Building strong bones and maintaining them as we age is key to bone health. With proper nutrition and exercise, we can give our skeleton an assist in staying healthy. We have compiled our top tips from ORTHOKnox orthopedic surgeons in Knoxville and Athens, TN, to improve your bone health below. Some of these tips may sound familiar. Maybe our moms really were looking out for us when they made us eat all that broccoli? Thanks, mom.
Top Bone Health Tips:
- Number one is (you guessed it!) to eat your veggies! Vegetables are full of vitamin C, which stimulates the production of bone cells in your body. Veggies are also great at preventing bone damage and increasing bone density!
- Work out! Strength training and weight-bearing exercises can allow your muscles to pull their weight (literally) and relieve excess pressure on your bones. Strength exercises also encourage bone formation in children and prevent bone loss in adults.
- Drink your milk! Calcium is the main mineral in your bones, so making sure it is in your diet can help protect your bone structure.
- Maintain a healthy weight. This is a good goal for many reasons including bone health. Being underweight increases your risk of osteoporosis and reduced bone density. Being overweight can add more stress on your bones and increase your risk of fractures.
- While we may decide to cut some calories to hit our healthy weight, make sure you don’t opt for a very low-calorie diet. Follow a well-balanced diet and don’t reduce your calories too much or you risk reducing your bone density.
- Consume foods with the following nutrients:
- Protein: 50% of your bone mass is made of protein; it affects bone formation, bone breakdown, and calcium absorption
- Magnesium: converts vitamin D into a form that promotes calcium absorption
- Zinc: helps make up the mineral portion of your bones
- Omega-3 fats: help protect against bone loss
- Vitamin D: promotes calcium absorption
- Vitamin K: modifies a protein (osteocalcin) involved in bone formation so it can bind minerals and prevent loss of calcium
Orthopedic Surgeons in Athens and Knoxville, TN
Where can I get more tips or consult with an orthopedic surgeon about my bone health?
With its board-certified surgeon and Urgent Orthopaedic Care that is available without an appointment, ORTHOKnox has got you covered when it comes to bone injuries and injury prevention. For more information about how ORTHOKnox can treat you, call (865) 251-3030, or fill out our easy-to-use online appointment request form. We look forward to hearing from you!