When you were a kid, your parents and teachers probably told you that you need calcium to build healthy teeth and bones, but why is it so important to do that in the first place? Your bones play an intrinsic part in your overall wellbeing, as they provide structure, anchor your muscles to protecting internal organs and store calcium, and if you don’t build your bone strength as much as possible, your wellness could be at risk to osteoporosis and fractures.
Your bones are continually changing. Old bone breaks down and new bone is made, but the rate that this happens varies depending on your age. New bone is made faster than it breaks down in children and younger people, and you reach your peak bone mass by the time you’re 30 years old. After that, your bones tend to lose mass so the more you build up before you’re 30, the healthier and stronger your bones are likely to be in later life.
There are several factors that increase your risk of osteoporosis. These include the amount of calcium in your diet, your vitamin D levels, tobacco use and excessive alcohol, getting older, being a woman, ethnicity, family history and body frame size, eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, gastrointestinal surgery and any conditions which affect calcium absorption and use of certain medications, particularly long term corticosteroids, as well as certain anti-seizure medications, cancer treatments and acid-blocking drugs.
However, there are as many as 10 things you can do to fight bone loss, even, and perhaps especially, if you have these risk factors. Firstly, get the Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) for calcium (800mg) in your diet, from sources such as dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables, almonds and sardines. Also, get your RDA of 5 micrograms of vitamin D from sun exposure or fortified foods.
Thirdly, make sure your diet is healthy and contains a balance of fruit and vegetables, grains, pulses, dairy and lean meat and fish, as you need essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, zinc and copper, from these foods to promote bone health. Next, both too little and too much protein is bad for your bones so eat around 61g of protein each day. Also, soluble fibre, such as oats, beans and lentils, fruit and vegetables, produce organic acids which help the absorption of calcium, as they move through your intestine.
The sixth step on this list is to maintain a healthy body weight, because being underweight can cause fragile bones and being overweight can cause joint problems. Further, make sure you do daily weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, tennis and climbing stairs, to build strong bones and slow bone loss. Tobacco weakens your bones so quit smoking now, and be careful with your alcohol intake as it can affect your body’s ability to absorb calcium. Finally, consult your doctor if you are worried about your bone health or taking a medication that affects it.
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