According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis is a disease in which the density and quality of bone are reduced. The risk of fracture is greatly increased as bones become more porous and fragile. For some people, this condition is often overlooked until it is too late.

Amy Laude, MD, a family physician with UT Physicians-Southwest says that:

“The main concern in osteoporosis is the increased risk of fractures.”

Some of the factors for osteoporosis are out of your control and these include age, race, sex, family history, and body frame size.

Luckily, there are ways wherein you can improve your bone health in order to prevent osteoporosis. Here are the tips you can follow:

How To Prevent Osteoporosis

Do Regular Weight-Bearing And Muscle-Strengthening Exercises

Keep your bones strong by doing weight-bearing exercises like walking, hiking, and dancing. Also, lifting weights as well as Pilates or yoga can improve balance, flexibility, and strength.

Get The Calcium And Vitamin D You Need Every Day

Calcium is needed in maintaining and building bone strength. The best way to get calcium is by eating calcium-rich foods or taking calcium supplements. Some of the calcium-rich foods are seeds, yogurt, salmon and sardines, beans and lentils, milk, almond, collard greens, kale, and spinach.

Meanwhile, vitamin D protects the bone and is needed by the body in order to absorb calcium. Get enough sunlight and eat vitamin D rich foods such as fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, and salmon. Beef, liver, egg yolks, and cheese are also good sources of this vitamin.

Pop Some Prunes

Prunes, also known as dried plums, contain several nutrients that benefit the bones such as potassium, magnesium, and vitamin K. It can make your bones 20% stronger.

According to Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, author of Belly Fat Diet For Dummies:

“Research has shown that eating five to six prunes per day—a little over a serving—may help prevent bone loss. By simply adding prunes on top of your salad, into a trail mix, or enjoying them as a snack, you may be promoting bone health as well as increasing your intake of fiber and nutrients.”

Don’t Drink Too Much Alcohol Avoid Smoking

Heavy drinking causes bone loss. Limit your alcohol intake to no more than 2 to 3 drinks a day.
Smoking, on the other hand, is also considered to be a risk factor for osteoporosis as studies have found that it is related to a decrease in bone density.

Limit Caffeine

Limit your caffeine intake as it causes your body to excrete calcium more readily.

Abby Abelson, MD, FACR, chair of the Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, says that:

“It’s best to take in less than 400 mg of caffeine daily.”.

Moreover, Palinski-Wade suggests that those who are at risk of osteoporosis should consume an even lower amount of caffeine -300 mg per day. She added that:

“In elderly women, high levels of caffeine may predispose them to increased bone loss, especially in the femur.”

Eat Your Onions

Onion is a bone-boosting superfood, According to studies, adding it into your diet can help reduce bone breakdown and is also a great way of boosting your intake of vegetables each day.