Three key lifestyle factors that influence bone mineral density are weight bearing exercise, vitamin -D (usually from sunlight exposure) and calcium intake from diet. Boosting calcium levels in your diet can help to improve your bone health and strengthen your bones. Increasing the amount of leafy green vegetables in your diet is a simple and easy way to achieve this and here are some simple and easy tips!

Having salads filled with an assortment of vegetables is an easy option. Try making a salad with a big helping of baby spinach, some kale leaves, diced tomato and cucumber, half an avocado sliced up, a sprinkling of chia seeds, a handful of pomegranate seeds and finished with either a balsamic vinegar glaze or squeezed limes.

Adding a variety of leafy greens to your smoothies is also a great way to supercharge them. Adding kale and baby spinach to an apple, cucumber, ginger and lemon smoothie will help to boost the calcium content and still taste delicious.

Vietnamese spring rolls are another healthy option that you can supercharge with green leafy vegetables. Adding lettuce, spinach, kale, thinly cut broccoli that could be either steamed or boiled can be great options, going well with the other vegetables and also the protein of your choice.

Using leafy greens as a substitute for other foods can help to increase your calcium intake. Switching from hard taco shells to big lettuce leaves for your Mexican themed nights can be a great way to increase your leafy green intake in a creative way. Switching from regular potato chips to lemony kale chips can be another healthy change that both increases your calcium intake and can reduce your cholesterol intake at the same time. Why not try this delicious coconut kale with salmon recipe and enjoy the goodness!

Timothy Hanson AEP ESSA
Exercise Physiologist