Bone Health

Did you know your skeleton renews itself around every 10 years ?

Just like our skin, hair and nails our bones continue to grow every day.

Then how come we are not giants or weighed down by a heavy skeleton? The answer is that our bones actually remodel rather than grow in size. Remodelling is a critical part of our survival, it is the process of breaking down bone to release minerals into our blood.

Our bones act as a large storage cupboard, storing our minerals ready to be released when needed. Part of the remodelling process is building the bone back to their original size, this is where our diet is vital in supplying the nutrients we need to restock the storage cupboard.

What nutrients do we need to optimise our bone health:

  • Calcium this is probable the most well known one. A top tip is to have your calcium spread throughout the day rather than all in one meal.
  • Magnesium look to achieve 400 mg per day, this intake is associated with higher bone density.
  • Phosphorus look to achieve your intake from wholefoods rather than processed foods
  • Potassium prevents excess calcium excretion and loss.
  • Vitamin A research show that plant based sources of vitamin A are more favourable.
  • Vitamin D vital for the formation of bone

Weight-bearing and resistance exercises are the best for your bones. Weight-bearing exercises force you to work against gravity. They include walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs and dancing. Resistance exercises, such as lifting weights can also strengthen bones

Click the link below to download a copy of my bone health recipe suggestions.

Posted in