DID YOU KNOW…?
The statistics are staggering:
21-30% of those who suffer a hip fracture die within one year.
Known as the “kiss of death,” it typically happens in older adults and can be a terrifying experience.
This is why understanding bone health from our adolescence to adulthood can result in establishing a strong foundation for warding off dangerous outcomes from fractures, breaks, and diseases such as osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Healthy bone development begins when we are young; up to 80% of our bone mass is established before the age of 18! This means that our childhood plays just as important of a role in bone health as do our older years.
Following, we take a look at healthy strategies for strong bones in both kids and adults.
DID YOU KNOW…strong bone health starts when we are young so we should help our kids now!
Did you grow up with marketing ads insisting the only way to strong bones was to drink milk?
While calcium is one beneficial nutrient in the overall health of our bones, the solution is more complex than just drinking three cups of milk per day when we are children.
For kids, strong bone development involves good digestion and absorption of nutrient rich foods in addition to an overall healthy lifestyle.
This can include:
– a well-balanced diet of whole foods rich in minerals
– lots of colorful fruits and vegetables
– healthy macro-nutrient fats and carbohydrates
– daily exercise and movement, preferably outdoors
– good rest and quality sleep
But how do you know if your child is properly digesting and absorbing the appropriate nutrients in his or her diet?
Clues such as:
– gas
– bloating
– burping
– inconsistent or abnormal bowel movements
can be signs of troubled digestion. Call me at (720) 340-0193 if your child is experiencing these symptoms.
DID YOU KNOW…there are a variety of ways we should tackle bone health as we age?
From puberty and beyond, it’s crucial to keep our bone health in check. An array of strategies that work together to do this include proper gut health, healthy nutrition, good endocrine health, and targeted supplements.
Gut Health
Just like when we are kids, our adult digestive system plays a key role in optimizing the nutrients we absorb.
One thing that attributes to this is normal bowel movements. Although it may not seem it in our western culture “normal”, healthy consists of three solid, easy to pass movements per day in which a full meal should trigger a movement. Include a probiotic and fermented foods in your diet for healthy gut flora.
Nutrition
Consuming appropriate amounts of nutrients for strong bones means including a wide variety of colorful plant foods daily.
Bright colors of fruits and vegetables means different antioxidants are present in the food. Antioxidants counteract dangerous free-radicals that float around our system thanks to stress and poor diet and can cause disease. By eating a rainbow of different colored produce such as blueberries, carrots, and leafy greens (just to name a few!), we can combat those free-radicals and fight illnesses attributing to bone decline.
Endocrine Health
Our reproductive organs can have quite an impact on our bones. Starting in puberty, estrogen and progesterone in women are the architect of bones. As we age, these hormones can decline or become unbalanced making way for bone disease when irregular and skipped periods as well as stress are present, especially during perimenopause and menopause.
For more information on hormonal health, click here.
Supplements
First and foremost, eating a well-balanced healthy diet is most important when it comes to healthy bones. However, for those who suffer from symptoms of low bone density or other bone issues, supplements can support specific symptoms.
These supplements can include:
– magnesium
– vitamin D
– calcium
– other micro-minerals, sometimes found combined in a bone formula
Supplements should be part of a customized program based on your specific bone health needs; I can help create one for you.
Are you concerned about your bone health? Have you had worrisome test results or previous issues? Do you have a history of infrequent or irregular periods, especially in adolescence?
If you live in the Boulder or the surrounding Denver metro area and have questions or concerns about your bones, please call me at (720) 340-0193 or send me a message here for us to talk further and find natural solutions that are best for you.
