Keeping your bones strong and healthy is essential to reduce the risk of fractures in the event of an injury and avoid joint pain as you age. Many factors can affect the health of your bones, including diet, lifestyle, age, family history, and more. There are many nutrition and lifestyle ways to build healthy bones regardless of your age naturally. Here are some of the natural ways to improve bone and joint health.

1. Regular strength training exercises
Engaging in high-impact exercises like strength training and weight-bearing is good for bone and joint health. These exercises help stimulate bone formation and also slow down age-related bone loss. Weight-bearing exercises include walking, jogging, and climbing stairs. Also called resistance training, strength training exercises involve using additional weights such as free weights, elastic bands, or your own body like push-ups and chin-ups.

2. Eat vegetables
A variety of vegetables contain bone-friendly nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin K, vitamin C, and protein. Mix up your diet with vegetables like broccoli, spinach, collard green, and kale which will help maintain bone mass and protect your bones.

3. Get plenty of vitamin D
For enhancing bone and joint health , give your body a boost of vitamin D. Spending time in the sun is a great way to build or maintain strong, healthy bones. Some vitamin D food sources are fortified dairy products and fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines. If you lack this nutrient in your body, consuming vitamin D supplements may also help protect bone health.

4. Maintain a healthy weight
Excess weight can put pressure on your bones, increasing the risk of a fracture or injury, while being underweight can increase the risk of osteoporosis. To protect bone and joint health, the best thing to do is achieve and maintain a stable weight.

5. Consume protein-rich foods
Bones are made of 50 percent protein, and consuming protein-rich food will help boost bone density and prevent bone loss during aging and weight loss. Include protein-rich foods such as eggs, yogurt, chicken, tofu, and lentils into your daily diet.

6. Eat foods rich in calcium throughout the day
A primary nutrient for bone and joint health is calcium. Getting enough calcium in your diet will help protect bone health. It is best to eat calcium-rich foods such as cheese, milk, yogurt, beans, and sardines throughout the day to optimize its absorption.

7. Limit caffeine and alcohol
Too much caffeine and alcohol can strip the calcium from the bones affecting your bone and joint health. Try to limit caffeine consumption to 300 mg per day to protect your bones. The same goes for alcohol, as heavy drinking can cause a decrease in bone density and the development of osteoporosis. It is important not to have more than 2 to 3 drinks per day.

It is never too early or late to take steps for building your bone and joint health. This will reduce your risk of bone disease as you age and help you stay active at any age.