnesium, can lead to problems like calcium deposits in soft tissues.
- Bone Density: Adequate magnesium levels have been linked to higher bone mineral density (BMD). Studies suggest that magnesium deficiency could be associated with lower bone density, which might increase the risk of fractures.
- Vitamin D Activation: Magnesium is crucial for converting vitamin D into active form, vital for calcium absorption. Without adequate magnesium, even if you have enough vitamin D, the body may not be able to absorb calcium properly.
Consuming enough magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes is important for maintaining optimal bone health. If dietary intake is insufficient, magnesium supplements can also be considered.
To ensure good bone health, it’s essential to base your diet around whole, minimally processed foods rich in calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin K2. Vitamin D and magnesium are key in helping the body absorb calcium effectively. Optimize vitamin D status by testing your levels and supplementing to achieve a blood level of 35-60 ng/mL. There are limited food sources of vitamin D, making supplementation often necessary. Eggs, oily fish, and fortified milk products will contain dietary vitamin D.
Another consideration for supporting bone health is physical activity. Regular weight-bearing exercises stimulate bone formation and improve muscle strength and balance. Aim for at least 150 minutes per week. Also helpful is managing chronic inflammation by minimizing processed foods, optimizing sleep, reducing stress, and addressing underlying health conditions.
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Damian Bramer, Nutritionist
Damian earned her bachelor’s in nutrition science from UC Davis, California and is a certified nutrition consultant. She provides nutrition guidance and education for people who suffer from a wide array of conditions such as autoimmune disease, degenerative diseases, mental illnesses, diabetes, cancer and most recently obesity. She has also provided support for specialty groups such as athletes, adolescents, and the elderly.
She believes the best way to maintain good health is to adopt eating and lifestyle habits that are sustainable for the long term. These habits should not only be manageable but enjoyable to you as well. They should support your individual energy requirement, optimize your digestive health, lower inflammation, and keep your blood sugar balanced.
Strengthening the body’s systems and improving the quality of life with whole foods nutrition is the common goal for all her patients.