Healthy Bones from a Young Age | Guest Post

Not enough kids are getting sufficient calcium in their diets, and one of the reasons is that parents often eliminate dairy, thinking that it is the cause of stomach pains and the other discomforts are associated with lactose intolerance,” committee member Melvin B. Heyman, MD, MPH, tells WebMD. Reading this statement in an article while surfing on the Internet once, struck me to think about my child. “Is he taking enough calcium?” was the very first question that came in my mind.

I always believe that you, as a parent are the role model for your children. If you want them to work for their lives right, make sure that you are working right as well. To look after my child, I have to be strong enough and that demands my bones to be strong! And then of course my child’s health is as equally, in fact more important, and so are his bones! Being the support system of the body, it is important to keep them healthy and strong.

New bones are continuously made as old ones break in the young age. After you’re 30, the loss rate increases than the growth rate and this was the reason to think for my child getting enough calcium and other nutrients for stronger bones.

The bone mass that a child gains during his development age determines the skeletal health, so healthy habits can make your child’s body framework or else break it. Osteoporosis is a pediatric disease with geriatric consequences, so help your kids to keep away from such diseases.

I always keep a note of the fact that my child gets not only enough calories but also the appropriate amount of nutrients. With a busy life, you might think these minute details in food could add a burden, but trust me, once you work on it, your life will be easier!

Make sure your child is taking enough calcium and vitamins. Taking foods that are rich in calcium along with vitamin D are big boosters, as vitamin D helps absorb calcium. Kids and their food choices is something that can change anytime and can be difficult to predict. A low calcium diet can destroy the bone density so I always focus on giving my children milk, yogurt, cheese, and eggs. You can find plenty of combinations of calcium enriched foods on the Internet if your child is choosy and picky in eating. Intake of Vitamin K is equally important as it helps build proteins. Green leafy vegetables like broccoli, kale and spinach will also help in keeping your child’s bones stronger.

Engaging and encouraging your child for physical activities also keeps healthy bones. Children today are seen more involved in activities that are limited to tech-gadgets. If you are a mom, you must be knowing how difficult sometimes life gets, but I have learned that it is essential to take some time out from my busy schedule and play with my child outdoors. Exercising daily for adults is important and if you develop this habit in your child by involving him in physical activities, he will realize the importance of exercising daily.

When my child does not enjoy drinking milk, I often use milk instead of hot water in oat meals or soups. Making colorful fruit smoothies and milk shakes have always been a success when children dislike having milk. My kids love having pizzas and burgers and adding some extra cheese does a great job while making my life easier.

Calcium-fortified juices, beverages, broccoli with dips, cereals, almonds, you’ve got a whole list of foods, fruits and vegetables to choose from. For more convenience, browse the Internet and choices are just a click away. To provide better healthcare, you can even choose calcium supplements for your kids but consult a doctor before you do so.

To lead a healthy life, it is important that you make your child develop healthy eating habits so that they know its importance in their youth and how beneficial it will be in their old age to prevent diseases like osteoporosis.

Author Bio:

Zoha Ejaz is a passionate blogger who loves to write on different disciplines such as health, lifestyle, fashion, finance and education.