It’s hard to “see” our bones, to see how they’re doing, or to understand what they need day-to-day. So instead, think of your bones as a bank account of minerals. How is your account doing?
When your body has extra minerals (minerals that weren’t needed in your day), they then get stored in your bones for later.
And your body is smart and will strengthen the bones that need it—which are the bones you’re using. Strengthening a muscle sends a signal that this bone needs to be strengthened too. That’s why weight-bearing exercise is so important.
Stress and your bones
I believe that stress plays a big role in our long-term bone health, and the reason is simple. On a day when you’re feeling stressed—maybe due to a stressful meeting, or ongoing family or financial stress—your body feels it is in physical danger.
So, if you were in the middle of a physical threat, what would you want your body to do? Keep you alive of course. To do that, your body will use every single mineral, nutrient, and resource available to keep you alive today. That’s its only priority—stay alive today. Your body is not concerned at all about your long-term survival. It’s not concerned that your bones could use a top-up with minerals. Those minerals are needed to get through…today.
The issue is, right now stress isn’t a rare situation, it’s an everyday occurrence. For some it’s an all day, every day occurrence. No wonder our bones aren’t doing so well.
Your bones are a reflection of your long-term lifestyle. Keep stress as low as you can (I know, easier said than done), fill your diet full of minerals, and use your muscles and you’ll build happy, healthy bones.
Show some love to your bones
Try these simple ways to keep your mineral bank account high and your joints happy:
Use your muscles
Your bones are only as strong as the muscles attached to them. Stay strong! If mobility is an issue, chair yoga, swimming, or using soup cans as weights can keep your muscle tone.
Mineral dense foods
Cooked veggies, fresh veggie juices, bone stock, nuts, and seeds will give your body tons of extra minerals.
Bone matrix supplements
Bone building is much more than just calcium. Look for a multi-mineral formula that also contains magnesium, boron, and silica, as well as others.
Lisa Kilgour, rhn is Nature’s Fare Markets’ Registered Holistic Nutritionist. She is Board Certified in Practical Holistic Nutrition and provides free half hour one-on-one nutrition consultations in our stores. Check out the appointment schedule on page four and book your free appointment in-store today.
Learn more: lisakilgour.com
Article was published in The Good Life magazine.
