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Health
Be Young and Healthy by Building Strong Bones
by Monique N. Gilbert
Bones are the body's foundation. Having strong dense bones is essential to
good posture, strength and balance. The quality of our skeletal structure
has a direct impact on our appearance, vitality and energy level. The better
we stand, walk and move around, the more youthful we will look and feel.
Building and maintaining strong healthy bones is a lifelong concern because
our bones are living tissue in a constant state of renewal. Most people
believe thin weak bones are an inevitable part of aging. However, research
is showing this may not be the case. Bone loss and osteoporosis can be
prevented and possibly reversed with proper diet and lifestyle. Two of the
easiest ways to achieve this is by eating more soy-based calcium rich foods
and including weight-bearing activities in our daily routine.
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A vital factor in keeping our bones strong and healthy is the ability to
absorb and retain calcium. It doesn't matter how much calcium we take in if
our body is not assimilating it properly. Diets high in animal protein leach
calcium and other important minerals from the bones. They cause our body's
acid loads to increase, which forces our system to pump more water into the
kidneys to help flush it out. This diuretic response results in excessive
calcium and magnesium excretion, which leads to osteoporosis. Independent
studies conducted at various universities in the United States and Hong Kong
indicate soy foods can have a protective effect on our bones. That soy
protein enhances calcium retention and absorption, resulting in less
excretion in the urine. They found soy's protein and isoflavones increase
bone mineral content, density, quality and strength. They also noted that
soy helps the body's ability to rebuild bone, and may even reverse
osteoporosis. Soy foods like tofu made with calcium sulfate, tempeh and
fortified soymilk provide calcium, magnesium and isoflavones our body can
more easily absorb and retain. Soy foods are also a complete high-quality
vegetable protein source without the saturated fat and cholesterol found in
animal proteins.
While diet can help build strong dense bones, it alone will not produce the
same bone improving effects than when combined with exercise. Each enhances
and compliments the other in preventing osteoporosis. Weight bearing and
aerobic exercises are necessary to create bone building benefits. Any
activity that causes you to lift weight, including your own body weight, is
considered a weight bearing exercise. Some examples include stair climbing,
squats, pushups, sit-ups, or any movement with some kind of heavy weight
(like dumbbells) involved. Even gardening and house cleaning can become
weight bearing exercises if we do a squat instead of just bending over to
pick things up. Walking, hiking, jogging and dancing are activities that are
considered both weight-bearing and aerobic. Among these, walking is the
simplest and safest method of building and maintaining healthy bones. No
special equipment or training is needed, and it is very easy on the joints.
Walking strengthens bones and muscles while at the same time increases
stamina and endurance. Begin by walking 30 minutes a day, 3 to 4 days a
week. Don't think of distance, just try to walk as briskly as possible while
maintaining good posture. The pace should be fast enough to get a good
workout and still be able to hold a conversation.
As our life expectancies increase, preventive measures must be taken to
ensure that we keep our bones strong and dense. By eating more soy foods and
less animal protein, we will be better able to absorb and retain calcium in
our bones and prevent osteoporosis. By walking and increasing our activity
levels, we will help our bones gain strength and improve muscle tone. These
simple dietary and lifestyle changes will also increase energy levels,
enhance mobility and help us stay young at any age.
Monique N. Gilbert is a Health Advocate, Recipe Developer, Soy Food
Connoisseur and the author of "Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and
Cookbook" (Universal Publishers, $19.95, available at most online
booksellers). E-mail: monique@chef.net.
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