The “Bonefied” Truth: You Are What You Eat

We all want to eat healthy — and do all the right things to be our best selves. But what does that even mean? A lot of good intentions get placed on the back burner, because just figuring out what “right” is becomes too overwhelming.

When it comes to bone health, it has always been about calcium. Just increase calcium. Simple? Not so much. Increasing calcium is extremely important — but it’s not the only thing. It has to go hand in hand with reducing sodium, moderating protein, and increasing vitamin K and potassium — plus working out and even getting a little sun for vitamin D.

I know, here we go again with information overload. But it’s actually pretty simple, and following the basic rules will make your bones stronger regardless of age — you can add bone mass even at 80!

Body basics

Your body requires a certain level of calcium in the blood. What a lot of people don’t realize is that we lose some of the calcium we eat through urine, sweat, and internal secretions. So calcium intake becomes an equation: how much goes in versus how much goes out. Bottom line — if you don’t take in enough to maintain a healthy balance, your body starts fetching it from your bones to satisfy its blood-calcium requirement. The result? Weakened bones.

The equation

Here’s some food for thought. The more salt you eat, the more calcium you lose. The more protein you eat, the more calcium you lose. If you don’t get enough potassium, you lose calcium too. So the search is on for foods that are nutritious and balance these variables in the best way for your bones.

The dairy paradox

And about milk. We’ve been taught over and over that increasing milk and dairy raises calcium intake and therefore builds strong, healthy bones. And yes, dairy is high in calcium. But (always that but) scientific studies show it also promotes calcium loss. Because dairy acidifies our body’s pH, the body immediately works to correct the “problem,” and calcium is the very acid neutralizer it reaches for — drawing it directly from the bones. Oh, the irony.

Recommendations for best bone health

Okay, so what should you eat for optimal bone health? Here are some beneficial bone basics.

Increase the following

• Green, leafy vegetables (super important) — seriously, how do you think elephants and giraffes get their calcium? Try kale, spring greens, and turnip greens.
• Fruit — berries, oranges, apples, bananas, kiwi.
• Proteins — beans and animal foods.
• Whole grains — quinoa, wheat, brown (and colored) rice, oats, barley.
• Nuts and seeds — poppy, sesame, almonds, pistachios.
• Good-quality fats — extra-virgin olive oil, unrefined sesame oil, coconut oil, organic butter.
• Cook with stock — and use a little vinegar to increase alkalinity (also great when you cook rice and beans).
• Edible bones — sardines (with skin and bones), canned salmon, chicken wings.
• Carob and molasses — you probably won’t eat large amounts, but they pack a meaningful punch.

Reduce the following

• Salt — choose foods lower in sodium (try herbs and spices instead of table salt).
• Caffeine and colas — just say no; they reduce calcium absorption.
• The “whites” — white bread, white rice, white pasta, cakes (white flour), cookies.

Alongside a calcium-rich, calcium-supporting diet, we need vitamin D for calcium absorption. Get a little sun — just short exposures, about 15 minutes at a time, will do it.

And here’s some nice news: losing too much weight after menopause is a risk factor for bone trouble. A little extra weight lets the body produce female hormones using that fat. An older woman has a different body from a teenager for a reason — and curves are beautiful.

I love the healthy bone-food choices — it so often comes back to cleaner, more natural eating. And it feels great to know we can fuel our bodies, strengthen our bones, and celebrate healthy every day. You are never too old to replenish your bones, and really, it doesn’t get better than that.