Help your kids to build strong bones

Bones are the framework for your child's growing body. So parents should be very careful and take special care to help their kids to build strong bones. If a child enters adulthood with low bone density, it will be more difficult for them to avoid problems like Osteoporosis later in life.

Diet to make your child's bone strong:

• Dairy Foods: For strong bones your child needs calcium and dairy products are calcium-rich food. Milk is high in calcium at 300 mg. non-fat yogurt is even higher at almost 500 mg. per serving. Other source of calcium is all types of cheese. Even soy milk has around 400 mg of calcium which is even higher than dairy milk.

• Vegetables: Apart from dairy products fruits and vegetables also protect bone health. Minerals are drawn from the bone to neutralize the acidity which can cause the bone to weaken. Fruits and vegetables create an alkaline environment which offsets the acidity and helps to preserve the structure of the bone. Vegetables high in calcium are broccoli, turnip greens, and kale. Even turnip greens are a calcium power house with 200 mg. of calcium in a single serving.

• Foods High in Vitamin D: Vitamin D plays a critical role in the preservation of bone health and most Americans don't get enough of this important vitamin. The best source of vitamin D is through exposure to direct sunlight for ten to fifteen minutes each day. The best food sources of vitamin D are fatty fish including salmon, tuna, sardines, catfish, shrimp, and cod. Even cereals, soy milks, orange juice, and dairy products are fortified with vitamin D.

Exercises for strong bones: Exercise is a crucial component for building healthy bones that will resist fractures when he or she is older.

• Get your child involved in a weight bearing sport at an early age.
• Encourage your child to be active as opposed to watching television and playing computer games.
• Jump Rope: Jumping is so effective because it stresses the bones causing the bones' building cells to turn on.
• Involve your child in team sports, weight lifting, running, and jump roping are three activities that can help build bone density.
• It is recommended that kids get at least an hour of physical activity a day.

(Sources: ehow.com, abclocal.go.com)

(Image Sources: healthykidsandteens.com, kidsadventurefitness.com)