Lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, can help in increasing bone density and avoiding osteoporosis. Calcium and vitamin D- rich foods are essential.
New Delhi: Around the age of 30, new bone tissues stop replacing the old ones, and the aim of the body is to keep these tissues intact as much, and for as long as possible. The spaces between the bone tissues increase with age and lead to osteoporosis – weak bones and easily breakable wrists, ankles, and even spine when you are older.
Lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, can help in increasing bone density and avoiding osteoporosis, but in some cases, lifestyle changes may also not be enough if you have lost a lot of bone density, according to the National Institute of Aging, USA. Foods rich in calcium and vitamin D are essential to building bone density.
Milk and dairy
Since childhood, we have been asked to drink a cup of milk every day, and there sure is a reason for the same. Milk and other dairy products like curd, cheese, and buttermilk are good sources of calcium and should be included in the diet at every age to ensure the intake of required amount of calcium in the body. An adult requires around 1000-1300 mg of calcium every day and a cup of milk contains around 305 mg. Cheese is also a good source of vitamin D which also improves bone density.
Leafy vegetables
Broccoli, cabbage, and spinach are a good source of calcium but only a percentage of the calcium present in them gets absorbed by the body, therefore they should be eaten in more quantities than other foods. One cup of cooked spinach has around 100 mg of calcium, but only around 5 mg of it is absorbed by the body. Broccoli has 45 mg of calcium, where 50-60% of it is absorbed by the body.
Egg yolks
Though sunlight is one of the best sources of Vitamin D available, people do not find the time to sit in the sun, relax and soak the nutrient, as often as it is required. Therefore including foods like egg yolk which is rich in Vitamin D is important to improve bone density. If you are trying to lose weight or are on a diet, try including eggs in your diet for better bone health.
Fish
Cooked salmon is a good source of vitamin D. If you are a non-vegetarian and love fish, this could be a win-win situation for you. You can eat fish to improve bone density while giving a treat to your taste buds!
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are the only plant source of vitamin D, apart from fortified foods. Wild mushrooms process UV light and are a rich source of Vitamin D2, while commercially grown mushrooms may have very little Vitamin D. It is recommended that you check the ingredient list of packaged mushrooms before buying them for the specific nutrient.