Essential Nutrients for Healthy Bones

Osteoporosis is a chronic disease that affects the bones, resulting in the wasting away of bones over time. It is also a preventable disease of the bones. The best steps you can take to prevent bone diseases like osteoporosis is to maintain a supply of adequate nutrients. Nutrients including vitamins and minerals help to nourish the bones. 

Some of the most important nutrients for the bones are as follows: 

· Calcium – Calcium helps support the bones by providing structure for the ones, anchoring the muscles and helping to protect the organs. Calcium can be gained from many natural sources including dairy products and green leafy vegetables. 

· Protein – Protein is important for forming the raw material for bones, and for forming peak bone mass, which typically occurs by the age of 20. Protein is also important for muscle strength which helps support the bones in the body. Lean sources of protein include poultry, fish and lean cuts of meat. 

· Magnesium – Magnesium is one of the most abundant and rich minerals found in the body. Roughly 50 percent of the magnesium found in the body is located in the bone. It is also found in tissues and cells in the body. Magnesium is responsible for keeping bones strong, and also helps in protein synthesis. Good sources include green leafy vegetables including spinach and certain legumes including beans and peas, nuts and seeds.

· Phosphorous – Phosphorus can be found in many of the same foods that protein is found in including cheeses, dairy products, meat, poultry and fish. Phosphorus improves bone health by promoting calcium absorption. Drinking too much soda can decrease the amount of phosphorus in the body. 

· Vitamin D – Vitamin D also promotes better absorption of calcium and helps the body to mineralize bone. This vitamin also helps bones to grow. It is most easily acquired from exposure to natural sunlight, but may be gained from supplementation in certain foods also.