The 16 Best Foods and Activities to Boost Bone Strength

Bone strength is essential to the healthy functioning of a normal body. If you suffer from weak bones, you are more susceptible to injury—both minor and severe. Broken bones can result in lost limbs, or even paralysis, which is why it is essential to do what you can to boost the strength of your bones and maintain healthy bone density as long as you live.

To help you out, this article looks at the causes of weak bones and gives you some techniques you can employ to help you boost your bone strength.

Causes of Weak Bones

Though there are many possible causes of weakened bones, they all fall under one of two different categories: lifestyle habits and diseases.

Lifestyle Habits

There are many different lifestyle habits that can contribute to bone loss, including:

• Not eating enough of certain nutrients
• Drinking alcohol and smoking
• Sedentary lifestyle/not getting enough exercise
• Certain medications, such as cortisone

Diseases

Similar to lifestyle habits, there are many different diseases that can contribute to bone loss, including:

• Osteoporosis
• Cancer
• Scoliosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis

12 Best Foods for Improving Bone Health

The best foods for bone loss will usually contain high levels of calcium, vitamin D, and protein, which you can get from various sources as discussed below:

4 Foods High in Calcium

1. Dairy This includes milk, cheese, yoghurt, and even milk alternatives like almond and soy for vegans. Just make sure you choose healthy options, like non-processed cheeses and full-cream milk and yoghurt, as the low-fat alternatives contain high amounts of sugar. Some fortified milks and cheeses also have extra vitamin D added.
2. Leafy green vegetables These include cooked kale, spinach, and collard greens.
3. Beans Beans are often considered a superfood, but the cannellini, red kidney, navy, and pinto varieties are also great sources of calcium.
4. Fish with bones While most fish are good sources of calcium, those that are canned or prepared with bones—like sardines, salmon, and even shrimp—are the best aquatic sources of calcium.

4 Foods High in Vitamin D

1. Fish Not only is fish a good source of calcium, certain types of fish—such as tuna, herrings, sardines, and salmon—are also great sources of vitamin D.
2. Mushrooms Both the edible kind, as well as the functional mushrooms used in our M2CBD products, are excellent sources of vitamin D. Choose Shiitake or Lion's Mane for a good combination of exceptional taste and therapeutic benefit.
3. Egg yolk Eggs are one of the healthiest foods available, and the yolks are also great sources of vitamin D.
4. Pork If you aren't a great fan of fish, but still want to get some vitamin D from meat, then opt for a meal of pork chops.

4 Foods High in Protein

1. Beef and chicken Though all meat will give you some protein, the best sources of protein from meat are lean beef and chicken.
2. Whole eggs The egg yolk may be a great source of vitamin D, but the rest of the egg is also a great source of protein.
3. Lentils A great source of protein for vegans and vegetarians, lentils offer a large amount of protein in addition to many other nutrients.
4. Spirulina Another great vegan option, spirulina is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, helping many plant-based dieters meet their daily requirements for protein, calcium, vitamin D, and other macronutrients.

4 Lifestyle Changes to Improve Bone Health

1. Exercise

The benefits of exercise for the mind and body often appear endless, and with good reason. Aside from improving overall health, reducing the risk of many cardiovascular and other diseases, and even improving cognitive ability, research has shown that exercise—particularly varied programs that incorporate weighted resistance training—can significantly improve bone density.

Additionally, exercise can expose you to more sunlight than sedentary behaviour, and our bodies actually absorb vitamin D from sunlight.

2. Quit Smoking

Aside from increasing your risk of cancer and heart disease, studies have also linked smoking as a potential risk factor for osteoporosis. Quitting smoking can improve your overall health and even give your bones a better chance to repair themselves.

3. Eat Enough Calories

In addition to eating the right kind of foods, you also have to ensure that you're eating enough food. Low-calorie diets can make it difficult for your body to synthesize enough protein to build healthy bones as it will need to break down fat and, eventually, muscle in order to supplement the missing energy.

4. Take Supplements

If you still suffer from weak bones after implementing all the aforementioned strategies and you want to give yourself a slight advantage, then consider adding supplements that contain calcium, vitamin D, and collagen into your diet.

How Fast Can Bones Be Strengthened?

Determining how fast your bones can be strengthened after adopting the necessary dietary and lifestyle changes is a difficult endeavour as it varies depending on many different circumstances. Your age, prior level of activity, and prior bone health before making necessary changes can all impact the time it will take to improve your bone health.

As a general rule, it's reasonable to expect that an average adult with weakened bones from poor lifestyle changes can expect noticeable improvements to their bone density in around 4 months, but this number grows exponentially as you get older or suffer from certain diseases like osteoporosis.