Today there are over 2 million Australians affected by osteoporosis. But it’s not hard to incorporate measures into your day-to-day life that will help reduce your risk.

We all know the link between dairy foods and strong bones. Dairy is famed as being one of the calcium-rich superfoods. It’s why we encourage our kids to drink milk and eat cheese and yogurt, and we fill their plates with lots of leafy greens (before cajoling them into eating them!)

But it’s more than what we eat. To maximise the calcium in our bodies it’s a three way street. We need to eat calcium-rich foods, we need exercise, and we need sunlight.

Building better bones comes down to essentially two nutrients – calcium and vitamin D. While calcium is stored in our bones and teeth, we need a healthy dose of D to be able to absorb that calcium into our bones in the first place. It’s a great excuse to go outside for a walk and get some sunshine.

The final piece of the puzzle is weight-bearing exercise. Bones are living tissue that becomes stronger with exercise. Without it, we may start to suffer from bone loss, which can lead to the brittle bones associated with osteoporosis. Scheduling in weight training, walking, jogging, tennis or dancing can help keep osteoporosis at bay, especially as we get older.

Awesome foods for building strong bones

It’s a well-worn mantra used by mothers the world over – drinking milk will make your bones strong. And while it’s true that dairy is a nutrient-dense source of bone-strengthening calcium, it’s not the only source. A balanced diet, rich in protein, fresh fruit, vegetables and carbohydrates is the best defence against developing osteoporosis in later life.