Boost Your Kids Bone Health

Your child’s bone health might not be your first concern when you think of how optimal nutrition impacts your kid’s health. A bone and knee injury doctor can always help you when unexpected accidents happen. Having strong bones during childhood is the foundation of your bone health throughout life. You build almost all your bone density during your childhood and teenage years. The bone-building process is mostly finished around age 20 and as adults, you still replace old bones with new bones but at a much slower pace. Over time, your bones get weaker.

Kids with strong bones have a better chance of avoiding bone weakening later in life. Many nutrients work in concert to provide the framework for healthy bones. As a parent, you can help by making sure your kids get these key ingredients for healthy bones. Calcium lies at the forefront, but Vitamin D, Vitamin K, Magnesium, and Regular Exercise also are important.

WHAT ARE THE KEY NUTRIENTS THAT BUILDS HEALTHY BONES?

CALCIUM

  • Calcium is a mineral that’s known for building healthy bones. Aim for a good calcium source at each meal and snack. It’s found in the dairy product, beans, some nuts and seeds, and leafy green vegetables. It’s also often added to common edibles like orange juice and cereal. Milk, cheese, and yogurt are the richest natural sources of calcium.
  • For instance, an 8-ounce glass of milk provides 300 milligrams of calcium or about one fourth to one-third of the recommended daily intake. Younger kids may require 2-3 servings of low-fat dairy each day while older kids may need 4 servings.
  • Other non-dairy food sources include almonds, broccoli, kale, turnip greens, and figs, tofu prepared with calcium, including certain juices, non-dairy beverages, and cereals.

VITAMIN D

  • Vitamin D (sometimes labeled as vitamin D3) helps the body absorb calcium. Sun exposure triggers vitamin D production, but this can vary greatly with skin pigmentation, season, and geography. Remember, too much exposure to the sun is not good. These are just a few natural food sources of vitamin D production, including fatty fish such as salmon and tuna. Give kids food that contains vitamin D. You can find vitamin D in fortified sources such as orange juice, milk, and some non-dairy beverages.

MAGNESIUM

  • Look for food sources of this mineral, such as almonds, spinach, black beans, peanut butter, avocado, whole-wheat bread, and kidney beans.

VITAMIN K

  • The best way to get this vitamin is through green leafy vegetables (kale, turnip green, cabbage, spinach, and broccoli), peas and green beans. About 10 percent of Vitamin K you absorb is made from the good colon bacteria.

REGULAR EXERCISE OR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

  • Encourage kids to exercise. Your muscles get stronger the more you use them. Regular weight-bearing exercises stimulate the bones which makes them stronger.
  • Try activities like walking, running, jumping, hiking, climbing, dancing, tennis, gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, skateboarding, and soccer are good for building bones. The pressure makes the body build up stronger bone.
  • While swimming and cycling are great for cardiovascular health, they are not weight-bearing but also need to do some kind of weight-bearing exercises too. If these are your child’s preferred sports, encourage them more.

Being a parent, you should be mindful of the activities that could be bad for your child’s bones. You know that bone health can be compromised over the years through smoking – the most crucial and dangerous of all vice that kids shouldn’t do as they get older. It is also one of the most accumulative causes of death per year. Second is drinking alcohol, this should be taken once you’re already at the right age and right time specifically in the moderate intake. And lastly, dieting and abnormal eating habits. Many go through the same and common mistake about proper dieting. It is just by providing the right amount, selection, and nutritious food to take not excluding or literally taking away your balanced meal per day, but by being smart enough about what to consume.

Make sure your child gets at least an hour of physical activity each day. If they experience pain, the orthopedic doctors McLean can always provide the medical attention your child needs. Everyone needs this, especially during their preteen and teen years. Providing that, children receive the best interplay of nutrients and exercise, while avoiding practices that could harm their bones. They can maximize their bone saving potential and sets up a protective shield against any fragile bone disease like osteoporosis.

About author

Related Articles

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Enter Captcha Here : *

Reload Image

Time limit is exhausted. Please reload CAPTCHA.


Close