Bones are alive, with the capacity to grow, regenerate and die. After reaching 30, your body is likely to produce bone mass slower than it depletes it. This leads to osteoporosis. The risk of osteoporosis is greater around the stages of menopause. This is noteworthy because low bone density leads to fractures and associated complications that are sometimes even life threatening. However, this post discusses how you can naturally promote bone density through lifestyle.
In short, people most likely to suffer osteoporosis include women, thin framed people, people with family history of osteoporosis, contributing lifestyle mentioned discussed below, low calcium diet, low vitamin D intake.
Nutrients that promote good bone health
- Vitamin K2 (Mk7 preferably or Mk4 if not) w vitamin D. Vitamin K essentially instructs your body to move calcium from soft tissue (which causes problems like hardened arteries) to the bones.
- Common sources of vitamin K
- Basil (fresh and dried)
- Sauerkraut, especially if made with white cabbage (provides vitamin K2)
- Cauliflower provides vitamin K (which I prepare as a fermented vegan ceviche)
- Ghee (K2) (though it is NOT vegan)
- Collagen
- Common sources of collagen
- garlic (boosts collagen thanks to its sulfur content that slows down the breakdown of collagen)
- egg whites
- Vitamin D (preferably D3, which is usually animal-sourced). This vitamin promotes calcium absorption.
- Calcium, non-inflammatory types (Leafy greens, chia seeds, sesame seeds, beans, lentils, sardines)
- Magnesium to balance Calcium
- Vitamin C
- Red onions
Things to limit or avoid
- high calcium intake without a balance of the other nutrients (mentioned above). Without the other balancing nutrients, you run the risk of hardening your arteries with an excessive amount of calcium. Needless to say, your bones will not even be able to absorb much of that calcium without the other complementary nutrients.
- Alcohol (which lowers bone density)
- smoking (which lowers bone density)
- Salt aka Sodium Chloride / NaCl (which acidifies in blood)
- inactivity
Exercises to promote good bone health
The best form of exercise to prevent osteoporosis includes those that are weight-bearing (like some forms of aerobics). These exercises will force your bones to strengthen in order to compensate for the extra load from weight-bearing exercise. Here are examples of exercises to improve and maintain bone health.
Caroline Jordan's YouTube 27-minute video workout routine called 'OSTEOPOROSIS EXERCISES | A WORKOUT ROUTINE FOR STRONGER BONES'
Here are some other exercises.
- impact exercises, preferably those that involve jumping. If you have knee or other issues that make these exercises problematic, do low impact versions.
- jumping jacks. 30 daily repetitions should suffice
- For upper body
- boxing that hits something to create impact. See more examples.
- pushups
- squatting
- flamingo exercise
YouTube video 'Pilates on the wall: Flamingo' exercise
CONTENT RELATED TO BONE HEALTH
- Agar agar. agar agar is even used as a more effective and vegan substitute for gelatin for treating bone, cartilage and joint damage. In fact, its use can prevent the need for operations like hip and knee replacement.
- Sauerkraut may help to support good bone health. See how to make sauerkraut.
