6 Quick Facts About Bone Health

Our bones really do tend to get used and abused .. .even if they are never broken! They tend to be ignored until there is a problem with them -- while plenty of people do preventive cardiovascular exercise, they try to take care of their livers by not drinking alcohol or eating too much meat, and we are very protective of our skins, our bones just don't get that same focus. Today we take a quick overview of bone health at all stages of life, perhaps telling you something you didn’t know about the strategies and whole food multivitamins that can help ensure your bones stay healthy and strong!

1. Did you know the teen years are actually the most important ones in the prevention of osteoporosis? If you have a healthy diet and exercise pattern as a teenager, your peak bone mass grows, and you'll be able to get better effects from weight-bearing exercise andwhole food multivitamins.
2. Eating disorders can ruin your bone health. One unfortunate and long-lasting side effect of eating disorders is the leaching of calcium from your bones, through malnutrition.
3. Dairy products are a good source of calcium, but supplements aren’t always. If you hate milk or are lactose intolerant, be aware of how much calcium you take as a supplement. Taking too much calcium can actually cause it to leach from your bones -- not the desired effect!
4. The greatest calcium intake is usually required during the reproductive years. Between the ages of 20 and 45, there is no excuse for ignoring your bone strength!
5. Weight bearing exercise is critical for increasing bone strength. When you put pressure on your bones, they form tiny, tiny tears and fractures. When these heal, they are stronger than the previous bone was. When you're doing cardio, make sure you do plenty of jogging as well as swimming.
6. You should also make sure you get enough vitamin D to support calcium's role in maintaining strong bones. You get vitamin D from sunshine, so if you have an indoor job you may suffer during the winter months. Always be sun smart, though -- 10 minutes sunshine a day on your face and hands will get you plenty of vitamin D.