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How to fight osteoporosis with a plant-based diet

Osteoporosis is a condition that leads to the loss of bone mass in the body. Osteoporosis can be due to a deficient diet, lifestyle, and age. Over the years, many people have been led to believe that drinking milk will help to prevent osteoporosis, but available data from different studies on the issue prove otherwise. In fact, studies have revealed that taking milk is detrimental to the health of your bones. This is because dairy foods are acidic, and as the body tries to neutralize the acidity, more calcium is broken down, and it leaves the body as excreta.Also, many ethnic nationalities in the world don’t react well to the lactose in milk, a condition known as lactose intolerance, and one wonders how milk could be the primary source of calcium for the body if the majority of people of Hispanic and East Asian descent are not tolerant to milk. On the other hand, research has shown that intake of a plant-based diet rich in leafy greens and seeds can help to prevent osteoporosis and even reverse it.

According to the Physicians Committee, the key to maintaining healthy bones rests mainly on preventing calcium loss from the body than adding calcium to it.

If the key to preventing osteoporosis is making sure our body loses less calcium, the question is how can we reduce calcium loss from the body. We can do this by stopping habits that promote the loss of calcium in the body and developinghabits that help to retain and increase calcium in the body. Studies have revealed that animal-based protein leads to higher calcium loss than plant-derived protein. Caffeine, inadequate exercise, smoking, and sodium-rich diets have also been shown to increase the loss of calcium in the body.

On the other hand, deriving calcium from plant sources such as beans and leafy greens can help to build calcium in the body. A plant-based diet rich in fruits and vegetables, coupled with exercise, and exposure to sunlight to allow the body absorb vitamin D which is necessary for bone formation can increase the level of calcium in the body and help to prevent osteoporosis.

Plant foods that increase calcium in the body.

Eating a plant-based diet rich in calcium can keep your bones healthy and prevent osteoporosis. When this is combined with low intake of protein and exercise, your bone health receives a significant boost. Below is a list of calcium-rich plant-based foods according to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine:

Vegetable:

Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Butternut squash
Carrots
Cauliflower
Collards
Kale
Sweet potato

Legumes:

Black turtle beans
Chickpeas
Great northern beans
Kidney beans
Lentils
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Soybeans
Soymilk
Tofu
White beans

Whole grains:

Corn tortilla,
rice milk,
wheat bread,
whole wheat flour

Fruit:

Dried figs
naval orange
orange juice
raisins

Despite being sold the story of milk as the ultimate source of calcium, the fact that many people are genetically intolerant to lactose casts a huge doubt over this claim. With a plant-based diet rich in calcium, exercise, and adequate sunlight, your bones will stay strong and healthy, and you will never have to worry about fractures and broken hips.

http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/vsk/vegetarian-starter-kit-calcium

http://www.dummies.com/food-drink/special-diets/plant-based-diet/fighting-osteoporosis-with-a-plant-based-diet/

http://www.pcrm.org/health/health-topics/preventing-and-reversing-osteoporosis

Vegan for life ♥