Feed your bones with these crucial foods

When viewing a picture of a skeleton, the bones that connect together to hold us upright appear to be hard as a rock. However, the reality is that bones are as alive as the rest of the body and are constantly needing to be fed to grow and replenish. The two most important ingredients for healthy bones are calcium and vitamin D. Calcium is the important building block for strong bones and vitamin D is a substance that helps the body absorb and process the calcium.

Getting the proper nutrition
The National Institutes of Health recommend getting 1,000 mg of calcium daily for adults under 50 and 1,200 mg for adults over 50. Vitamin D is more of a challenge. When your body is exposed to sun, it naturally makes vitamin D, but as we age, the body becomes less efficient at producing vitamin D. Most adults need at least 600 IU of vitamin D to keep their bones healthy, according to the NIH. Here are five foods that can strengthen bones.

Dairy 
Milk and other dairy products are ideal sources for calcium and are often fortified with vitamin D, which makes them ideal for bone health. One cup of milk can supply about 30 percent of the recommended daily intake of calcium while a cup of plain, low-fat yogurt can supply 42 percent, according to the the National Institutes of Health. A mere 1.5 ounces of cheddar cheese can supply over 30 percent of your daily calcium needs.

Eggs
Although it doesn’t supply calcium, one egg yolk can provide about 6 percent of your daily vitamin D. However, the major bone booster in eggs is phosphorus which works with calcium to strengthen bones. More than half of all bone is phosphate so when you eat eggs along with calcium, the phosphorus helps calcium to make strong bones.

Dark leafy greens
There has been a lot of praise for kale in recent years and the accolades are deserved. Leafy greens that are dark in color like bok choy, Chinese cabbage, collard greens, turnip greens and kale are ideal sources of calcium. For example, one cup of cooked turnip greens provides about 20 percent of the recommended daily amount of calcium. As a bonus, many leafy greens have vitamin K, which can reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Grapefruit
These juicy fruits pack a powerful dose of vitamin C. A medium red grapefruit can supply 120 percent of  your body’s daily vitamin C needs, another vitamin that works with your body to strengthen bones. The body needs vitamin C to form collagen which is the fibrous protein part of the bone. This vitamin also helps stimulate the cells that build bone so eating foods with vitamin C can help strengthen bones. Other fruits including oranges, strawberries, papaya and pineapple can also provide vitamin C.

Almonds
These crunchy treats are a great source of calcium. A 4-ounce serving can provide about 8 percent of your daily calcium needs. In addition to the calcium, almonds provide magnesium, a nutrient that is found in healthy bones. Magnesium helps vitamin D absorb calcium to build strong bones so it a beneficial part of a healthy diet. Almonds can be ground into a butter form or thinly sliced as a garnish to foods and still help strengthen your bones.

Finding the best care option
When you are recovering from a medical event or surgery, providing your body with as much support as possible can positively affect the outcome. Proper nutrition for bone health is just one of the many ways to make a positive impact on recovery. Choosing to recover at a rehabilitation center can give you access to many other recovery supports. Glenview Terrace delivers outstanding services and clinical outcomes, making it one of the top choices on the North Shore and the recipient of Medicare’s highest five-star quality rating.

While recovering at Glenview Terrace, each guest receives personalized care from a caring staff to fit their needs. You can be assured that medications are delivered in a timely manner. One-on-one physical, occupational and speech therapies are offered seven times a week. All guests have access to state-of-the-art equipment in Glenview Terrace’s gyms. Compassionate staff offer the encouragement and positive reinforcement needed to move you toward your goals.

Using expert care and sophisticated techniques, Glenview Terrace offers an aggressive blend of traditional and advanced rehabilitation services to get you quickly back on your feet. It has the tools and equipment on site to meet specific needs including video fluoroscopy, Doppler studies and X-rays. The professional staff can deliver expert pain management, respiratory and intravenous therapies and manage all existing conditions like diabetes.

Glenview Terrace delivers this comprehensive care in an elegant setting that begins with beautifully landscaped grounds and continues into the spacious, well-appointed rooms. Guests can enjoy nutritious meals served in elegant dining areas or in their rooms. Guests can also choose to relax in their rooms with a stunning array of amenities and services to pamper them, including attentive concierge service.

Give yourself all of the support needed for a speedy recovery by choosing Glenview Terrace, where there is an entire team of professionals working toward getting you back to your active lifestyle. For additional information or to arrange a tour, visit glenviewterrace.com or call 847-729-9090.