Tips For Making Bones & Joints Healthier

Growing old can be a bit daunting because you might be able to do the things you did when young. It comes with bone and joint pain which can be a tad painful. Bones and joints pain can be a result of mineral deficiency, specifically, calcium and also deficiency of vitamin D.

Minerals are absorbed into your bones from early childhood to adulthood. After 30 years of age, your bone mass would have reached its peak. Therefore, sufficient bone mass should be developed during your growing years to avoid underdeveloped bones. I would advise you to prevent this because underdeveloped bones break easily and can cause you lots of pain.

As a registered dietitian and nutritionist, I, Darren Ainsworth comes up with 6 tips on how to improve your bone consistency.

Eat sufficient vegetables

Vegetables are a source of many nutrients and minerals and good for the joints. They increase the density of your bone. Bone density is when you calculate the quantity of calcium you have in your body. When you possess an insufficient bone density, you are liable to develop Osteoporosis and Osteopenia. Vegetables provide your body with vitamin C for the stimulation of producing bone constructing cells. Vitamin C has an antioxidant that prevents the cells of your bones from harm. I advise children and youths to consume lots of yellow and leafy vegetables because it boosts bone and joints mineralization when they are young.

Exercise your bones

How do you exercise your bones? I do weight-bearing and muscle training exercises when I go to the gym. A weight-bearing workout assists your body to form new bones. Muscle exercises increase your muscle quantity and reduce the danger of bone loss. I would recommend you to read Darren Ainsworth’s exercise guidelines to know the right workout for you.

Eat a diet full of Protein

More than 40% of our muscle consist of protein so get sufficient protein into your body. Inadequate protein consumption reduces calcium absorption. This decreases bone arrangement and makes the bone easily break down. Too much though can cause calcium leaching from the bones to offset enhanced blood acidity. I recommend consuming protein of 100g every day with nutrition-rich calcium to safeguard against this.

Consume calcium-rich food daily

As a dietitian, I know calcium is important for our bodies. It is an extremely vital nutrient for bone development and the main constituent of bone formation. It also increases your bone strength. When your aged bone cells deteriorate, they are always supplanted by fresh bones. The recommended daily calcium intake is 1,000mg daily for most individuals. In contrast, if you take calcium of 600mg, your body soaks up less calcium compared to taking calcium of 400mg. I recommend you to get calcium from food instead of from supplements.

Supplement your diet with vitamin K and vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for good bone formation. Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium. It also prevents osteopenia and Osteoporosis. Vitamin K modifies a protein that helps in bone formation. This protein is called Osteocalcin. Osteocalcin is bound to bone minerals and protects against loss of calcium from your body. MK-7 and MK-4 are forms of Vitamin K. MK-7 can be found in fermented foods (an example is a cheese) and soybean products. MK-4 can be found in meat, liver, eggs and so on.

Ensure your calorie intake is not too low

Low-calorie intake slows down your body metabolism, makes you hungry again and you lose muscle mass. This is not beneficial to your bone health.

In addition, I would like to reiterate that it is essential to have a healthy bone density during childhood. This will improve bone strength as you grow older.

For older individuals, exercise moderately and balance your calcium with other nutrients. You can follow me on twitter Darren Ainsworth for more health and nutrition updates.