Fortify Your Frame

​Staying active throughout life depends on the strength of your framework, which is made up of a whopping 206 bones and 600 muscles! Stress fractures make up 15 percent of athletic injuries, but athletes aren’t the only ones at risk for bone problems. Half of all women over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Strengthen your bones and muscles by eating meals and snacks that provide vitamin D, calcium and protein.

Peak bone mass (maximum bone density and strength) is typically reached by the late 20s, but it’s never too late to begin taking care of your bones! Choosing calcium-rich foods is beneficial for your frame well beyond the bone-building years. Make a game plan to add milk, cheese and yogurt to your meals and snacks. Make soups, hot chocolate and oatmeal with milk in place of water. Try innovative dairy beverages made with yogurt or ultra-filtered milk, which also offers more protein.

​Build performance-enhancing meals by including more plants, filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables and the other half with lean protein and whole grains. Whether on the plate as cheese or yogurt, or on the side as a glass of milk, don’t forget the dairy.

What you drink is just as important as what you eat. Kick the soda can and drink milk instead. Each serving of milk naturally provides bone-building calcium, vitamin D and high-quality protein—all necessary for a strong frame. If you’re lactose intolerant, you can still benefit from all that dairy has to offer. Simply choose lactose-free milk – it’s real milk, just without the lactose.

​Milk is also an important player in hydration. A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests trading in your water bottle for a milk bottle to hydrate best. 

No matter your age or activity level, it’s never too early or too late to take care of your bones. Fortify your frame with these delicious dairy recipes!