Better Bone Health

Other than when you hit your "funny bone" or accidentally whack yourself on a hard surface, how often do you really think about your bones? Well, it's time to start. Your bones have several important functions. In addition to forming your skeleton and supporting your whole body, they shield your organs and keep your muscles in place. They also store calcium, which is essential to maintaining strength and healthy bone density.

But bones start losing density as we get older, which increases the risk of osteoporosis — especially for women. When the ovaries stop producing estrogen during menopause, it takes an even bigger toll on our bones, since estrogen is a natural protector against bone loss. The threat of bone tissue deterioration and fractures associated with osteoporosis should be taken seriously.

What's the best thing you can do to make sure that your bones stay in tip-top shape? Simple — get your calcium! Our bodies can't produce calcium on their own, and we need this miracle mineral to keep our bones and our teeth healthy and to facilitate proper function of the heart, muscles, and nerves.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following sources for getting your calcium:

* Dairy products: low-fat or nonfat milk, cheese, and yogurt
* Dark green leafy vegetables: bok choy and spinach
* Calcium-fortified foods: orange juice, cereal, bread, soy beverages, and tofu products
* Nuts: almonds

In addition to consuming calcium, the resistance training that you do will help keep your bones strong and healthy.
Keep up the good work!