Bone Healing Nutrition
Bones are the structural component to animals and the base to which muscles, tendons and ligaments attach to for movement to be possible. Our bones allow us to be sturdy and strong and we must make sure to care for them properly in order to remain strong in our older years. Sometimes it is harder to consider bone health because we are not able to see what our bones look like on a daily basis. We care so much about our skin and our weight because we look at these in the mirror, but our internal health is forgotten. Only once we get a fracture or pain, THEN we start to consider bone health, way too late in the game. I too am guilty of this and now with a broken foot, am considering that if I had been caring more for my bones from the start, my bone may not have broken so easily.
The following are some of the key players in bone health that should be included in the diet regularly for strong bones. Many of these nutrients work synergistically, so consuming all of them regularly is very important.
Calcium - essential for the bone matrix which holds the structure of your bones. Found in sources like grass-fed dairy, bok choy, almonds, soy, cheese, broccoli and seafood.
Vitamin D - helps monitor calcium absorption in the body by increasing it’s bio availability. Too little vitamin D and there will not be enough calcium in the bloodstream to be transferred into bone to build strong bones. Include eggs, liver, salmon, grass-fed cows milk and sunshine in your day.
Vitamin K2 - takes the calcium from the bloodstream into the bone. People who are deficient in this fat soluble vitamin can end up with calcium plaque formation because they are pumping their body with calcium but it is missing the factor that will bring it into the bone. Calcification in the bloodstream can lead to rigidity and blockages that will effect blood pressure and leave potential for heart attack or stroke. Food sources of K2 are much higher in animal products like liver, egg yolk, butter, chicken, beef and hard cheese. However, some sources can be found in fermented foods like natto, tempeh and sauerkraut. Lots of these foods are not common in the Western diet, so make sure to include some of the mentioned foods or take a K2 supplement if you are taking a calcium supplement. This will ensure blood vessel calcification does not occur.
Magnesium - regulates calcatonin, which is a hormone that regulates the amount of calcium in the blood. Magnesium acts to keep the calcium in the bone as much as possible to prevent osteopenia and fractures. Great sources of magnesium are pumpkin seeds, spinach, collards, soy, sesame seeds, whole grains and legumes.
Phosphorus - phosphorus is a structural component in bone, as the crystals that form are called calcium hydroxiapatite Ca₅(PO₄)₃ - containing a high amount of calcium, oxygen and phosphorus. The average diet is decently high in phosphorus, but good sources include seafood, mushrooms, soy, lentils, turkey and yogurt. Note that the balance of calcium and phosphorus is important, as they have an inverse relationship. Too much phosphorus, which is readily found in soda, can deplete the bones of calcium. So if you are a big soda drinker, try flat water with fruit or mint to keep bone health on point
Collagen - acts as the scaffolding for calcium and phosphorus to form crystals on and without these proteins, the bone will not be as strong. Type I collagen is the type found in bone and it forms into braid structures that make the bone as strong as possible. A protein deficient diet (commonly seen in vegan and older populations), can reduce the amount of amino acids available to make collagen for bone, and many other tissues in the body like skin, tendons and cartilage. This is part of the reason why the older population can be more susceptible to bone degradation and fracture. Taking a collagen supplement and consuming bone broth daily will reduce the risk of these bone related issues in old age.
Try some of these meals for maintaining strong bones or healing a fracture:
Stir fry with bok choy, bell pepper, mushroom and broccoli over brown rice, topped with tempeh (cook with a sauce of bone broth, arrowroot powder, sesame oil and tamari)
Beef liver meat balls with spiralized summer squash, spinach and marinara sauce
Frittata with broccoli, mushrooms, grass-fed cheese and onion over mixed greens sprinkled with sesame seeds
Quinoa pasta with kale & pumpkin seed pesto and shrimp, topped with Parmesan
Turkey collard wraps with cranberry yogurt sauce and sauerkraut
Salmon with butter roasted bok choy and a cup of bone broth
These are great for the entire family as kids are growing and need lots of bone building nutrients. Adults and elderly are constantly at risk for deterioration as the bone does stop growing around age 25-30. Our bones are living and moulding just like the other areas of our body, so we must make sure they have the building blocks to keep us strong and sturdy until the end of our days.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5804294/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16341622