Here are the facts: In the U.S., 15 to 20 million people suffer from osteoporosis. One in three women will have problems with their bones and 10 percent of American women will suffer from osteoporosis. (Fallon, and Enig, PhD)

Why Fats are Critical for Strong Bones

Why do Americans have such high rates of osteoporosis? Let me start to answer that question by explaining why fats are so important to building healthy bones. Because my mother had heart disease, her doctor recommended a low fat diet to prevent heart disease, but you may be surprised to learn that a low fat diet is not a bone-building diet.

Fats are essential to building healthy bones. Saturated fats and the essential fatty acids omega-3 fish oil and borage oil (GLA) help build strong bones. According to Lorna Vanderhaeghe and Karlene Karst, authors of Healthy Fats for Life, both EPA/DHA (fish oil) and GLA boost calcium absorption and increase calcium deposition in the bone. (Vanderhaeghe and Karst 144) Fish oil also helps you absorb vitamin D and creates a collagen mesh in the bone. Fats are critical for your body to make the mesh. Some of those fats should be saturated fats (butter, heavy cream, eggs, coconut oil). “For calcium to be effectively incorporated into bone, at least fifty percent of the fats must be saturated.” (Fallon, and Enig, PhD) The important bone-building minerals calcium, magnesium, and strontium attach to the collagen mesh resulting in strong bones.

To create strong, healthy bones, meals and snacks should contain fats. Include fats like olives, butter, nuts, seeds, avocados, salmon and sardines. Stay away from the trans fats, known as partially hydrogenated oils, found in coffee creamers, baked goods, margarines, fries and many other convenience foods. These trans fats prevent calcium from attaching to the collagen fatty mesh.

Protein, Another Essential Piece for Bone Health

Not only do you need to eat healthy fats, you also need an adequate supply of protein to make the collagen in bones (healthy fats contribute to collagen as well). The collagen allows bones to be somewhat flexible, but also resistant to tearing and breaking. You probably already know that calcium is important for bones, but without protein your bones would resemble eggshells—fragile and easy to crumble. Without collagen (supplied from protein), the calcium and other minerals cannot combine to form bone. Collagen gets the calcium to stick to the bone. It is like the mortar of a brick and mortar structure. Without the collagen and its fatty layer, the minerals would be like a pile of bricks, but not a wall.  

How much protein do you need to eat? Eating two to four ounces every three hours will help build bone. My mother probably ate only a few ounces of protein a day, filling herself with crackers and fruit instead.  

How Sugar Negatively Impacts Bone Health

 Well, your body breaks down sugar (whether it comes from carbohydrates in bread or ice cream) with the help of minerals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. These minerals are often pulled from bones for this purpose. Many Americans eat diets full of high-sugar carbohydrates like sodas, cereals, breads, pasta, cakes, cookies and large servings of potatoes that deplete their bones of calcium, magnesium and strontium. The more sugar in your diet, the more your bone density decreases. Remember, vegetables and fruit are carbs, too. Reach for healthy carbs like these instead of refined options.

Exercise Your Way to Stronger Bones

While diet is very important for building healthy, strong bones so is exercise. When you use your muscles, they pull on your bones making them stronger. Bones are maintained, in part, by the muscle forces applied to them. Jane Brody tells us that bones respond better to exercise that involves forceful contractions, occurring in stops and starts. Playing tennis, weight training, using kettle bells and jumping rope are all good bone-building exercises. The Nurses’ Study found that walking at least four hours a week decreased the risk of hip fractures. (Brody) So get up out of your chair. Move, walk, dance or hike. Choosing an activity that you will do and enjoy is key to compliance. Although my mother had been active most of her life, her activity level declined during her last five years.  

Quality Supplements Can Help

While eating a diet full of vegetables, healthy fats, and protein and incorporating exercise into your lifestyle will create a solid foundation for building healthy bones, a quality calcium supplement can also help.

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