8 Tips to Save Your Bones

March 9, 2010— -- Perhaps you want to know about other ways to strengthen your bones before going on bisphosphonates. Or maybe you already take these medications, but you want to see what else you can do to ensure that your bones are as strong as possible.

The National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC) -- a service of the Office on Women's Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services -- provides a number of tips on how women can strengthen their bones, decreasing their risk of osteoporosis. The good news is that for many women, the answer to stronger bones may be as simple as a few dietary and lifestyle changes.

Since calcium is a major component of bones, getting enough in your diet is crucial to their strength. While calcium supplements are an option, most nutrition experts suggest that you should reach for food-based sources, such as dairy products and certain leafy greens, as much as possible.

Young women up to 18 years of age should aim for 1,300 mg of calcium daily -- just about the amount you would get out of a cup of fat-free yogurt, a couple of cups of fat-free milk and a serving of tofu with added calcium, according to USDA figures. Women 19-50 need less -- at least 1,000 mg per day -- but this requirement goes up again to 1,200 mg in women over 50. For women who can't get enough calcium in their diet, supplements are a good backup plan.

Vitamin D is crucial, as it allows your body to absorb the calcium from the food you eat most effectively. In addition to the vitamin D you get from your diet, this nutrient is also produced in your skin when it is exposed to sunlight -- a fact that has earned it the name "the sunshine vitamin."

Fortified milk is a rich source of vitamin D, as are fish and eggs. As with calcium, Vitamin D can also be taken as a supplement if necessary, though food is considered the best source.