A vegan diet is great for your health in a lot of ways, but there are some areas that you have to work a bit more on when you follow a vegan diet. Bone health may be one of those areas – research shows that vegetarians tend to have weaker bones than meat eaters, and vegans are the group of vegetarians most affected, with bones that were 6% weaker than those of meat and dairy eaters. You don't have to add meat and milk back to your diet to protect your bones, but you do need to take some steps to protect your bone density. Take a look at some tips that can help.
Include More Leafy Greens in Your Diet
There are a lot of different foods that contain calcium, but some are easier for your body to absorb the calcium from than others. For example, sesame seeds contain calcium, but the calcium in those seeds is attached to compounds that make it difficult for your body to absorb.
However, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, bok choy, broccoli, and turnip greens are good examples of vegetables that not only contain calcium, but contain calcium that your body can easily absorb. Work these foods into your diet as much as possible.
Make Exercise a Priority
One of the worst things that you can do for your bone health is to live a sedentary lifestyle. Working out is not only good for your muscles, it's good for your bone health as well. Weight lifting is great for bone health as long as you do it safely, and so is running or jogging.
While you're at it, make sure that you do some of your exercising outdoors in the sun. Try jogging around the block or through the local park. Exposure to sunlight will give your body the Vitamin D that it needs for bone health. Depending on your skin tone and your location, you may need anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours in the sun to get enough Vitamin D, so if you can't get enough sun while you're working out, make sure to take a Vitamin D supplement as well.
Avoid Things That Reduce Bone Strength
Good bone health also means not overdoing it on anything that can weaken your bones. Too much sodium seems to be linked to more fragile bones, so try to avoid over-salting your food. Alcohol is another culprit – drinking in moderation is fine, but avoid excess. And losing weight too fast can be tough on your bones – if you're trying to lose weight, discuss your goals and weight loss plan with your doctor and make a plan that will help you lose at a healthy rate.
If you have reason to be concerned about your bone health, an orthopedic doctor can help you determine if there's a problem and find a way to improve your bone health. For more information, contact local professionals.
Share12 August 2016
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