Strong Women Need Strong Bones

Nutrition is important for good health, but our needs change at particular points in our lives. Specifically, there are key nutrients, such as calcium, that women need during their growth, maturity, and later years to maintain optimal health. This mineral is most famous for its relationship to bone health, which makes sense since 99% of the calcium in our bodies can be found in our bones. Building strong bones requires a lifetime of adequate calcium and physical activity. No matter what your age is now, you can take steps to ensure strong bones for life.

The process of building bone begins in pregnancy, when the mother’s body increases its ability to absorb calcium to ensure the baby receives an adequate supply. After birth, the body uses calcium from the mother’s bones to supply the nursing infant. When girls are young, the body works hard to absorb calcium to build bone mass until they reach puberty. As girls begin to mature into young adults, their needs decrease as they reach peak bone mass in their mid-twenties. The rate of calcium absorption decreases in adulthood. Through adulthood, the female hormone, estrogen, plays a vital role in helping maintain bone strength. As women go through menopause, they often experience increased bone loss. Therefore, if bone quality is poor prior to menopause, there is an even greater risk of osteoporosis and eventually fractures. Fractures, especially in older women, compromise health and quality of life.

Calcium cannot be made by our bodies. It must be absorbed from the foods we eat. If we do not get enough calcium from our diet, our bodies can remove calcium from our bones. Over time, this can weaken bones and lead to osteoporosis. Calcium can be found in dairy products, canned fish, tofu, and vegetables including soybeans, spinach, broccoli, and kale. Foods such as orange juice and non-dairy milks are typically fortified with calcium as well. Vitamin D is required for calcium to be absorbed and is a bit more challenging to get from the diet. Vitamin D is found in salmon, tuna, egg yolks, and fortified milks, juices, and cereals. In the summer months, vitamin D can also be created from sun exposure on our skin.

Thankfully, by eating a balanced diet and remaining physically active throughout the life cycle, the risk of bone deterioration and fractures can be decreased. By aiming for 3-4 servings of dairy or other calcium-containing foods, the requirement for calcium is typically met.7

Andrea Reed, MPS, RDN, LDN, is a freelance dietitian with a background in agricultural sciences. Growing up in the outdoors of Pennsylvania inspired her to include agricultural education in her nutrition counseling and is the focus of her writing. To find out more about Reed Nutrition visit https://reedrdn. com.