What do cauliflower, broccoli, bok choy, parsley, kale, Brussel sprouts and mustard greens have in common?

For starters, ounce for ounce, these super plant foods contain almost twice as much calcium as milk products, proving that you can literally strengthen your bones with the foods you eat. Healthy bones are truly a fundamental part of our vitality. Essential ingredients for strong bones include the proper kind of calcium and Vitamin D3 as well as stress reduction and exercise.

Chronic Disease Specialist and Founder of Blum Center for Health, Susan Blum, M.D. sheds light on how to achieve healthy bones with these Top 5 Tips for Strong Bones:

1. Dairy Products Are not All Their Cracked Up to Be. Despite what many people think, dairy products are not one of the main ingredients for strong bones. Although the dairy industry may want us to think osteoporosis is a “dairy deficiency disease,” this is just not true. Once they are digested and absorbed, milk, cheese, and yogurt create an acidic environment in the body tissues. While we need acid in our stomach, we do not want an acid environment in our tissues. All our enzymes, including those in the bones, thrive in a more alkaline environment.
2. Just Say No To Antacids. The most important think to prevent osteoporosis is to stop taking antacids. Calcium is best absorbed from an acidic environment. Antacids can actually reduce the acid so much so that they prevent adequate calcium absorption.
3. Have Your Vitamin D Checked. Be sure to have your vitamin D3 (25-hydroxy-Vitamin D) level tested. If you already have osteoporosis, have a strong family history, or are very petite with little body fat, your level should be at least 50; 40 is fine for most other people. Living in the Northeast, sun exposure isn’t strong enough the majority of the year for us to create our own Vitamin D through our skin, so a supplement of Vitamin D3 2000 IU daily will usually maintain your current level.
4. Minimize stress. You may be familiar with the stress hormone cortisol and its “break down” effect on the body. This means it breaks down muscle and bone to help increase blood sugar that a stressed body needs. This tissue breakdown will not only increase your risk of osteoporosis, but also make you gain belly fat. Of course we all have stressful moments in our day, but we need to learn how to unplug and turn off the stress response to prevent this cortisol effect.
5. Just Do It! Exercise, that is. Particularly the kind that puts weight on the bones, is the final key ingredient for healthy bones. Activities like walking, dancing, biking, and jogging will help build bones and counteract stress.
   

On Wednesday, June 15th, Blum Center for Health is hosting a special Healthy Bones discussion with pioneering bone and nutrition expert and author   Annemarie Colbin, PhD ofThe Whole-Food Guide to Strong Bones – a holistic approach .  Annemarie is the Founder and Director of the Natural Gourmet Cooking School and Chef Training Program in NYC and will give an informative lecture about whole foods for healthy bones complete with food tastings of delicious mineral rich, bone-building recipes and tips on how to make smarter food choices to help prevent and treat osteoporosis.