Get Bones Of Steel!

It takes more than milk to fortify your frame

We've been hit over the head with the idea that calcium builds healthy bones. And yes, getting the RDA (recommended daily amount) of 1,000 milligrams of the mineral does help keep your skeleton from collapsing like a cheap beach chair. But there's more to the story: Scientists are discovering that other vitamins and minerals are also important in keeping us fracture-free, both now and down the road. To reinforce your infrastructure, fill up on foods packed with these nutrients.

Vitamin D

This fat-soluble vitamin is clutch--your bones can't absorb calcium as well without it. We've known that: In the Nurses' Health Study II, a classic study of 116,646 women, those who got more than 500 international units (IU) a day had a 40 percent lower risk of hip fracture than those who got less. The latest news: Most experts think the current goal of 200 IU for young women falls short; shoot for at least 400 IU, says Felicia Cosman, M.D., clinical director of the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

Great sources
3.5 oz salmon = 360 IU
1.75 oz sardines = 250 IU
4 oz shrimp = 172 IU
8 oz D-fortified milk and orange juice = 100 IU

Vitamin K

You don't hear much about vitamin K, but it may be ready for its Rihanna-like breakout year. Though vitamin K isn't a direct bone-builder, it does enable certain bone forming proteins to do their job, says Sarah Booth, Ph.D., director of the Vitamin K Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston. In the esteemed Framingham Heart Study, people who consumed 250 micrograms a day had a lower risk of hip fracture than those who got 55 micrograms. Aim for 90 to 120 micrograms per day.

Great sources
1 cup kale = 547 mcg
1 cup broccoli = 420 mcg
1 cup Swiss chard = 299 mcg
1 cup spinach = 120 mcg

Potassium

It's already linked to lower blood pressure, and now, a recent study has found, potassium may also neutralize acids that suck calcium out of the body, making it a skeleton saver, too. Women who took potassium citrate supplements increased their spine and hipbone mineral density by 1 percent in a year (that may not sound like a big deal, but it's a home run in the research world). Experts aren't recommending supplements, so stick with food to get the daily RDA of 4,700 milligrams.

Great sources
1 sweet potato = 694 mg
1 white potato with skin = 610 mg
8 oz plain nonfat yogurt = 579 mg
1 medium-size banana = 422 mg

From Women's Health