Building better bones: top tips from the Royal Osteoporosis Society to keep your bones healthy

Startling statistics from the Royal Osteoporosis Society reveal that 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men over 50 will break a bone due to poor bone health.

The good news? It’s never too late to start thinking about your bones and take action to keep them healthy. We’ve partnered with the Royal Osteoporosis Society – the UK’s largest national charity dedicated to improving bone health and beating osteoporosis – to share some tips on how to keep your skeleton strong.

 

Eat well

A healthy, balanced diet is key to building better bones, with the four main food groups  – fruit and vegetables, carbohydrates, dairy/dairy alternatives, and protein – giving you access to bone-friendly nutrients as calcium and vitamin D.

There is a range of other vitamins and minerals that also play a role in maintaining healthy bones. These include vitamin K and vitamin B6, both of which can be found in California Prunes, as well as other foods like leafy green vegetables. Stuck for ideas for dinner? We’ve got a host of delicious California Prune recipes to get you started including this delicious and easy-to-make salmon dish, and this vitamin-packed smoothie.

 

Get your vitamin D

Vitamin D helps your body absorb and use calcium, which is vital for bone health. You can get vitamin D from sunlight – try and get 10 minutes outside daily but remember to put on sunscreen if your skin will be exposed for longer.

Food containing vitamin D includes eggs, fortified yoghurts and bread, and oily fish such as salmon. Some people might benefit from a vitamin D supplement but always chat to your doctor first. With Halloween just around the corner, give our California Prunes classic devilled egg recipe a whirl for a tasty combination of vitamin K and vitamin D.

 

Stay active

Exercising helps keeps bones healthy. Because bone is living tissue, they get stronger when used, making them less likely to break. The best type of exercise for bones is weight-bearing exercise with impact (think star jumps,  stair climbing, or tennis for example), and muscle-strengthening exercises like weights or press-ups.

 

More help and advice from the ROS

It’s never too early to look after your bones. If you’d like further information on bone health or you’re living with osteoporosis, the ROS website is packed full of advice and resources. To understand your risks of osteoporosis, take their checker here.