There is an old World War II song that states, “Save the bones for Henry Jones, ‘cause Henry don’t eat no meat.” When the war was upon us, it was difficult to get meat, and most families made soups containing bones. Often, when there are diet changes, it is advantageous to our health. In this case, we were getting adequate calcium in our diets from the bones.
In fact, to maintain healthy bones, we need approximately 1,000 mg of calcium and 500 mg of magnesium with a supplement of vitamin D3 to keep bones from decaying (a condition known as osteoporosis). This condition causes bones throughout the body to become easily fractured.
It has been recently reported that vitamin K can be found abundantly in beet greens, spinach, dark leafy greens and kale. Just one cup of these cooked vegetables will supply you with an ample amount of this precious vitamin. Our down-home folks really knew what to eat to keep those bones at home.
Exercise will also add to bone strength. Just walking one half hour daily, three days weekly, will ensure good bone health.
When taking any supplement, mineral or vitamin, be sure to let your physician know. In the case of taking excess vitamin K, which can cause blood clotting, it is advisable to inform your doctor if you are also taking a blood thinner known as Coumadin.
Many patients have often informed me that the chronic pain that they experience in their hips and knees is lessened when they take a supplement of calcium magnesium and vitamin D3. Oftentimes, medications are prescribed that may lessen the pain but do nothing to strengthen bones. Many of these drugs can cause irritation of the stomach, leading to bleeding. If you are taking medicines for pain and you observe black, tarry stool, this is evidence of bleeding in the stomach. This should be reported immediately to your physician.
I am sure your bones will be OK if you take an adequate amount of vitamin K, which will prevent the de-Kay of your bones. This will allow you to strut as you desire without pain in your hips and knees.