Dr Andres Sosa. Photo courtesy of Family Medical Practice
by Dr Andres Sosa*
Good nutrition is not only necessary for overall health but it is also crucial for bone health. Bones are constantly being broken down and rebuilt, and a balanced diet that includes significant nutrients can help maintain strong bones and prevent conditions like osteoporosis and help prevent or manage conditions like osteoporosis and fractures.
The Role of Nutrition
Collagen and Calcium are nutrients for bone health, as they provide the building blocks and cement for our bones. However, they are not enough to maintain strong bones. Other nutrients, such as Vitamin D, magnesium, and vitamin K, also play vital roles in bone health.
Here are some relevant nutrients for bone health and the foods that contain them:
Collagen: bone broth, all kinds of meats, seafood, eggs, nuts, berries, and citric fruits are the richest sources. Vegetables and fruits also contain collagen but in a small amount.
Vitamin C: participates in collagen synthesis. Good sources of vitamin C are citric fruits, meats, and green vegetables.
Calcium: is the primary mineral in bones, and it is essential for bone growth and maintenance. Good sources of calcium include dairy products, such as milk, cheese, butter, and yoghurt, as well as leafy green vegetables like kale and broccoli.
Vitamin D: is essential for bone growth and maintenance. Humans elaborate Vitamin D in our skin from healthy in a process that requires UV light. Some sources of healthy fats are bone broth, meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, avocados, and olive oil. A person that avoids healthy fats and UV light may develop vitamin D deficiency.
Magnesium: helps our body to absorb and keep calcium balanced. Good sources of magnesium include nuts, seeds, whole grains, and leafy green vegetables. Magnesium also helps in maintaining good sleep.
Vitamin K: plays a role in bone metabolism and helps the body use calcium properly. Good sources of vitamin K include dark leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.
Exercising regularly can help strengthen bones and prevent bone loss. Photo shutterstock.com
5 Tips for Maintaining Strong Bones
In addition to getting the proper nutrients, several lifestyle habits can help maintain strong bones and prevent osteoporosis. Here are some tips for maintaining strong bones that I do always recommend to my patients:
1. Exercise regularly: Weight-bearing activities such as walking and weight lifting, can help strengthen bones and prevent bone loss. Bone metabolism depends on muscle mass. The more muscle mass we have, the better our bone quality is.
2. Avoid smoking: because it increases the risk of osteoporosis, osteopenia as it can decrease bone density and weaken bones. And no, switching to e-cigarettes or vapes is not a solution.
3. Limit alcohol intake: Heavy alcohol consumption can increase the risk of osteoporosis, as it can decrease bone density and weaken bones. When our liver and kidneys are too busy dealing with alcohol we lose essential minerals. In the long term, this will affect our bone density.
4. Get enough sleep: Getting enough sleep is vital for overall health, and can affect bone health. Lack of sleep can lead to hormonal imbalances that can affect bone health. Not sleeping makes us lose magnesium and some other minerals.
5. Sun exposure: we cannot produce enough Vitamin D if we live in the shadows. Healthy fats convert into Vitamin D in the presence of UV light. Early morning or late afternoon sunbathing and regular intake of healthy fats are recommended to prevent Vitamin D deficiency.
In conclusion, good nutrition is essential for bone health. A balanced diet includes nutrients like collagen, calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and vitamin K can help maintain strong bones and prevent fractures.
In addition to getting adequate nutrients, lifestyle habits like regular exercise, avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol intake, good quality sleep and conscious sun exposure also help maintain strong bones. Family Medical Practice
*Dr Andres Sosa is our Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in sports medicine and trauma. He has a Master’s in Upper Limb Surgery from the University of Bologna (Italy) and has obtained his second Master’s in Shoulder Surgery with the University of Andalucía (Spain). In Việt Nam, he continues his surgical training with Arthrex ArthroLab (Singapore) focused on arthroscopic techniques for shoulder and knee injuries.
Dr Sosa joined FMP in 2018 and is responsible for all orthopedic and trauma cases and is fluent in English, Italian and Spanish.
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