Bone Health: 7 Things That Are Harming Your Bones And Why You Must Start Avoiding Them Now

Here are some things that can actually make your bones weak and you could be making the mistake of doing them every day.

Your bones are one of the most essential components of your system and if they are not properly cared for along with proper nutrition, you can suffer the consequences as you age. Here are some things that can actually make your bones weak and you may be making the mistake of doing them every day.

1. Soft drinks: Being high in sugar and caffeine, soft drinks contain phosphoric acid as a preservative, which is implicated in bone loss.
2. Animal protein: Excessive intake of animal protein causes urinary calcium loss
3. Caffeine in tea, cocoa, chocolates, and coffee increases calcium excretion
4. Smoking and chewing tobacco also rob the body of its calcium stores, since nicotine affects calcium absorption.
5. Excessive consumption of salt and sugar increases calcium excretion
6. A person with a small frame and less muscle mass also tends to store less calcium.
7. A sedentary lifestyle robs your body of its calcium stores. When you start physical activity like walking, running, jogging, it helps you prevent bone loss.

Nutritionist Anjali Mukerjee shares on her Instagram “Calcium is quite a finicky mineral and is not easily absorbed. With only 20-30% of the total calcium ingested absorbed, there are certain foods that actually prevent absorption and eventually promote bone loss. For better absorption, calcium should be accompanied by magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin A, C and vitamin D in the diet along with supplements and by exercising regularly for at least 30 minutes for 6 days a week. Here is an easy calcium-rich recipe, which can be extremely helpful for those who don’t drink milk or milk products.

green bhaji
Make 2 servings

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups of chopped spinach
• ¾ cups of chopped methi leaves
• ½ cup chana dal
• ½ cup bread
• 2 chopped onions
• 2 chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 2 green chilies
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder (optional)
• ½ teaspoon haldi
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• Salt to taste

Method:
Lightly fry the onions until golden. Add the garlic paste and green chilies. Now add the chana dal and the tomatoes soaked until soft. Now add the spinach and methi leaves, salt, haldi and a pinch of red chilli powder and some water and pressure cook for 10 minutes.

Now mix the green bhaji until it looks like a healthy mix. Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh paneer.