It’s easy to overlook the importance of our bones. They do all of their labor behind the scenes, after all. A broken bone, on the other hand, is a major event. Even children’s bones require time to mend.
Having strong bones as a youngster provides a healthy foundation for bone health later in life. We build practically all of our bone density when we’re children and teenagers. Around the age of 20, most people have completed their bone development. We continue to replace old bone with new bone as adults, although slower. As we grow older, our bones become weaker.
Children with strong bones are less likely to have bone weakness later in life.
Parents may help by ensuring that their children obtain the three essential nutrients for strong bones: calcium, vitamin D, and exercise.
Children are fast to catch up on the habits of the adults around them. The power of young children to imitate is astounding, and it necessitates parental effort. The greatest way to help children develop strong bones is to model a healthy lifestyle for them.
To maintain a healthy lifestyle, include bone-strengthening items in your diet. Make sure to include lots of the nutrients listed below when creating a balanced meal plan for your child.
1. Feed High-Calcium Foods to Children
Calcium is a mineral that aids in the formation of strong bones.
Dairy products, legumes, certain nuts and seeds, and leafy green vegetables all contain it. It’s also often found in meals such as orange juice and cereal.
What Can Parents Do to Assist?
Encourage your children to consume calcium-rich foods:
If your kid consumes dairy, your doctor or nutritionist may advise you on the appropriate amount to provide based on their age. Younger children may require 2–3 servings of low-fat dairy per day, but older children may require up to 4 servings.
Look for high-calcium versions of typical meals to replace them. Buy calcium-fortified orange juice instead of plain orange juice or almond butter instead of peanut butter.
2. Give Vitamin D Supplements to Children
Vitamin D (also known as vitamin D3) aids calcium absorption in the body.
However, most children do not get enough vitamin D-rich foods. Because vitamin D is vital, doctors advise that all children take a vitamin D supplement if they don’t obtain enough food. Unless they consume at least 32 ounces of formula each day, even newborns require vitamin D.
What Can Parents Do to Assist?
Inquire with your doctor, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or nutritionist about how much vitamin D your kid requires and how to acquire it.
Use sunscreen, clothes, and shade to keep your child’s skin safe. In addition to meals and supplements, sun exposure is a source of vitamin D. However, too much sun exposure in childhood increases the risk of skin cancer later in adulthood. So, to avoid skin cancer and early aging, protect your skin.
3. Encourage your children to get some exercise.
The more we utilize our muscles, the stronger they get. The same may be said for bones.
Walking, jogging, leaping, and climbing are all excellent bone-building activities. They’re termed weight-bearing exercises because they strain our bones by using the force of our muscles and gravity. The pressure causes the body’s bones to grow stronger.
Weight-bearing pressure is not created by riding a bike or swimming. They are beneficial to overall health, but children must also engage in certain weight-bearing exercises.
What Can Parents Do to Assist?
Make sure your youngster exercises for at least an hour each day, including weight-bearing exercises.
Calcium, vitamin D, and exercise are essential for everyone.
However, these are critical for children, particularly during their preteen and adolescent years. Children are fast to catch up on the habits of the adults around them. The power of young children to imitate is astounding, and it necessitates parental effort. The best way to help children develop strong bones is to model a healthy lifestyle for them.
To maintain a healthy lifestyle, include bone-strengthening items in your diet. Make sure to include lots of the nutrients listed below when creating a balanced meal plan for your child.
Vitamin K
If you take vitamin K regularly, it may help you grow greater bone density. It assists in the metabolism of calcium and vitamin D in the bones.
Vitamin K insufficiency has been linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis. This mineral is important for controlling bone metabolism by activating proteins.
55 mg of Vitamin K per day is sufficient for children aged 4 to 8, whereas 60 mg per day is appropriate for 9 to 18.
What Can Parents Do to Assist?
Vitamin K can be added to your child’s diet in the following ways: Make recipes using green leafy vegetables as much as possible. Vitamin K is found in spinach, kale, broccoli, green beans, kiwi, cheese, and peas.
You may aid in developing strong bones in children by following the guidelines mentioned above. While maintaining bone health is a lifelong commitment, the early years of life can significantly impact your future.
If you know more tips about bone-strengthening you can share them with us in the comments below.
