If you’ve ever watched an episode of HGTV, you’ve probably seen excitement over a house with “good bones”. That’s because even TV personalities realize that bones are the strong foundation for success.
The food we eat can be very helpful for making sure our body’s foundation is strong. For instance, Vitamin D is a key nutrient for bone health because it helps our bodies absorb calcium. The good news is you can find Vitamin D naturally in fish like tuna, mackerel, and salmon and egg yolks, too. Other foods fortified with Vitamin D are milk, cheese, and many cereals. There are a lot of ways to increase your intake without limiting dietary variety.
TOC recommends keeping track of your intake, because when you don’t get enough Vitamin D, you may experience fatigue and tiredness, bone and back pain, and getting sick or infected more often.
The recommended amount of calcium and Vitamin D changes throughout your life. As kids, teens, and young adults grow, they need extra amounts of calcium and Vitamin D to support their growth. Seniors also need to have adequate bone-supporting nutrition to help avoid breaks and prolong their independence. Keep eating for bone health and you will enjoy the confidence that comes from a body that is strong and well-nourished. But get to work! Strong bones won’t happen overnight.
Recipe: Yogurt Berry Cups
Easy to prepare and delicious to eat. Just make sure you use vitamin D-fortified yogurt when putting them together. You can also use fortified Greek yogurt.
Ingredients:
4 teaspoons honey
1 cup Greek or plain whole-milk yogurt
2 1/4 cups strawberries, sliced
1 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon chopped, toasted walnuts
How to Make It:
Whisk 4 teaspoons honey into 1 cup yogurt.
Spoon 1 tablespoon yogurt mixture into each of 4 parfait glasses or small bowls. Layer each portion with 1/2 cup strawberries, 1 tablespoon yogurt mixture, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1 tablespoon yogurt mixture, and the remaining 1/4 cup strawberries. Finish with remaining 1 tablespoon yogurt mixture and 1 tablespoon chopped nuts.
(This article was originally published in TOC’s Fall 2018 Newsletter.)