As the literal foundation of our bodies, healthy bones are critical for a healthy life. Our lifestyle habits, like poor diet and lack of exercise, can lead to the development of osteoporosis (bone weakening). If you have or are concerned about your bones breaking down, why not do something about it? Juicing for osteoporosis is an easy, delicious way to help fight bone deterioration!
What’s In This Article?
What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone where bone mass and density decrease or structure and strength change, becoming weak and brittle. Rather than solid, bone is living tissue constantly being regenerated. But when the growth of new tissue doesn’t balance the loss of old bone, osteoporosis occurs (1).
Hard on the outside, healthy bones have a honeycomb-like structure on the inside. But when osteoporosis is present, the normal holes become far larger, decreasing their strength and making them more prone to breaks (2).
Causes of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a common condition in the United States, with over 50 million living with the disease (3). It’s estimated that of those people over 50, half of those assigned female at birth and one in four of those assigned male at birth will develop osteoporosis.
The causes of osteoporosis are best described as risk factors that can heighten the chances of getting this bone-weakening disease:
- Age – as we age, our cells begin to slow down their regeneration throughout the body. Therefore, bones can weaken the older we get and may lead to osteoporosis.
- Body Composition – thinner individuals are at a greater risk for osteoporosis due to their lesser amount of bone than larger-framed individuals.
- Diet – over one’s lifetime, a diet low in vitamin D and calcium can increase the risk for both osteoporosis and fractures, as does excessive dieting and poor protein intake.
- Exercise – low amounts of physical activity combined with long periods of inactivity can contribute to the increased rate of bone loss. Poor physical health can also increase a person’s fall and bone-breaking risk.
- Alcohol Consumption – Chronic heavy drinking is a substantial risk factor.
- Tobacco Consumption – Smoking is another notable risk factor for decreased bone health and is thought to contribute to osteoporosis development.
- Hormonal Changes – low estrogen and testosterone levels can increase the chance of osteoporosis.
- Sex – females assigned at birth are at a greater risk than males assigned at birth.
- Medications and Medical Conditions – certain conditions and medications can increase a person’s risk for osteoporosis.
How to Prevent Osteoporosis Naturally
While it may sound like osteoporosis is inevitable after you read all those risk factors, learning how to prevent osteoporosis naturally (4) is a great way to make sure you don’t become a statistic!
- Eat Bone-Healthy Foods – calcium, vitamin D, and protein-rich foods are key for healthy bones. (Just make sure you’re not eating foods with those AND unhealthy components like saturated fats.)
- Exercise – good physical health will do you good in a million ways, not just in the bone health department. Weight-bearing exercise, in particular, is important for building up and strengthening your bones.
- Stop Smoking and Drinking – what else can I say? Smoking and alcohol both weaken bones, so don’t do them.
Greens: Superfoods for Your Bones
At the top of the list on how to prevent osteoporosis naturally is eating for bone health. Well, guess what? Greens are superfoods for your bones, and I use them with wild abandon in this tasty juice recipe!
Dark leafy greens are known for their bone-healing properties (5). Dandelion greens are rich in calcium and vitamin K (6), which play a significant role in bone health (7), as well as antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress that can spur bone loss (8).
Parsley is also a bone benefactor with its impressive levels of vitamin K (nearly 550% of the RDA in just 1/2 cup) (9). Vitamin K supports bone-building cells, helping to increase bone mineral density and reduce the risk of fracturing (10).
Cucumbers, too, get into the act with their vitamin K and silica content. Silica is thought to benefit the spongy interior bone tissue responsible for providing structural strength to the bone (11). Studies suggest lemon juice helps prevent osteoporosis by boosting bone metabolism and enhancing calcium absorption (12).
The bone-building phytonutrient phloridzin is a flavonoid unique to apples. This compound may help prevent bone density and breakage (13), particularly in post-menopausal women, due to its strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Great Juicer for Greens
I made the Better Bones on the Nama J2 Juicer! It’s a great juicer for greens and is taking the juicing world by storm!
- Super Fast Operation
- Large Load-and-Go Produce Hopper
- Minimal Chopping
- Great Nutrient Extraction
- Very Easy to Use
- Quick Cleanup
- 15-Year Warranty
- Some Pulp Left in the Juice
- Sorbet Attachment Sold Separately
Why has the Nama J2 turned the juicing marketplace on its head? Just one look at its huge top hopper and you’ll begin to understand. By allowing you to drop large pieces of produce into the top, it juices far faster than the competition. If it fits, you can juice it – whole apples, large chunks of cucumber, and even whole pineapples!
Also great is the yield and nutrient extraction due to it being a cold-press juicing machine. It’s been engineered to come apart and clean quickly and easily, making the entire juicing experience sublime! I recommend this juicing for any home juicer, from newbie to virtuoso!
Here’s The Recipe!
Print
Better Bones
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 32 fl oz 1x
Description
Osteoporosis robs our bones of their strength and can lead to the destruction of our body’s literal foundation. Do something about it by giving your bones the love they deserve with this tasty, skeleton-supporting juice!
Ingredients
- 5–6 Dandelion Leaves
- 6 Small Apples
- 1 Bunch Parsley
- 1 Cucumber
- 1 Lemon
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry the dandelion leaves and parsley.
- Wash off the apples and cucumber (only peel the cuke if it’s been waxed).
- Peel the lemon (optional).
- Run all ingredients through your juicer and enjoy!!!
Notes
Did you know you can get dandelion greens in many grocery stores and markets? They’re typically much larger than the wild ones. So, if you go for wild, make sure to use more.Â
One thing to note about wild dandelion greens: be sure you harvest them from laws that aren’t treated with herbicides or pesticides. Those chemicals are downright toxic, and you definitely don’t want them in your juice.Â
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Category: Juicing for Health
Keywords: osteoporosis, bone health, healthy bones, green juice
More Juicing for Bone Health
Keep on juicing for bone health with these deliciously bone-benefiting juice recipes!
- Bring some love to your liver while helping support your bones with this juice!
- This all-veggie juice is a whose-who of bone-loving goodness (swap out the spinach for kale)!
- Get more dandelion and parsley in your body with this delicious green juice!
Post a comment below if you try this recipe. We’d LOVE to hear from you!
