why us 4 girls are choosing to think about it...

we drink soy milk instead of milk milk, so we get less calcium than we would if we drank dairy milk. we're also all built thin, and girls with smaller bones are actually more at risk. we have all broken bones in high school and younger, so our bones have had trauma. in general, girls have lighter, thinner bones than guys, so the more healthy choices we can make for our bones now... the better!

why healthy bones are important to think about...

we are always intrigued by how connected our body is, and giving a little more luv to things we may not really pay attention to could really keep us safe and healthy, and help us look and feel so much better!

• fight osteoporosis - obviously fragile bones will lower our quality of life, but it can also reduce our life expectancy.
• protect your soft stuff - think about all the things that are protected by your bones... your skull protects your brain, your spine protects your nervous system, your pelvis helps protect your bladder, intestines, & reproductive organs, and your rib cage protects the heart, lungs, liver, and spleen. all that stuff is pretty important right? :D
• immune system - bone marrow produces cells that turn into red and white blood cells, so bone marrow has a major role in our immune system, which keeps us healthy and feeling good!

how can i keep my bones healthy?

exercise!

bones are living tissue, so any kind of bone strengthening activity stimulates new bone tissue to form, making bones even stronger. some of our favorites that strengthen bones without putting too much stress on them are walking, yoga, hiking, and swimming.

supplements

vitamins, minerals, and herbs are the easiest way to strengthen our bones. here are some supplements that contribute to strong healthy bones...

• vitamin D
• calcium
• boron
• horsetail
• copper
• chromium
• ginger
• zinc
• lysine
• kelp
• magnesium
• manganese
• vitamin k

foods!

there are some foods besides milk we can eat that either give us the minerals and vitamins we need for healthy bones, or they help us absorb them...

• yogurt
• garlic
• onions
• broccoli
• nuts and seeds
• kale
• beans
• brown rice
• hummus

what not to do...

here are some things that are bad for your bones...

• alcohol
• smoking
• crash dieting or fad dieting
• soda pop

what next?

try just choosing 2 days a week to be totally aware of giving your bones some luv... on those days, take a walk, eat something like yogurt, some brown rice, or yummy nuts, and make sure you get some vitamin D!