Lifetime Bone Health is Determined by Children’s Diets
Being the CEO of your family’s health organization is no easy task. Whether you are a working or stay-at-home mom, married, or single, one thing is certain: If you have children, you are working full-time in upper-level management!

To be honest, nobody has enough hours in a day, nor the ability to control every morsel of food their family devours on a daily basis. Even if you could control every bite, the conflict you would create would probably be as detrimental to your family’s well-being as the sugary snacks your kids prefer to consume. What is a mother to do?

Let them drink milk!
It sounds so elemental and obvious, and even too simple to be true. Unfortunately, osteoporosis is not just a problem facing elderly women. The problem is beginning at a very young age. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal (September 15, 2009) “Nearly 90% of bone mass in females is built by age 18, yet few adolescent girls are getting the recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D. The more bone you build up during the peak building years before age 30, the more reserves you’ll have when net bone loss sets in.”

Building strong bones is so easy to do; yet, power drinks, sodas, and juices are still the preferred beverages people grab on the run. While research is inconclusive on how it happens, most authorities seem to agree that there is a direct correlation between drinking soda pop and bone loss. A diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, plus weight-bearing exercises are the common elements necessary to keep your family’s bones healthy.
Think of it this way. Your bones provide the framework that supports your body. Your organs, circulatory system, and bodily functions will suffer greatly if the network that supports them fails. A healthy body is meant to move, so living an optimum life depends on the strength of your body; without strong bones, your body loses its capacity to optimally function.

As we age, hormonal changes and medications can negatively impact bone mass, both for men and women. Bone-building medications, such as bisphosphonates, have been around for the last decade, and while they can greatly assist those with significant loss, they are not without risks and side effects. 

While genetic predisposition, diet, and other varying factors cannot always be controlled, there is a simple technique that many of us can utilize: Consume lots of dark leafy vegetables, limit alcohol intake, stop smoking, and combine weight-bearing exercises with a daily calcium intake of 1200 mg. from food and/or supplements, with vitamin D supplements (800-100 IU, daily). If you are taking certain medications that block calcium absorption, such as corticosteroids, or even some antidepressants, be sure to consult with your doctor.

The most difficult thing to do is to replace bone loss after it has already occurred. Being proactive really makes a big difference. It is always preferable to change your lifestyle than to take a pill, if at all possible. The critical thing to understand is that “the more bone you build up during the peak building years before the age of 30, the more reserves you’ll have when net bone loss sets in.” (Wall Street Journal, September 15, 2009)

Got Milk?
Milk DOES do a body GOOD!  This is not just an advertising slogan, but the truth. Whether you are trying to lose weight, or your children are trying to get in shape for the soccer fields or gain weight for the football team, dairy products can help all of you meet your goals.

American children, over age eight, are not getting enough calcium, and are dramatically increasing their chances of developing osteoporosis in adulthood, according to a recent report released by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Osteoporosis is a bone-thinning disease usually associated with aging, affecting 10 million Americans each year, and is responsible for more than 1.5 million bone fractures annually. Evidence suggests that fractures are on the rise in adolescents

“Fifty percent of bone mass is developed during the teen years. That’s why it’s crucial for teens to drink their milk,” says Jean Ragalie R.D., of the National Dairy Council. “Bones are like a bank account, and from children’s early years through the teen years, it’s the most important time to make deposits of calcium so that bones can handle the withdrawals that occur later in life.”

Nearly nine out of ten teenage girls fail to get enough calcium in their diets and almost seven out of ten teenage boys do not meet the daily calcium recommendations. Teenagers need 1,300 mg of calcium per day, which is about the amount found in four 8-oz. glasses of milk amount recommended by the National Institute of Health.

Low fat and fat-free milk have the same nutrients as whole milk. Chocolate milk is just as healthy to drink as white milk. Chocolate milk is very effective in helping athletes to recover from intense workouts. According to a study at Indiana University, at Bloomington “When chocolate milk was consumed, the amount of time athletes could exercise until they were exhausted was similar or longer to when they drank fluid-replacement drinks alone.”

The study says that chocolate milk contains the perfect ratio of proteins to carbohydrates, and that the drink may be a very effective way for athletes to refuel the fuel (glycogen) that is stored in their muscles. Adding flavorings to low-fat or fat-free milk packs in the same amount of calcium and nutrients as white milk, making it a great-tasting alternative to soda for growing strong, healthy bones.

Most kids spend more time on a computer, than playing outside after school. Many schools have even phased out some physical education programs. It is very important to encourage children to get moving every day! Fortunately, the answer to bone health is simple and easy—drink milk and  play outside!

All rights reserved 2009, by Longmont Dairy Farm