Download Building Strong Bones

Building Strong Bones
The HCOE Health Team is currently conducting Scoliosis Screening for 7th grade girls
and 8th grade boys. This is a good time of the year to consider bone health.
The Calcium Gap
More than 86% of girls and 65% of boys fail to get enough calcium after age 11.
Teens drink nearly twice as many soft drinks as milk, eliminating a major calcium source
from their diets. Over half of total lifetime bone calcium is formed between the ages of
about 11 and 20. These years represent a brief window of opportunity to build peak bone
mass. Relatively little calcium is added to the skeleton after age 20.
Bone Health 101
Bones are a living tissue, just like our hair, skin and lungs. Bones are in a constant state
of renewal. They are our body’s foundation. Strong bones promote good posture,
strength and balance. Healthy bones affect our appearance and well-being. Invest in
building strong bones now and it will pay off in the future. Make the time to exercise,
eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and get Vitamin D from the sun.
Sunshine
Calcium can’t be absorbed without Vitamin D. Vitamin D is made by your skin when
you are in the sun. Since Humboldt County has more than its share of cloudy or foggy
days, our weather can interfere with creating vitamin D from sunshine. Additionally, we
have been told that sunscreen is necessary, which blocks the sun from our skin. Lately,
teens have shown a decrease in bone strength. Try for fifteen minutes of sunshine at
midday with at least hands, face and arms exposed. Then apply sunscreen. Do this
three times per week.
Stay Healthy – Get Moving
Exercise every day. Exercise puts your bones to work: Muscles pulling against bones
causes stress to your bones and increases bone density. Playing ball, running, soccer,
basketball and even walking will make your bones strong and dense. Weight-bearing
and aerobic exercises are necessary to create bone-building benefits. More examples
of weight-bearing exercises are stair climbing, squats, push-ups, sit-ups and jumping
rope. Walking strengthens bones and muscles while at the same time increases stamina
and endurance.
Eating Well = Better Bones
These nutrients, in addition to exercise, are absolutely essential to build and maintain
healthy bones: Calcium, Vitamin B6, B12, C, D, K, Folic Acid, Boron, Copper,
Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, Selenium, and Silica. The easiest way to ensure
that you get all of these vitamins and minerals is to eat lots of different fruits, vegetables
and grains. Raw is best.
Watch out for Calcium Robbers
By keeping salt and animal protein intake low and fruit and vegetable intake high,
calcium is more easily absorbed and retained in our bones to help prevent osteoporosis
(brittle bones).
o Limit salty foods and snacks.
o Limit animal protein (especially red meat).
o Don’t smoke. Did you know that smokers lose more bone mass than nonsmokers? In identical twins – one a long-time smoker, and the other a nonsmoker—the smoker had a 40% higher risk of a fracture or broken bones.
o Avoid caffeine. Caffeine can increase the loss of calcium from the body – this
includes caffeine in sodas, coffee, and energy drinks. Try to drink water, milk
(enriched soy and rice milks are full of highly absorbable calcium) or calciumfortified orange and apple juice.
o Avoid all carbonated drinks. Soda irritates the stomach, and the body reacts to
that by applying calcium as an antacid which it obtains from the blood. The blood
then replenishes the calcium from bones.
Add these foods to your diet to add calcium, vitamins and minerals:
o Dairy products (milk, yoghurt, cheese)
o Corn tortillas
o Rhubarb
o Salmon
o Okra
o Tofu
o Broccoli
o Collard greens and other leafy greens
o Brussel sprouts
o White beans
o Almonds
o Peas
o Sesame seeds
o Calcium-fortified foods (cereal, orange juice, soy milk)