The 206 bones in the adult body that make up the skeleton provide the basic frame upon which the body is built giving us our structure and shape, but your skeleton has a number of other essential functions too. Your bones provide attachment points for your muscles allowing you to move, they form protective structures around your organs and nerves, they’re involved in maintaining mineral and pH balance in the body and the bone marrow is where your red and white (immune) blood cells are produced.
While we often think of our bones as being static and unchanging once we have grown, they are actually very dynamic and will undergo continuous formation and resorption throughout our life. Bone cells called osteoblasts are responsible for the formation of bones, and osteoclasts are responsible resorption of bones. As we age, the balance of bone formation and resorption alters and we gradually lose bone mass. This process results in the loss of calcium, phosphorus, boron and other minerals making the bones lighter, less dense and more porous. Important factors for bone density include how much bone mass was obtained at peak density (25-35yrs old) and how rapidly the bone is re-absorbed after this age.
Factors that may increase bone loss:
Gender- women are more likely to suffer from reduced bone density, especially after menopause as oestrogen levels have a protective effect on bone density
Nutritional deficiency- Insufficient levels of key nutrients like calcium, magnesium and vitamin D
Lifestyle factors- Smoking, excess consumption of alcohol, and a lack of excercise
Various medications e.g. long term corticosteroid use
Luckily, supporting the health of your bones can never start too early or too late. Below are 5 diet and lifestyle tips for strong, healthy bones.
Kick the habit - Smoking is bad for virtually every aspect of your health, including your bones. Seek help if you need to and make quitting your number one health goal. While we’re on the topic of habits, keep your alcohol intake limited to around 3-5 drinks per week, and not all in one sitting.
Optimise your vitamin D & omega 3 fatty acids – Vitamin D supports the absorption of calcium which is involved in bone formation. Omega 3 fatty acidsfrom fish oil are known to support overall health and may contribute to maintaining bone density when combined with regular physical activity.
Get your minerals - Calcium is well known for bone health but you don’t have to take a supplement to get good doses, in fact too much calcium on its own can cause a magnesium deficiency. If you do take a calcium supplement be sure to also add in amagnesium supplement – the ratio should be close to 2:1 e.g. 1,000mg calcium and 500mg magnesium. Many New Zealanders get plenty of calcium in their diet, good sources include: sesame seeds, broccoli, almonds, tofu, tempeh, seaweed, salmon (with bones) and dairy food. Magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, silica along with B-group vitamins are also important in supporting healthy bone formation. Most of these can be found in almonds, eggs, brewer’s yeast, whole grains, seeds, leafy green vegetables, lentils and legumes,iv though magnesium insufficiency is all too common, so taking a supplement is beneficial for most people.
Balance your diet - In this instance we mean balance your acid-base levels. A diet high in acid forming foods may cause calcium and other minerals to be drawn out of the bones in order to buffer the blood pH. Food and beverages to keep in check include: coffee, alcohol, sodas, sugar, refined/processed foods, meat, fruit, bread and dairy.
Exercise regularly - Optimising your bone density through regular, weight bearing exercise can also support the maintainence of healthy bone mass as we age. Exercise also increases muscle strength & reflexes – reducing the risk of falls later in life. Any exercise that works against gravity is weight bearing, e.g. walking, jogging, dancing and weight training.
Like with most things regarding our health it is the combination of things that we do regularly that make the most difference. Doing one or two things will help a little, combining all the good dietary advice, optimising key nutrients, not smoking and exercising regularly however will provide you with the best protection for healthy bones well into your golden years.
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