Balanced Diet and Good Nutrition for Strong Bones

Having a balanced diet is what orthopedic specialists in Singapore recommend. The nutrients in the food you eat provides the foundation to build strong bones, cartilage and muscle. Here are some of the nutrients you need to consume in order to get strong bones, especially to complement your osteoporosis treatment.

Calcium and Vitamin D

Firstly, calcium and vitamin D. For an adult around 19 to 50 years of age, you need 800 mg of calcium whereas for older adults above 51 years, you need 1000 mg. Menopausal women need even more at 1200 mg. You need that extra calcium when you get older because your bones will naturally get weaker and more brittle. Especially for menopausal women where bone degenerates much faster due to hormonal imbalances. You need the calcium to help create the bone tissue for stronger bones.

For food sources, dairy and soy products are rich in calcium. Dark green leafy vegetables and fortified foods are also good sources of calcium. It is recommended that you space out your calcium consumption so that your body can absorb the mineral gradually. For instance, you can drink a glass of milk several times a day after your meal instead of drinking a lot of milk at one shot.

Calcium by itself is not enough, you also need sufficient vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption, allowing the mineral to be efficiently used for your bones and other bodily functions.. Adults, whether young or old, need around 2.5 mcg of vitamin D.

An easy way to get your vitamin D is to get some exposure from the sun; your body will naturally produce that vitamin D. However, as we get older, our bodies become less efficient at producing vitamin D, thus supplementation through fortified foods may be necessary.

Protein

Since your bones are partially made out of protein, you need to consume enough protein to facilitate bone formation. When you do not consume enough protein, the rate of calcium absorption decreases which leads to a decrease in bone density. Protein contains the essential amino acids your body needs to create the bone tissues and muscles so you need to ensure that you consume enough protein. If your body does get enough protein, your body will use whatever protein consumed for other important bodily functions instead for the bones, hair and nails. Your body may even use the protein from your bones in order to keep yourself alive.

There are so many varieties of protein food, available in both animal sources and plant sources. Animal sources include meat and dairy products while plant sources include soy products and beans. You can get the complete set of amino acids from animal sources and soy products. However for other plant sources, you may need to mix different types of vegetables to get the complete set.

Having a Balanced Diet for Other Nutrients

Apart from getting enough protein, calcium and vitamin D, you need to have a balanced diet for other nutrients too. There are lots of other vitamins and minerals needed to help keep the musculoskeletal systems strong. For instance, you need vitamin C for the formation of cartilage and prevent free radical damage to the bone tissues. Vitamin K is needed to create bone cells and stop the bones from losing too much calcium. You can get all these nutrients by eating a balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while avoiding processed foods. You also need to ensure that you are not doing a very low calorie diet so that to prevent bone and muscle mass loss. If you feel the need to diet, consult a doctor first.

Dietary Supplements

Dietary supplements are useful if you have difficulty consuming nutrients due to old age, illnesses or diet. Supplements can help provide for the nutrient you are lacking in and can come in the form of pills, solutions or powders. For example, when you get older and you need more collagen to create cartilage, collagen supplements can provide you with what you need.