Bone health is an important factor in your life, regardless of your age. Preventative measures should be taken to assure that your bones are strong and nourished. However, even strong bones can be injured. If you experience a broken bone, the Harvard School of Public Health states that diet plays a key role in building bone density and strength. This can be a major factor in the speed of your healing, and bone healing foods can help accelerate the process.
Milk
The slogan, "Milk it does a body good," is correct in many ways. Milk is very beneficial for your bones, especially if you need the healing process to take place. Milk is a good source of calcium, vitamin D and protein. The website Foodandlife.com suggests that calcium is an important factor for bone recovery. Dr. Susan E Brown published an article on the Better Bones website that also highlights the importance of protein and vitamin D on the speed of bone fractures.
Yogurt
Non-fat yogurt routinely has around 415 mg of calcium per serving. This high calcium food will help bone formation and build callus formation around the fracture site. This is needed to help strengthen the bone after a fracture and according to the Harvard School of Public Health, calcium is not only important as a preventative method, but also important in providing bone development.
Fish
Tuna, salmon and sardines are all good fish to eat if you want to increase your bone healing. All three of these fish have a good amount of Vitamin D and the Harvard School of Public Health claims that vitamin D is responsible for allowing calcium to be absorbed. Most recommendations are to combine vitamin D intake with that of calcium to have the best results.
Broccoli
The Center for Young Women's Health, Children's Hospital Boston states that broccoli is full of vitamin C and vitamin K. In an article by Dr. Susan Brown, studies were discussed that showed high levels of vitamin C in rats proved to provide better callus formation than rats with low levels of vitamin C. Vitamin K is needed to bind calcium to bone as well as preserving the calcium. Eating broccoli will help in both regards.
Orange Juice
Drinking orange juice can speed the healing process of bone and provide good nutrients to the fracture site. Orange juice contains vitamin C, an antioxidant that makes collagen and helps healing. The best orange juice to drink for fractures is orange juice that is fortified with calcium. These juices can have over 300 mg of calcium to aid in the bone formation process.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: Calcium and Milk: What's Best for Your Bones and Health
- Foodsandlife.com: Healing Broken Bones
- Better Bones: How to Speed Bone Fracture Healing
- Broken Beauties: Healing Nutrititional Guidelines and Information
- Center for Young Women's Health, Children's Hospital Boston: Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
