Foods for Orthopedic Health

Maintaining a healthy diet plays an essential role when it comes to the health of your bones and muscles. Here are some foods you can add to your diet that support orthopedic health.

Foods to Add to Your Diet

Calcium and Vitamin D

Calcium and vitamin D are important when it comes to supporting and maintaining the health of your bones and muscles. These two nutrients work together to maintain bone density and muscle strength as you age.

If you’ve ever been told to drink your milk as a child, you’ve probably been told that calcium helps build strong bones. Our bodies are continually losing calcium through our nails, hair, and skin, and cannot produce calcium on their own, which is why it is essential to get proper amounts of calcium through a balanced diet.

Foods rich in calcium include:

• Dairy products such as milk and cheese
• Leafy greens such as Brussels sprouts and kale
• Beans and lentils
• Tofu
• Nuts such as almonds and walnuts

Vitamin D is just as important because it helps your body to absorb calcium and also supports the muscles needed to protect your bones. When your body is deficient in vitamin D, you’re more likely to experience fractures and breaks as you age.

Although your body naturally produces its own vitamin D as a reaction to sunlight, you may not get enough sunlight during the winter to create the proper amount. This may be a result of where you live, the weather, skin pigmentation, and several other factors.

Other sources of vitamin D include:

• Fortified foods like cereal or orange juice
• Fatty fish like salmon and sardines
• Supplements and multivitamins
• Egg yolks
• Mushrooms

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that it is absorbed best in your bloodstream when paired with high-fat foods. For this reason, it's recommended to take vitamin D supplements with a meal to enhance absorption.

Protein

Protein also plays an essential role in supporting muscle and bone health. While proteins have many functions throughout every part of the body, when it comes to orthopedic health, they are responsible for providing structural support and allow the body to move.

The following foods are excellent sources of protein:

• Oats
• Quinoa
• Greek yogurt
• Broccoli
• Lentils
• All types of fish
• Peanuts
• Pumpkin seeds
• Lean meats such as beef and lamb
• Poultry such as chicken and turkey

Orthopedic Care in Gillette, Wyoming

If you have concerns when it comes to your orthopedic health, Wyoming Orthopedics & Spine (WYOS) is here to help. We can evaluate your options so you can rest assured that you get the best possible outcome and are back to a happy and active life in no time.

Call WYOS at 307.686.1413 or visit www.wyomingorthospine.com to learn more.