Why Bone Health Matters
Bone density peaks around age 30 and declines afterward. Osteoporosis is a "silent disease" often discovered only after a fracture. Women lose bone density especially fast after menopause.
- •One in three women over 50 has osteoporosis
- •Osteoporotic fractures: most often hip, spine, and wrist
- •One-year mortality after a hip fracture: about 20%
Nutrients That Strengthen Bone
- •Calcium: 1,000–1,200mg a day (dairy, tofu, fish eaten with bones)
- •Vitamin D: essential for calcium absorption (sunlight, salmon, eggs)
- •Vitamin K: fixes calcium into bone (leafy greens, natto)
- •Magnesium: involved in bone formation (nuts, seeds)
- •Protein: 50% of bone is protein
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Your body can't absorb more than 500mg of calcium at once. Split the dose.
Protecting Your Joints
Joints absorb impact between bones and enable movement. When cartilage wears down, degenerative arthritis follows.
- •Maintain a healthy weight: losing 1kg takes 4kg of load off your knees
- •Collagen: pork skin, chicken cartilage, supplements
- •Omega-3: eases joint inflammation
- •MSM, glucosamine: cartilage components (supplements)
- •Hyaluronic acid: the main component of joint fluid
Exercise That Helps Bones and Joints
- •Weight-bearing exercise: walking, jogging, stairs, dancing
- •Strength training: effective for increasing bone density
- •Swimming, water aerobics: training without joint stress
- •Stretching: maintains range of motion
- •Balance work: prevents falls
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If your joints already hurt, avoid high-intensity running, jumping, and descending stairs.
What to Avoid
- •Soda: phosphoric acid interferes with calcium absorption
- •Excess sodium: accelerates calcium loss
- •Excess caffeine: more than 3 cups of coffee a day
- •Smoking: a leading cause of bone loss
- •Heavy drinking: impairs bone formation and raises fall risk
“You need your bones and joints for life. Invest while you're young so old age is comfortable.”