- Consume two to three dairy products every day. Even low-fat versions contain the levels of calcium you need to maintain bone density.
- Give a fig. Adults need around 1000 mg of calcium a day. Eight dried figs can provide a tenth of that.
- Go nuts for nuts. Almonds are packed with calcium. Just 25 g provides you with 60 mg of the bone-strengthening mineral.
- Eat your greens. Green vegetables are rich in calcium. Hate cooked cabbage? Eat coleslaw once a week instead.
- Drink mineral water – but forget fizzy drinks. Mineral water contains calcium, and a study in Osteoporosis International found that your body absorbs it just as well from water as from milk.
- Anyone for a cuppa? A Chinese study found that people who regularly drank tea (mainly green) had denser bones than those who didn’t.
- Say hello to sunshine. Turning your face up to the sun for 15 minutes a day – without sunscreen – is the best way for your body to make vitamin D, which it needs to help it absorb calcium and build bones.
- Get enough sleep. New bone replaces old while you’re asleep, so it’s vital to get your zzzz.
- Veer away from vices. Heavy drinking and smoking are well-known risk factors for osteoporosis. Enough said.
- Get active. But make sure it’s a weight-bearing activity – brisk walking, dancing and even gardening are great for your bones.
