Eat These 10 Foods for Healthier Bones During Menopause
Snap. Crackle. Pop
As a child, those sounds were exciting over the breakfast table. Now, however, that’s what you hear as you get out of bed, long before you ever get to breakfast.
Thanks to menopause, your bones are protesting the lack of estrogen along with the effects of aging that are occurring at the same time. Your aches and pains leave you creaking each morning like the Tin Man.
If you feel this sore now, you may be afraid it’s going to get worse. Hopefully, you’re already doing some exercises to help your bones be healthy. If you want to add more to protect and build strong bones, you’re in luck. Changing your eating habits is another positive step you can take.
Besides eating healthy, increasing your intake of the following foods will help strengthen your bones.
Diary Products
Boost your calcium for stronger bones by increasing your intake of dairy products. Drink milk, eat some cheese, have some cottage cheese, and snack on yogurt. Sure, ice cream has calcium, too, but it’s high in fat and sugar so keep it to a minimum.
Dark, Green Veggies
Add kale, broccoli, argulula, watercress, okra, and mustard, collard, dandelion, and turnip greens to your diet. Eat them alone, mix them in recipes, or use them as garnishes.
Beans
Beans include calcium as well as other important minerals and nutrients. Eat them alone, make some soup, garnish your salads, or try them raw.
Spuds
Don’t fry them in oil, but cook them just about any other way for a snack, side dish, or tasty meal. Try them baked, steamed, or broiled. Get creative with healthy seasonings and toppings, too.
Fish
To be healthy, your bones need vitamin D. Besides getting it from the sun, you can get some vitamin D by eating fish. Choose salmon, tuna, catfish, mackerel, and sardines.
Eggs
Another source for vitamin D is egg yolks. You can get creative by using them in omelets with other ingredients that add flavor, calcium, and vitamin D.
Nuts
Start snacking on nuts or adding them to some of your favorite recipes. Almonds, pistachios, and walnuts are good choices, and you can try using almond butter, too.
Fruits
Besides calcium and vitamin D, vitamin C is also good or your bones. You can get more by increasing your intake of fruits. Try them fresh or frozen. Eat them with every meal and have them as a snack, too. Figs, grapefruit, and prunes are especially good.
Tofu
An excellent source of calcium, tofu can be eaten in a number of ways. Grill it, bake it in the oven, use it in sauces and dressings, eat it alone, or mix it in other dishes. Soft tofu can even be used in desserts and shakes.
Fortified Foods and Drinks
Some food choices have been fortified with calcium and/or vitamin D. Options include fortified orange juice, breads made from fortified flour, some breakfast cereals, and some powdered drinks. Learn to read labels so you can choose the best foods for your bones.
Skip These
While adding some healthier foods to your diet, there are others you should avoid. Minimize or eliminate the following foods and beverages:
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Soda
- Salt
- Sugar – instead, try a calcium rich option like molasses
Too many dietary changes – even healthy ones — could hurt you, so before making too many changes it’s wise to talk to your doctor. It’s also a good idea to work with a dietician or nutritionist who can help you create a diet and meal plan that’s good for your bones and overall health.
This content was written by staff of HysterSisters.com by non-medical professionals based on discussions, resources and input from other patients for the purpose of patient-to-patient support. Reprinted with permission:Eat These 10 Foods for Healthier Bones During Menopause
