Nutritionist BRIDIE KERSTEN looks at what’s important when it comes to a healthy skeleton…
While the topic of bone density is hugely popular in relevance to Australia’s aging population, the conversation is necessary earlier than we might think.
We are actually establishing the health of our bones through childhood and into our twenties meaning there is no chance to say “we will worry about that when we are older”- simply because, by then it will be more difficult to make positive skeletal changes. In fact, research that is available to us today, shows that our level of bone density is impacted as early as in the womb due to the impact observed between a mother’s vitamin D levels and her offspring’s bone density through childhood.
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“The most recent research instructs health professionals not to advocate supplementation of calcium for bone health but to instead promote a balanced diet that includes the relevant nutrients. This means getting at least five serves of vegetables included in each day as well as a healthy range of wholegrains, good fats and protein.”
Nutritionally speaking, we require several nutrients for bone health with several more being required to assist in creating healthy, functioning bones. The actual bone tissue is calcified on a scaffold-type structure called a matrix. The body uses calcium and phosphorus to make the bone and regulates the calcification of bones with vitamin D and vitamin K. Vitamin D is synthesiwed using the sun and cholesterol; vitamin K is found in wholegrains, dark green leafy vegetable and eggs.
Magnesium is calcium’s sidekick as it is required for the absorption of calcium in our digestive system – without it, we are only able to absorb approximately 20 per cent of the calcium in foods.
While calcium and phosphorus are obviously key elements in bone health, without the other nutrients, their ability to work towards bone health is severely impacted.
There is consistent debate about the best sources of calcium for bone health. While some people are concerned about how much the dairy industry in Australia has been allowed to influence public health policy, this is beside the point. Dairy provides the majority of the average Australian’s daily calcium requirement so should not be removed from the diet without consultation with a healthcare professional (and ideally we should be choosing plant-based sources of calcium to supplement our diet as well).
The main concern with calcium from dairy sources is that dairy is known to reduce the pH level of our blood. Our body will automatically pull calcium from our bones to bring the pH level of our blood back to a more basic level. This calcium is then excreted by our kidneys in urine. Not only does this mean that we are losing calcium from our valuable stores, but forcing our kidneys to metabolise calcium in that way can lead to other conditions such as kidney stones.
The most recent research instructs health professionals not to advocate supplementation of calcium for bone health but to instead promote a balanced diet that includes the relevant nutrients. This means getting at least five serves of vegetables included in each day as well as a healthy range of wholegrains, good fats and protein.
Other lifestyle factors to consider include participating in weight-bearing exercise for bone integrity and reducing your intake of soft drinks that contain phosphoric acid which also leeches calcium from our bones.
It is a recurring theme in our knowledge of nutrition that a balanced diet from a young age may outweigh supplementation or medication. Consistently choosing nourishing foods over their processed counterparts can improve our health and not only contribute to health bones but other aspects of health as well.
Bridie Kersten is a registered nutritionist with an advanced diploma in nutrition and a Bachelor of Health Science (biochemistry and nutritional medicine).
This information is general information only and may not be suitable for you, please seek your healthcare professional before making alterations to your diet.
