It's much better to start thinking about your bone health NOW rather than waiting until you already have low bone density to try to turn it around. You certainly can improve bone density if it is already low (you will know because you will have been told you have "osteopenia" or "osteoporosis" on a bone density test). However, it's generally easier to maintain bone health from an early age, so that you never get into that gray zone where your bones are fragile.
Consider these statistics:
HALF of women over age 50 will have a fracture due to low bone density. Major yikes.
1 in 5 post-menopausal women already have osteoporosis.
Over 1 in 4 women (age 65+) have an unintentional fall yearly.
Mortality rates after a hip fracture can be up to 37% within the year after a bad fall, in seniors.
I would really like for you to avoid being one of those statistics, if possible, so here is what you can do:
GET YOUR VITAMINS & MINERALS IN (Vitamin D, Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin K2, and Zinc).
The absolute numbers are important as well as the ratios. Many women are low in these specific vitamins and minerals, so pay attention to how much you are getting through your diet. If you are not getting enough, consider taking a supplement to make sure you are hitting your daily targets.
CALCIUM
In general, for most women in menopause, you'll want to get somewhere in the range of
1200-1500 mg of calcium daily. I like calcium citrate personally, since it's absorbed better than calcium carbonate. It's also better for senior women, who may not have as much stomach acid as younger women and can't break down calcium carbonate as well as they used to.
Make sure you're spreading calcium intake out throughout the day. Your body can't absorb more than 500 mg at a time.
Make sure you are avoiding taking a lot of magnesium or aluminum (common in antacids) at the same time as calcium, since those can interfere with absorption.
Vitamin D
Make sure to check these levels with bloodwork yearly, to make sure you're getting the right amount. You don't want to go too high OR too low. If you have darker skin or spend a lot of time indoors, you are more at risk for Vitamin D deficiency or Vitamin D insufficiency.
I like Vitamin D3 since it is the form used best by the body. I take 1000 IU daily but you can usually take more than that safely (2000 IU is another common formulation. Don't go above 4000 IU daily without instruction from a doctor based on blood levels).
Vitamin K2
This is not the form of Vitamin K you learned about in school, found in leafy greens. That's Vitamin K1. Vitamin K2 is found in fermented foods, since it is produced by bacteria. Up to half of the US population is not getting enough Vitamin K2.
Which is a shame, since it's the form that is VERY important for bone health. Supplementing with 100-300 mcg (micrograms) daily of Vitamin K2 can be a great way to ensure you are getting enough of this very important vitamin. It helps with heart health, bone health, and even cancer prevention.
Zinc
Zinc is probably my favorite mineral. Ok, I know, that makes me sound a little nerdy, but I am what I am ;)
It helps with wound healing, bone density, hormone production/hormone balance, immune function, and neurological function. It helps your skin, hair, and nails stay strong and healthy.
Try to get at least 8-10 mg of zinc daily through a combination of nutrition and (if needed) supplements. Oysters and other seafood are a great source. Red meat, dairy products, and eggs are also decent sources.
Magnesium
Many people know about the mood-calming and sleep-inducing effects of magnesium. But magnesium plays a pivotal role in bone health, as well.
Magnesium is necessary to activate Vitamin D. It helps balance bone breakdown with bone formation. Magnesium deficiency has been linked with both osteoporosis and increased risk of fractures.
For women in menopause, 320-400 mg total daily magnesium is generally advised.
Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, black beans, and cooked spinach are some good food sources of magnesium.
Exercise Strategies for Bone Health
Jumping
If you want to exercise to preserve bone health, you'll want to do as much weight-bearing activity as possible. But the absolute BEST weight bearing activity is jumping.
Jumping off boxes, jumping onto boxes, jumping rope, jumping in place....so many ways to jump, all of them beneficial.
Jumping provides force in many different directions, which is beneficial to stimulate your bones (and therefore signal your body to optimize bone density). It's better than walking, running, or elliptical for bone density preservation.
You can do it even just a few times a day, here and there, but if you want to do more, you can incorporate it into a jumping workout.
One research study found that 12 minutes of jumping per day (for a year) led to a 2-4% INCREASE in hip and spine bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. Not just maintaining their bone density, but actually improving it. That's phenomenal.
Make sure you are wearing comfy shoes, so you don't cause foot problems with all this high impact, and if you already have very low bone density, or joint pain, please discuss with your doctor before you try jumping routines.
Strength training
By now, you probably know that strength training is of the utmost importance for menopausal women to stay healthy and fit as they get older. And its benefits are not limited to just metabolism, muscle mass, and weight control: strength training can also preserve and even improve bone density.
Substantial amounts of research have demonstrated that strength training even just 2 days a week can increase bone density in the spine and hips. But the BEST type of strength training also happens to be my favorite type:
High-intensity, heavy (for you) resistance training that progressively increases in intensity as you continue to get stronger.
Exercises that load the spine and legs, such as squats, deadlifts, and leg presses, should be programmed into each workout.
One meta-analysis (a scientific review of a lot of other scientific studies) found that strength training programs (for 6-12 months) led to a 1-3% increase in spine and hip bone mineral density in post-menopausal women.
Of course, the same rules apply here as for jumping. If you have any existing injuries, pain, limitations, etc, please clear any exercise programs with your doctor/physical therapist and begin strength training with safety in mind. Don't start out with very heavy weights and over-tax your body. Start with lighter weights, learn the proper technique and form, and then as you get stronger, you can start lifting heavier.
If you master the fundamentals of strength training, weight-bearing activity, and proper nutrition/supplementation, you will give your bones (and as a result, your independence and mobility as you age!) a fighting chance!
P.S. I didn't mention the other fundamentals, but they're the usual: avoid excessive alcohol, excessive caffeine, excessive soda (phosphoric acid is bad for the bones), and smoking. Get your regularly scheduled bone density tests. If you are comfortable taking it, discuss hormone replacement therapy in menopause with your doctor, which can further protect your bones from hormone-related declines in bone density.