1. Take More Calcium
You've heard this before, but what you may not have known is that you don't necessarily need to drink more milk in order to get your daily dose of calcium. Plenty of other items, such as tofu, broccoli and calcium-fortified orange juice, are also rich in calcium. If you choose milk anyway, make it skim or low-fat to avoid exceeding your cholesterol allowance for the day. Yogurt, cheese and even ice cream also provide calcium. To get the full benefits, make sure you are taking in at least 1,000 mg of calcium every day.
2. Pick Up the Weights
Any type of exercise that produces impact has a beneficial effect on your bones. From step aerobics to jumping on a trampoline, anything that challenges your muscles will also help with bone density. Weight training, however, provides a double benefit: it increases bone mass while also benefiting muscle form. Since muscles and tendons are directly attached to bones, working on them impacts the density of those bones, which react to the exercise by building more mass.
3. Get Out and Enjoy the Sun
Vitamin D, which is produced by exposure to the sun, is needed in order for your body to absorb calcium and improve its effect on bones. While this sounds simple enough, research shows that people who work in offices or other indoor jobs may not spend enough time under the sun in order to get the full benefits. If that's your case, make it a priority to spend at least a few minutes outdoor every day. Walk your dog, walk to work, or bike on weekends. Your waist will also thank you.
4. Cut Down on Junk Food
Processed food is usually high in sodium, which strips your bones of calcium and increases the rate at which your body excretes it. Other dietary elements that also have a negative impact on bone health include saturated (animal) fats, phosphates (an ingredient in soda), caffeine (which has the same impact as sodium), alcohol and even too much vitamin A.
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