Did you just read that title and immediately start to snooze? Probably, but hear me out!
There is a lot of hype around using weight-bearing exercise to build muscle (running, walking, lifting, etc.) but there is also tremendous benefit for this type of exercise on our bone health.
Bone health is important for two huge reasons: first, good bone health protects us from breaks and fractures. I don’t need to tell you why that’s a good thing. Second, it helps us keep other things like hormones in check.
You could be prioritizing muscle growth in your workouts and paying a lot of attention to the protein you’re consuming, but don’t forget that your muscles are attached to your bones! Less-than-optimal bones can’t support a lot of muscle growth.
Especially with the increasing popularity of plant-based diets, I find that lots of people are cutting out calcium-rich foods (milk, yogurt) in favor of plant-based varieties. It’s true that plant-based alternatives are often fortified with calcium. Though that’s a positive, you can think of fortification almost like using a supplement. And there are studies that show supplemental calcium consumers have lower bone density than whole food consumers.
So what does all of this mean? To achieve optimal bone health, you must work through a system of factors. Like much else in the human body, it’s basically impossible to isolate a single factor; everything works off one another.
Optimal Bone Health System
- Eat calcium-rich foods and vitamin D. Dairy is your friend, unless you are intolerant, sensitive or allergic. If you are, work with a registered dietitian to see what 1000mg/day of calcium can look like for you on a plant-based diet. Calcium and vitamin D work together, so make sure you are getting enough of D as well.
- Exercise. Weight-bearing exercise (walking, running, lifting) is preferable over non-weight-bearing exercise (cycling, swimming).
- Hormone regulation. This really only applies if you are having missed or irregular periods. You could be exercising and eating enough calcium, but something like inadequate calorie intake coupled with excessive exercise can cause a disruption in your menstrual cycle. Estrogen helps maintain bone density, so regulating this hormone is important.
- Overall healthy diet. Keep salt intake on the lower end if calcium is a concern for you. Salt interferes with calcium retention.
Bone health is one of those things that seems like a problem for a much later day. In fact, you determine what your bone health will be in your later years before age 30. After that, your bones are kinda set in their ways and it’s hard to make up for lost time.
So my suggestion is to pay attention to the 4 main tips above so you can maximize your workouts and your health long-term!
