According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis and low bone mass affect about 54 million Americans. Approximately 1 in 2 women will break a bone due to osteoporosis at some point in their lives. Seventy-one percent of hip fractures are in women and can considerably affect the quality of life. These statistics make bone health a priority to keeping women strong and healthy.
Many factors contribute to bone health, things like age and gender we don’t control. What we do have control over is diet and exercise, which impacts over 25% of bone’s health.
In this blog, Designer Wellness is diving deep into what you can do through diet and exercise to build stronger, healthier bones at any age.
The top seven recommendations to build and maintain bone mass are the following.
- Engage in regular weight-bearing exercises.
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Get in the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of calcium at 1,200 mg a day. Foods loaded with calcium include sardines, cheese, yogurt, fortified non-dairy milk, dairy milk, and soybeans. At Designer Wellness, our Designer Plant (135% RDA), Designer Whey (20% RDA), Designer Meal Replacement (40% RDA), Designer Soy (25% RDA), and Aria (30% RDA) are all packed with calcium.
- Boost your vitamin D intake.
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus, essential minerals for bone health. Foods packed with vitamin D include salmon, trout, eggs, and UV-treated mushrooms. At Designer Wellness, you can easily meet your vitamin D needs by enjoying Designer Whey (50% RDA), Designer Plant (20% RDA), Designer Soy (50% RDA), Designer Meal Replacement (30% RDA), or Aria (30% RDA) in your daily diet.
- Pack in the protein at every meal and snack.
- Enjoy magnesium-rich foods daily.
- Get in both vitamin K1 and K2 every day.
You can easily meet your needs by including Vitamin K1 and K2 foods in your diet. Vitamin K1 is in Designer Whey Meal Replacement (20% RDA), Designer Plant (20% RDA), spinach, kale, swiss chard, romaine lettuce, salad broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and mustard greens. Vitamin K2 can be found in Gouda cheese, Swiss cheese, blue cheese, eggs, and Natto (Japanese fermented soybeans).
- Eat selenium-rich food at least once a day. Selenium contains antioxidant selenoproteins that have been shown to have an antioxidant protection effect that helps maintain bone health. The RDA for selenium is 55 mcg/day, and excellent sources of selenium include Brazil nuts and fish.
Check out Designer Wellness’s bone health superstars listed below that are loaded with multiple bone-healthy nutrients. As a BONUS, included below is a one-day bone health meal plan.
- Designer Plant
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135% Calcium RDA, 20% Vitamin D RDA, 20% Magnesium RDA, 20% Vitamin K RDA, 220% Phosphorus RDA, 22g of Protein
- Designer Whey
- 20% Calcium RDA, 25% Magnesium RDA, 20% Phosphorus RDA, 20g of Protein
- Designer Meal Replacement powder
- 45% Calcium RDA, 30% Vitamin D RDA, 20% Magnesium RDA, 30% Vitamin K RDA, 30% Phosphorus RDA, 25g of Protein
- Aria
- 30% Calcium RDA, 30% Vitamin D RDA, 50% Phosphorus RDA, 15g of Protein
- Designer Soy
- 25% Calcium RDA, 50% Vitamin D RDA, 20g of Protein
Breakfast: Smoothie- 2 scoops Designer Plant, 1 cup leafy greens, 5 Brazil nuts, 1 banana, 1 cup blueberries, and 1 cup fortified non-dairy milk or dairy milk
AM Snack: Gouda cheese with whole-grain crackers
Lunch: spinach salad with black beans, hardboiled egg, chicken, blue cheese, and almond slices with a dressing of choice.
PM Snack: Designer Protein Smoothie
Dinner: Salmon with broccoli and roasted potatoes
Night Time Snack: cashews and dark chocolate
Sources:
Cleveland Clinic: August 20, 2019 / Rheumatology & Immunology
Do You Need Vitamin K Supplements for Your Bone Health?
Medical News Today :Osteoporosis: Could selenium reduce risk?
WebMD Bones Need Both Calcium and Phosphorus
Today’s Dietitian: February 2013 IssueVol. 15 No. 2 P. 44: Bone Health and Diet. By Sharon Palmer, RD
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Ginger C. Cochran, MS, RDN, CDCES, ACSM-CEP
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
IG: @nutritious_ginger
