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31Days to

Stronger Bones

Limit caffeine.

Whether from

coffee, tea or soda, it

interferes with calcium

absorption. Don't

consume caffeine along

with your calcium-rich

foods or supplements

and limit your daily

intake to 300 mg or less.

Know your

calcium needs.

Most adults need

1,000 to 1,200 mg

each day, but your

needs may vary based

on your age or risk 

level. Track your daily

intake by reading

labels and using theNutrition Tracker.

Eat more greens.

Leafy greens like

spinach and kale are

good calcium sources

(250 mg and 100 mg,

respectively). Add

greens to salads, soups,

stir-fry, pasta sauces and

more too boost your

bone health.

Look for

fortification. Lots

of different foods are

fortified with bone-

building minerals like

calcium these days. Try

calcium-enriched cereal,

OJ, tofu, soymilk, cereal

bars and more.

Give up meat.Studies show thatvegetarians havegreater bone densand lower rates of osteoporosis than eaters. Try goingmeatless at least oweek.

Don't smoke. The

longer you smoke,

the more likely you are

to have low bone mass

and serious fractures.

Smoking also decreases

estrogen levels, another

risk factor for thinning

bones. Take steps to quit

today!

Ask aboutmedication.

Prescription medication

can both treat and

prevent osteoporosis.

 Talk to your doctor to

see if you're a good

candidate for these

bone-enhancing drugs.

Imbibe inmoderation.

Excessive alcohol

consumption interferes

with the absorption of 

calcium and vitamin D.

Limit your intake to less

than one drink daily for

women; less than two

for men.

Go fish! Bothsalmon and

shrimp are good

sources of vitamin

Fish also contain

calcium: 325 mg in

of sardines and 18

in 3 oz of salmon,

example.

Drink milk. Dairyproducts are the

best sources of calcium.

Just one cup of milk or

yogurt contains 300 mg

of calcium. Try to get

three servings of dairy

(or other calcium-rich

alternatives) each day.

Get your C's.

Eating vitamin

C along with calcium

can significantly

increase your ability toform optimal bone

strength. Get it from

citrus fruits, tomatoes,

potatoes, cauliflower,

broccoli, strawberries

and more.

 Test

yourself.

Postmenopausal

women over 50 (a

others at high-riskshould get a bone

mineral density (B

test, which predic

risk of future fract

so you can develo

prevention plan.

Consider aalciumupplement.ook for the form

alcium citrate, which isbest-absorbed by thebody. But don't rely onupplements alone. I t's

best to get bone-building nutrients fromoods.

Give beans a

chance. Beans

and legumes also boast

calcium—30 to 160 mg

per 1-cup serving. Addthem to soups, stews,

salads and pastas to

boost your bone health.

Dive in.

Although it's

low-impact, new

research shows that

swimmers have strongerbones than people who

don't swim at all. Experts

think that the resistance

of the water helps build

bone strength.

Get 400-800 IU

of vitamin D. In

winter, vitamin D

absorption is poor. Make

sure your diet includes

plenty of D-rich foods

like fish, fish oil, fortified

foods (like milk), or

supplements (look forD3, which is best-

absorbed).

Go for yoga.

Weight-bearing

yoga poses (inversions,

standing and more) may

also help strengthen

your bones while you

reduce stress. Try one or

two short routines each

week.

 Take it up a

notch. Choose

high-intensity exercises

(over low intensity) for

the most bone benefits.

You'll strengthen your

bones and your heart!

Get the facts.

There are dozens

of variables that

affect bone health,

from your lifestyle

choices to your

genetics. It's

important to educate

yourself and know

where you stand now

and in the future.

Boost your

produce

intake. People who

consume the most

fruits and veggies (atleast 5 servings each

day) have higher

bone density levels

than people who

consume less than

that.

Pump iron. Strength

raining is good for

your muscles and your

bones. Dumbbell,

esistance band, body

weight and machine

exercises all build

bone strength. Aim for

2-3 sessions per week.

Hold the salt.

A diet high in

sodium (especially from

table salt) increases

calcium loss through

the kidneys. Season

with herbs and spices

and keep sodium intake

under 2,300 mg daily.

Maximize

your

magnesium. This

mineral, found in b

helps prevent frac

and builds bone d

It's abundant in he

foods like whole g

legumes, nuts andgreens.

Say so long to

soda. Women

who drink the most cola

have the lowest bone

density levels. Experts

don't know if they

consume fewer

nutrients overall, or if it's

something in the cola,so practice moderation.

Perfect your

posture. Stand

nd sit upright, with abs

n and shoulders pulled

down and back. This

helps prevent a

ounding of the spine

hunchback) and loss of 

height, often associated

with bone loss.

Avoid protein

extremes. Diets

very low or very high in

protein may increase

the risk of osteoporosis.

Protein is necessary for

bone formation, but

practice moderation.

Say no to high-protein

diets.

Step it up.

Higher impact

exercises like step

aerobics, dancing, and

running put stress on

your bones, which

encourages them to

grow stronger. Make

these moves staples of 

your exercise plan.

May

May is National Osteoporosis Awareness &Prevention Month—a time to remember the

importance of preventing osteoporosis, adisease that causes bones to become weak and brittle. Half of all women (and one-

quarter of men over 50) will break a bone dueto osteoporosis, according to the NationalInstitutes of Health. But osteoporosis is

largely preventable through healthy lifestylechoices. Strengthen your bones from thismonth forward by starting with these 31 daily

tips.

Jump for joy!

Jumping jacks,

jumping rope, and

just jumping are high-

impact activities that

build bone strength.

Just two minutes of 

jumping each day

offers major benefits.

Get some sun. Just 15 minutes of sun

exposure (without SPF) will help you meet your

daily vitamin D quota. The sunshine vitamin

strengthens bones by helping calcium and

phosphorus deposit.

Watch the clock. Your

body can only absorb

about 500 mg of calcium

(half your daily

requirement) at one time.

For best results, eat

calcium-rich foods and

supplements throughout

the day—not in one

sitting.

Take a brisk walk.

This weight-

bearing exercis

helps strengthen y

bones. Leisu

walking doesn't o

the same benefits

keep up your intens

level for at leastminute

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