Bone is living tissue that is continually broken down and rebuilt. Although skeletal health often gets prioritized only after a fracture or a diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis, the habits that protect bone matter throughout life. The good news is that it is never too early—or too late—to support stronger bones.
Learn how different nutrients, exercise, addressing age-related changes, and other lifestyle factors work together to support bone health for life. #saslife #menopause #bonehealth Share on X
Strong, resilient bones require enough protein and a coordinated supply of many minerals and vitamins. A varied eating pattern is more useful than focusing on a single “bone food” or supplement. Some key players include:
- Calcium: Calcium gives bone much of its structure and strength. Significant food sources include dairy, calcium-fortified plant milks, canned salmon or sardines with bones, dark leafy green vegetables, and beans.
- Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and supports normal bone mineralization. Few foods naturally contain much vitamin D, but sunlight, fortified foods, and supplements, when appropriate, can help optimize levels.
- Protein: Protein helps form the collagen-rich flexible matrix of bone and the muscle needed for balance, mobility, and fall prevention. The most protein-rich foods include meat, fish, dairy, soy, and other legumes.
- Magnesium: Magnesium influences bone metabolism and contributes to bone structure, and most people don’t get enough. Seeds, nuts, beans, lentils, dark leafy green vegetables, and whole grains are reliable sources.
- Vitamin K2: Vitamin K2 is required to activate osteocalcin, a protein that binds calcium to bones. Fermented foods and grass-fed, pasture-raised animal products are the best sources.
Check out this handout for specifics on how to meet your bone health nutrient needs through diet and supplements.
Food provides the raw materials for bone, but inflammation levels, digestive health, hormones, muscle strength, certain medications, and everyday habits also affect how bone is maintained.
Choose an overall healthy eating pattern
Focus on what you eat most often. Emphasize a variety of whole plant foods and include protein at meals. Limit excessive caffeine and ultra-processed foods high in added sugars, sodium, industrial fats, and chemicals. Chronic inflammation can contribute to bone loss and osteoporosis. Decrease inflammatory ultra-processed foods like cookies, chips, and other packaged foods high in added sugar and starch and unhealthy fats. Add in plenty of anti-inflammatory plant foods high in polyphenols and cold water fish and certain seeds and nuts that are high in omega-3 fats.
Support digestive health
The gut helps absorb the nutrients needed for bone. Review strategies for better digestive health for basic gut hygiene. And, seek guidance from a registered dietitian or other health care provider on how to optimize your absorption if you’ve had prolonged gastrointestinal issues or taken medications that reduce stomach acid for a prolonged time.
Vary your exercise to support bone health
High-impact exercise—involving running and jumping—and strength training support bone mineral density. As a bonus, increased strength from different forms of resistance training improves balance, which can reduce fall risk. Weight-bearing activities—including brisk walking, stair climbing and dancing—also challenge the skeleton in a good way. Look here for more specifics on preventing osteoporosis during different life stages with exercise. The best program depends on your health, fitness level, and fracture risk. If you have musculoskeletal concerns, ask a clinician or physical therapist which movements are safe for you.
See your health care provider about hormones
Estrogen helps limit bone breakdown, so bone loss often accelerates during the menopause transition. For those who are appropriate candidates, menopausal hormone therapy may reduce bone loss and fracture risk. If you take an estrogen-blocking medication, talk with your health care provider about ways to support bone health. Menopause can also be associated with pesky weight gain around the midsection. Addressing visceral adipose tissue—the deep fat in and around the abdominal organs—is important for overall health, but be careful not to overly restrict calories to meet unrealistic midlife body standards, as undernutrition can be detrimental to bone health.
Protect bone with daily habits
Get enough sleep, eat enough total food to meet your energy needs, and review medications or conditions that may affect bone with your health care team. Avoid smoking and limit alcohol intake. Strong bones are built through a pattern, not a single nutrient, so use this handout for help building a routine of eating well from with specific nutrients in mind and adopting healthy lifestyle habits to support bone health. If you have had a low-trauma fracture or are concerned about osteoporosis, nutrition and exercise should complement—not replace—recommended screenings and medical consultations.
Salmon & White Bean Spinach Bowl
Serves 2
PRINT RECIPE
Ingredients
For the Bowl
2 wild-caught salmon fillets
10 oz baby spinach, about 8 cups packed tightly
1 ½ cups cooked great northern beans, equivalent to a 15oz can rinsed and drained
1-2 Tbsp avocado oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Lemon Tahini Dressing
¼ cup tahini
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice, or the juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp maple syrup
⅛ tsp salt
warm water, as needed
Instructions
- Set skillet to medium-high heat and toast sesame seeds until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove seeds from the skillet and set them aside.
- Pat the salmon dry and season with salt and pepper. Add avocado oil to the heated skillet. Once the oil heats, about a minute, add the salmon skin-side down and cook for 4–5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3–4 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic, and once it is slightly browned, about 1 minute, add the spinach and the beans. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until the spinach is bright green and wilted and the beans are warmed through. Add a splash of water or oil if needed and cover to encourage the greens to wilt.
- Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, and salt in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Add water if needed until the desired consistency is reached.
- Divide the greens and beans between two bowls. Top each bowl with a salmon fillet, drizzle with the tahini dressing, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
