Your bones look beautiful.  Bones, like diamonds, are everyone’s best friend.  So, don’t break ‘em.

A loved one has osteoarthritis.  But many of us, especially older women, get osteoporosis.  Osteoporosis “occurs when the bones are broken down faster than they are built up” (Hinish, location 1551 of 2297, 68%).  My loved one does heavy fitness, so his bones break down at hyper speed.   It’s kind of like how muscles work: you tear down muscles when weightlifting and build them up bigger while you rest.  Thus, I aim to build up my loved one’s bones faster than they tear down.

To do this, I aim to get my loved one enzymes, probiotics, and juiced veggies (or greens powders).  Plus, I’ll add salmon and kale to his diet.

Here are tips to stop you from breaking your beautiful bones:

Eat tons of fruits and veggies: “if we get very few fruits and vegetables in the diet then we will not meet the body’s potassium needs.  Several studies have already demonstrated the importance of a high fruit and vegetable diet on risk of osteoporosis” (Hinish, location 1788 of 2297, 2%).  Also, “the DASH Intervention Study has demonstrated that eating 9-10 fruits and vegetables can significantly decrease urinary calcium loss” (Hinish, location 1803 of 2297, 78%).  Nowadays, I eat four fruits and six or more vegetables a day.  But if you can’t gobble that many, “it makes sense to use a green food powder on a daily basis to help meet the body’s needs” (Hinish, location 1817 of 2297, 79%).

Eat Kale for bone healthy vitamin K1.  Kale tastes chewy and fibrous.  The part of the plant in the ground (the stem) has the most nutrition.  Kale will build your bones and feed your bacteria so they can produce K2 for best bone health.  “Vitamin K2, which is produced by the intestinal bacteria from vitamin K1, is the active form of K and considered the most effective form for enhancing the growth and development of bones” (Hinish, location 1700 of 2297, 74%).

Avoid coffee but drink water to protect your bones.  One McDonald’s cashier said she drank a glass of water a day and walked her dog.  I thought wow.  But now that my McDonald’s days are over, I drink lots of water and exercise seven hours a week.

Eat lots of omega-3 fatty acids.  “Omega-3 fatty acids are very important for maintaining bone structure.  Foods such as cold-water fish, sardines, nuts and seeds contain good levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids” (Hinish, location 1414 of 2297, 62%).  My loved one began eating salmon every second day for bone health.  Plus, he eats flaxseed every morning.

Avoid soda, sugar, and refined carbs: “the more soda you drink, the lower your blood calcium levels …. Refined carbohydrates and sugar cause a significant loss of calcium from the body.  Try to limit these products such as white bread, pasta, white rice, cakes, candy, sugar, etc” (Hinish, location 1401 of 2297, 61%).  I saw a documentary on sugar where an itty-bitty girl had five teeth removed, all because of soda.  If she had drunk water or herbal teas, her teeth would be intact and her bones healthier.

Eat probiotics to build your bones.  “If you choose to get your vitamin K through the consumption of vegetables, then you must be especially vigilant at protecting the bacteria that reside in your gut” (Hinish, location 1730 of 2297, 79%).  I put out a low-hanging bird feeder at my loved one’s grave.  Three days later the bird seeds were gone, and countless rabbit pellets covered the plot.  I brought home the birdfeeder to clean it despite Website warnings against bringing feeders indoors.  But I figured I’d get some healthy bunny bacteria.  Bacteria from the animals and the soil can create a diversity of bacteria in our bellies.  And diverse bacteria may aid in bone health.  Sound gross?  Well then, ahem, maybe don’t cite me.

But what if you can’t afford probiotic and enzyme pills?  Then seek out natural sources of enzymes such as pineapple and natural sources of probiotics such as sour cabbage or kefir milk.  If you love yogurt, you’ll guzzle the kefir.

Lastly, today’s fad is to stay clear of dairy when it comes to bone health.  The argument goes that humans were not meant to drink from cows.  Other arguments say milk yields adverse health effects (see The China Study by Colin Campbell).   So, if you feel milk shy, then try milk substitutes and vegetable sources of calcium.  But be sure to get vitamin D from both sunshine and supplements.

Now don’t break those beautiful bones.  You’ll have the last laugh if your funny bone stays intact.  And instead of enrolling in wheelchair yoga, you’ll be howling as you ski the alps.

References

Hinish, Raymond, Pharm D. CPT.  (2015).  The Osteoporosis Diet: The Complete Guide to Nutritional Supplements & Exercise to Reverse Bone Loss Without Drugs.  E-book.