A staggering 57 million Americans are affected by osteoporosis and low bone mass, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF). Half of all women (and one in four men), will break a bone due to this disease. For those of us who are over 40, this is an extremely important and urgent health issue.
But guess what? By simply making a few lifestyle changes — like exercising and eating the right foods — osteoporosis can be prevented. Build up to doing 20 push-ups every day (or more, if you can), and move your body at least 30 minutes 5 – 7 times a week. Running (with walk breaks to prevent wearing down your knees) is a highly efficient and easy-to-do option. Check out my videos demonstrating the best push-ups for women over 50 by clicking here.
Eating well — less sugar and other “white stuff” and more whole grains and veggies — is essential to our overall health and well-being. One of the best foods we can eat is kale. It’s packed with all kinds of vitamins and nutrients that help us build stronger eyes, immune systems, hearts, and bones. Calorie for calorie, there’s more calcium in a cup of kale than a cup of milk, with zero fat and very few calories. It’s a superfood that has worked its way into my daily healthy eating program.
There are so many delicious ways to prepare kale, and now that summer is here, I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes with you:
SUMMER KALE SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
- 1 cup kale, chopped
- 1 frozen banana, roughly chopped
- 1 cup frozen mango
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds (another new superfood!)
- 1 squeeze of lemon
- 1/2 bunch mint (only leaves)
Directions
- Add bananas, kale, and mango to your blender
- Squeeze a teaspoon of lemon juice into the blender
- Add chia seeds
- Blend until smooth
Here’s a video focusing on some of the best foods you can eat to build better bones for life:
