It's not very difficult to find organic and natural ways to ensure your bones are strong and healthy. Reading labels at the grocery store, taking the time to exercise and making smart lifestyle choices are all ways you can contribute to your bone health naturally. Making a commitment to increase bone strength is a wise decision at any age.
Calcium
There are many organic sources of calcium, which is a mineral your body needs in order to develop and maintain strong bones. Dairy sources include milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and all varieties of hard and soft cheeses. If you have difficulty digesting dairy foods or choose to eliminate them from your diet for other reasons, you can still find organic food sources to fulfill your body's calcium needs. Bone Builders, a website maintained by the University of Arizona, suggests beans, leafy green vegetables, some nuts and fortified orange juice and cereals as alternates to dairy sources of calcium. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that vitamin D is necessary in order for our bodies to process calcium, so be sure that your organic dairy products are fortified with vitamin D or look for organic vitamin D supplements.
Weight Bearing Exercise
You can directly contribute to stronger bones in your body through the types of exercise you do. The National Institutes of Health's Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center states that "like muscle, bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming stronger." The type of exercise that bones benefit from particularly are called weight bearing exercises. Despite the name, this type of exercise does not necessarily involve weights or weight lifting. Instead, it refers to using your body's muscles and bones to work against gravity. Your body uses it's own weight as a tool for making bones stronger when you walk, run, dance, jog or even climb up stairs. Exercises that don't utilize your natural body weight, such as swimming or bicycle riding, are good for your heart and overall health, but don't contribute as much to strong, healthy bones as weight bearing exercises.
Lifestyle Changes
Some factors that contribute to bone loss are not under your control. These factors include frame size, gender and family history. However, there are some lifestyle changes you can make that will help make your bones stronger. Quitting smoking is one of these changes. According to the NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center, smoking decreases bone mass and increases the risk of fracture as you age. Like smoking, excessive drinking of alcohol can contribute to bone loss. Alcohol interferes with your body's ability to absorb calcium. Quitting smoking and limiting your alcohol consumption are two natural ways you can help your bones be stronger.
