Be
Young And Healthy By Building Strong Bones
by Monique N. Gilbert
Bones are the body's foundation. Having strong dense bones is essential to
good posture, strength and balance. The quality of our skeletal structure
has a direct impact on our appearance, vitality and energy level. The
better we stand, walk and move around, the more youthful we will look and
feel. Building and maintaining strong healthy bones is a lifelong
concern because our bones are living tissue in a constant state of
renewal. Most people believe thin weak bones are an inevitable part of
aging. However, research is showing this may not be the case. Bone
loss and osteoporosis can be prevented and possibly reversed with proper
diet and lifestyle. Two of the easiest ways to achieve this is by eating
more soy-based calcium rich foods and including weight-bearing activities
in our daily routine.
A vital factor in keeping our bones strong
and healthy is the ability to absorb and retain calcium. It doesn't
matter how much calcium we take in if our body is not assimilating it
properly. Diets high in animal protein leach calcium and other important
minerals from the bones. They cause our body's acid loads to increase,
which forces our system to pump more water into the kidneys to help flush
it out. This diuretic response results in excessive calcium and magnesium
excretion, which leads to osteoporosis. Independent studies conducted at
various universities in the United States and Hong Kong indicate soy foods
can have a protective effect on our bones. That soy protein enhances
calcium retention and absorption, resulting in less excretion in the
urine. They found soy's protein and isoflavones increase bone mineral
content, density, quality and strength. They also noted that soy helps the
body's ability to rebuild bone, and may even reverse osteoporosis. Soy
foods like tofu made with calcium sulfate, tempeh and fortified soymilk
provide calcium, magnesium and isoflavones our body can more easily absorb
and retain. Soy foods are also a complete high-quality vegetable
protein source without the saturated fat and cholesterol found in animal
proteins.
While diet can help build strong dense
bones, it alone will not produce the same bone improving effects than when
combined with exercise. Each enhances and compliments the other in
preventing osteoporosis. Weight bearing and aerobic exercises are
necessary to create bone building benefits. Any activity that causes
you to lift weight, including your own body weight, is considered a weight
bearing exercise. Some examples include stair climbing, squats, pushups,
sit-ups, or any movement with some kind of heavy weight (like dumbbells)
involved. Even gardening and house cleaning can become weight bearing
exercises if we do a squat instead of just bending over to pick things up.
Walking, hiking, jogging and dancing are activities that are considered
both weight-bearing and aerobic. Among these, walking is the simplest and
safest method of building and maintaining healthy bones. No special
equipment or training is needed, and it is very easy on the joints.
Walking strengthens bones and muscles while at the same time increases
stamina and endurance. Begin by walking 30 minutes a day, 3 to 4 days a
week. Don't think of distance, just try to walk as briskly as possible
while maintaining good posture. The pace should be fast enough to get a
good workout and still be able to hold a conversation.
As our life expectancies increase,
preventive measures must be taken to ensure that we keep our bones strong
and dense. By eating more soy foods and less animal protein, we will be
better able to absorb and retain calcium in our bones and prevent
osteoporosis. By walking and increasing our activity levels, we will help
our bones gain strength and improve muscle tone. These simple dietary and
lifestyle changes will also increase energy levels, enhance mobility and
help us stay young at any age.
For more information about soy, visit the
Virtues of Soy website at www.virtuesofsoy.com.
Copyright © Monique N. Gilbert - All Rights Reserved.
_____________________
Monique N. Gilbert has a
Bachelor of Science degree, is a Certified Personal Trainer/Fitness
Counselor and health advocate. She began a low-fat, whole-grain,
vegetable-rich diet in themid-1970's. This introduced her to a
healthier way of eating and became the foundation of her dietary choices
as an adult. She became a full-fledged vegetarian on Earth Day 1990.
Over the years she has increased her knowledge and understanding about
health and fitness, and the important role diet plays in a person's
strength, vitality and longevity. Monique has a Q&A column at
Veggies Unite! (www.vegweb.com/guestqa/)
where she gives advice about health, fitness and vegetarian/vegan diets.
Monique feels it is her mission to educate and enlighten everyone about
the benefits of healthy eating and living.
Monique N. Gilbert is a Health Advocate,
Recipe Developer, Soy Food Connoisseur and the author of "Virtues of
Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook" (Universal Publishers,
$19.95, available at most online booksellers). E-mail: monique@chef.net
- http://www.geocities.com/virtuesofsoy/
Virtues
of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook
by Monique N. Gilbert
Price: $19.95
