eating for strong bones: does your diet have what it takes to prevent osteoporosis?

according to the mayo clinic , bone fractures are the most concerning complications of osteoporosis — particularly in the spine or hip. in fact, a fracture in the hip, often caused by a fall, can mean disability, or even death. sometimes fractures can happen even without falling, and your vertebrae can weaken causing back pain and poor posture.

magnesium is an important mineral for our bones
the first nutrient that’s important to get enough of is magnesium. this might surprise you, but according to health canada , many adults in our country have inadequate intakes of magnesium.this is problematic for a variety of reasons, not least of which is the fact that magnesium is one of the minerals that forms our bones (even though calcium gets all the credit).

vitamin k.  vitamin k plays a role in bone metabolism and multiple studies have demonstrated that lower vitamin k intake is associated with weaker bones and a higher risk of fractures. foods high in vitamin k include dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, collards (bonus, these also contain magnesium ) as well as traditional green veggies like broccoli, brussels sprouts and asparagus. as you can see, vegetable intake is incredibly important in achieving good vitamin k intake. the fruits avocado and kiwi are also good sources of vitamin k.

vitamin a. although not traditionally thought of as a bone strengthening vitamin, there has been an increased interest around vitamin a and bone health . observational evidence has demonstrated that better dietary vitamin a intake could reduce fracture risk, which is important because it is one of those which some canadians don’t get enough of.

vitamin d and calcium. vitamin d and calcium are probably the least surprising on this list given that they are rightfully considered the quintessential and most important nutrients to bone health. calcium comprises the majority of the human skeleton while vitamin d helps our bodies better absorb and utilize it. they are the perfect team.

first of all, calcium needs increase with age , which increases the risk that as we grow older, we are not consuming adequate amounts. it’s important to point out that while we tend to assume that dairy (milk, yogurt and cheese) and dairy alternatives (such as tofu), the variety of foods already discussed also tend to be high in calcium.

when it comes to vitamin d,  one in three canadian adults have insufficient levels. in fact, most canadians don’t consume nearly enough fish ( t he primary dietary source of vitamin d ) to reach adequate vitamin d — an issue which becomes more prominent with age as bone health considerations grow. the body’s ability to produce vitamin d from sun exposure also declines with age, which is why health canada recommends vitamin d supplementation for those 50-years-old and over. according the agency,  85 per cent of canadians who supplemented with vitamin d had optimal blood levels , a number that dropped to 60 per cent in those who didn’t.

andy is a registered dietitian and multi-book author who has operated a private practice in toronto since 2015.  he spends his free time eating, writing and talking about kale @andytherd. he can be reached at andytherd.com.

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eating for strong bones: does your diet have what it takes to prevent osteoporosis?

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