HEALTHY BONES

Healthy Bones: Fun facts.....

Drink milk…. You want healthy bones right? I have heard this line all through my childhood. Always wondered about this so thought I will write an article on bones and food.

Bones support your body and allow you to move. They protect your brain, heart, and other organs from injury. Bone is a living, growing tissue. It is made mostly of two materials: collagen, a protein that provides a soft framework, and calcium, a mineral that adds strength and hardness. This combination makes bone strong and flexible enough to hold up under stress. Vitamin D, Magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, fluoride, and vitamins A and C are also required for proper bone health. And surprisingly Protein and Potassium are also important for bone health.

Bone releases calcium and other minerals into the body when you need them for other uses.

Calcium:

Calcium is essential for healthy bones. The body uses and loses calcium every day. If more calcium is lost than is replaced, bone loss occurs. Because the body does not make calcium, you must get calcium from the foods you eat. The amount of calcium needed in your diet every day is 1,200 milligrams for adults over 50 years old; 1,000 mg for adults ages 19 to 50; and 1,300 mg for children ages 9 to 18.

Milk and milk products like cheese and yogurt tend to be very high in their calcium content. They have about 300mg or more per cup serving.

Many factors can affect the amount of calcium absorbed from the digestive tract, including:

• Age: Efficiency of calcium absorption decreases as people age. Recommended calcium intakes are higher for people over age 70.
• Vitamin D intake: This vitamin, present in some foods and produced in the body when skin is exposed to sunlight, increases calcium absorption.
• Other components in food: Both oxalic acid (in some vegetables and beans) and phytic acid (in whole grains) can reduce calcium absorption. People who eat a variety of foods don’t have to consider these factors. They are accounted for in the calcium recommended intakes, which take absorption into account.

Vitamin D:

Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption and consequently to prevent bone loss. The daily recommendations for vitamin D are 400 to 800 International Units (IU) for adults under age 50, and 800 to 1,000 IU daily for adults age 50 and older. People may be able to meet their vitamin D needs by getting at least 15 minutes a day of sun exposure. If you’re housebound or live in a colder climate, you may benefit from taking daily vitamin D supplements of 400 to 600 IU. If you drink milk for the calcium, you may also be getting vitamin D because it’s usually added to milk; other food sources are egg yolks, saltwater fish, and liver.

Bottom Line:

• When you don't get enough calcium from your diet the body will take the calcium it needs for other body functions from your bones, eventually leading to bone porosity or osteoporosis.
• High amounts of sodium, caffeine, and saturated fats, on the other hand, can inhibit calcium absorption.
• Oxalic acid (in some vegetables and beans) and phytic acid (in whole grains) can reduce calcium absorption
• Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption and consequently to prevent bone loss
• Protein and potassium are important for bone health.
• Magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, fluoride, and vitamins A and C are also required for proper bone health.

Good-for-Your-Bones  Foods

Food	Nutrient
Dairy products such as low-fat and non-fat milk, yogurt and cheese	Calcium. Some dairy products are fortified with Vitamin D.
Fish
Canned sardines and salmon (with bones)	Calcium
Fatty varieties such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines	Vitamin D
Fruits and vegetables
Collard greens, turnip greens, kale, okra, Chinese cabbage, dandelion greens, mustard greens and broccoli.	Calcium
Spinach, beet greens, okra, tomato products, artichokes, plantains, potatoes, sweet potatoes, collard greens and raisins.	Magnesium
Tomato products, raisins, potatoes, spinach, sweet potatoes, papaya, oranges, orange juice, bananas, plantains and prunes.	Potassium
Red peppers, green peppers, oranges, grapefruits, broccoli, strawberries, brussels sprouts, papaya and pineapples.	Vitamin C
Dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, collard greens, spinach, mustard greens, turnip greens and brussel sprouts.	Vitamin K
Fortified Foods
Calcium and vitamin D are sometimes added to certain brands of juices, breakfast foods, soy milk, rice milk, cereals, snacks and breads.	Calcium, Vitamin D