Optimal - The Blog

September 11, 2025

Nutrients and Exercise Support Your Bones

Bone health depends on a balanced mix of body weight, exercise, diet, and key nutrients.

Maintaining a healthy weight (not too low or high), doing regular weight-bearing and strength exercises, and eating a variety of whole foods—especially dairy or calcium-rich water, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and plenty of vitamins and minerals—can build and preserve strong bones.

Limiting high salt, added sugars, phosphorus additives, and excessive caffeine also helps keep bones healthy.

Ideal food pyramid for patients with osteopenia/osteoporosis

“+”, one green pennant, means that osteopenia/osteoporosis subjects need some personalized supplementation (if daily requirements cannot be satisfied through diet, calcium, vitamin D, boron, omega 3, and isoflavones supplementation could be an effective strategy with a great benefit/cost ra-tio); “-”, one red pennant, means that there are some foods that are banned (salt, sugar, and in-organic phosphate additives). Finally, three to four/times/week, 30–40 min of aerobic and resistance exercises must be performed.

Stay Active & Strong: Aim for 30–40 minutes of weight-bearing and resistance exercises (like walking, jogging, or lifting light weights) 3–4 times per week to boost bone strength.
Eat a Bone-Friendly Diet: Include daily servings of dairy or calcium-rich water, plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins (fish, white meat, legumes, eggs), and healthy fats (extra-virgin olive oil, omega-3s).
Get Key Nutrients: Ensure adequate calcium (1,000–1,200 mg), vitamin D (600–800 IU), magnesium, vitamin K, vitamin C, and trace elements like boron and zinc through foods or supplements if needed.
Limit Bone Thieves: Cut back on too much salt, sugary foods and drinks, phosphate additives (found in processed foods), and keep caffeine under 400 mg a day to protect calcium balance.