Sept 9, 2015
Millions of Americans – 54 million to be exact – have low bone density or osteoporosis. In fact, about one in two women and up to one in four men over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. The disease causes an estimated two million broken bones every year.”[1]
How Can I Reduce My Risk for Osteoporosis While Still Following Paleo?
There are a variety of circumstances underlying the bone fragility that puts a person at risk for osteoporosis. We can do little about certain factors, such as genetics, family history, low bone mass, menopause, or aging after 50.
Females who exercise to the point where they no longer have periods, women after menopause, men who drink and smoke excessively, will have a higher risk for osteoporosis.
Broken bones, even those that happen after trauma, are now regarded as a signal to have one’s body checked for low bone mass and osteoporosis. Smoking, getting drunk or binge drinking, being inactive, dieting excessively to lose weight, or eating excessive amounts of animal protein are not only bad for bone health, they are risk factors for most chronic diseases.
The good news is we can improve our health and often lower our risk for osteoporosis by not smoking, exercising in moderation, and eating a well balanced diet, that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, to maintain a healthy body weight [2].
Making sure that children and teens build strong bones through exercise and healthy diets reduces the risk of osteoporosis later in life. It is important to make sure a diet includes adequate calcium and vitamin D.
Now, as soon as people find out you follow the Paleo diet (and right after they ask about paleo dessert) one of the main questions or concerns is about your calcium intake, or at least it was for many of the non-paleo peeps in my life. “Wait, you don’t eat cheese or drink milk? What about your calcium?” I knew that there was more to keeping my bones healthy than drinking cow’s milk, so I investigated.
What I found is this: dairy is not the only good source of calcium. There are plenty of other foods high in calcium that fit with the paleo lifestyle. I was interested to read that calcium in foods is far more efficiently absorbed by the body than calcium in pills.
