Last Updated on January 3, 2021 by Lori Geurin
As we grow and age, we lose bone density, particularly women. It can make it more difficult to stay strong and able for as long as we’d like. Plus, it makes it more likely we’ll fall and break something. Healthy bones can take a punch or two, so why not make it as tough as possible to break us when we grow older?
Here is a guide to how you can keep your bone density up to date at any age, so your bones won’t wither away before their time – and so you can fall on your bum once in a while without worrying about the medical bills.
The Best Ways To Boost Your Bone Strength Naturally
1. Exercise: Weight-Bearing And Strength Training
We should start building strength as soon as we’re done growing, which means it’s possible to start preventing brittle bones even for teenagers. Our bone density starts to take a turn for the worse when we hit thirty, as this is when we start to lose more mass than we’re able to create.
Start by lifting your own body weight if you’re not used to weights quite yet. Make sure you have someone around to guide you if you’d like to start with free weights right away. Heavy lifting may make your bones stronger. But it will do more damage than good if you’re not lifting with the right techniques.
Other exercises that use your bodyweight to move are also a great choice, such as aerobics, walking, jogging, and dancing. Did you know aerobics is seen as one of the best exercises for the elderly? It combines cardio with strength, often making it high intensity, and boosting your chances of staying young for a bit longer.
Consider getting yourself a yoga mat so you’re able to exercise at home when you feel like it.
2. Maintain A Healthy Weight And Avoid Extremely Low-Calorie Diets
Studies show that diets providing less than 1000 calories per day can cause a significant loss of bone density (1). Strong bones require a daily diet of at least 1200 calories per day of well-balanced, nourishing whole food.
While both underweight and obese individuals may suffer decreased bone density, studies show that staying at a healthy weight, or slightly above normal weight is best for bone health. Repeated cycles of gaining and losing weight may be especially damaging to a person’s bone density (2).
3. Soak Up Some Sunlight
Too much sun without protection can be bad news in the form of a sunburn, but some rays on your skin will actually have great health benefits. You don’t need more than about 15 to 20 minutes in the sun to soak up your daily need of Vitamin D. This, in turn, keeps your bones from going brittle.
It’s why people up north talk about salmon – and why they keep walking around in tops and t-shirts in early April, desperately trying to catch a few rays of the sun and boost their Vitamin D levels.
You need to time your session though, as the kind of rays you’re looking for won’t be available early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Get outside during lunchtime. Have a long walk with the dog on the weekends. And make sure your older relatives are getting the amount of sunshine they need as well.
4. Eat Plenty Of Protein
Did you know about 50% of your bones are made of protein? Low protein intake is associated with bone loss. Eating a diet rich in protein has been shown to protect bone health in aging populations.
Here are a few recipes to try that protein powder:
- Peanut Butter Protein Shake Recipe
- Low-Carb Purple Cow Protein Shake
- Protein Oatmeal Recipe With Coconut And Almonds
What tips do you have to boost you bone strength naturally?
Leave your comments below!
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- Timeless Guide To Aging With Grace: Living Your Best Life
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Thanks for such a well-written and well-researched article! This is such an important topic, and I did not know about the protein one. The other tips I’ve heard are make sure any calcium supplements you take are the more easily absorbed kind (citrate, NOT carbonate); avoid things like colas, more than one (for women) serving of alcohol per day, and long-term use of PPIs for heartburn, all of which can degrade your bone density; and make sure you have adequate magnesium levels for maximum bone-building. Apparently, omega-3 supplements can also help your body better absorb the calcium you take in! Thanks again for this super article – SO important for women!
Thanks so much for sharing these great tips! You made such excellent points here about supplements and what to avoid!
These are great tips and definitely something to keep in mind as we are aging. Maintaining a consistent weight has been tough for me and I always have great fluctuations.
Thanks, Heather! I understand this too…over the years my weight has fluctuated due to pregnancies and, at times, less than ideal eating habits. Intermittent fasting helped me shed 20 pounds and keep it off, plus I don’t get the cravings like I used to.
Food is definitely the most important. What we put into our body affects every system!
I totally agree…good nutrition is essential!
I think I need to soak up a lot of sunshine! We lack a lot of it in the UK so if anyone wants to pay for a ticket for me to come over to the world of Sunshine please feel free to do so!
http://www.nmdiaries.com
I hope you get some sunshine soon! I’m missing it here too; It’s been cloudy and grey for several days now. I’m going to look into purchasing a natural sunlight lamp on Amazon. They’re supposed to replicate the effects of the sun.
These are such useful things to keep in mind. I should do some of these more often!
Hey, thanks!
I am working on this since I am in my late 50s and I am starting to do bone density tests. I have to add vitamin C and D to my diet, too.
Thanks for sharing this, Terri. This is good info!
I enjoyed your post, especially the point about soaking up some sun. I find that going outside always makes me feel better.
Oh, I’m so glad to hear that – thank you! I agree completely about the sunshine.
I am taking Calcium and Vitamin D and exercise regularly so it is good to know I am in good shape as far as my bones go, up until now. These are great tips to follow.
Hey, great work! It sounds like you’re doing a lot to ensure your bones stay strong and healthy.
I agree that we need to ensure we have enough protein daily to ensure good health and bone strength. I need to start doing strength training again!
Thanks – I hear you on the strength training! It is so good for us. I love doing body-weight exercises too.