The toe bone's connected to the foot bone... That childhood ditty left out more than a few crucial parts: Adults are held up by a skeleton composed of 206 bones that protect the body's vital organs. Though it's a sturdy frame, it's vulnerable to problems—think issues like osteoporosis and stress fractures, says Chad Deal, MD, director of the Center for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Health at the Cleveland Clinic. But if you bolster your bones now, it will pay off for years to come, keeping you on your feet and feeling great whether you're running errands or marathons. Bone-builder No. 1: The right diet
GET LOTS OF...
Milk: The recommended daily value of calcium is 1,000 milligrams (1,200 if you're over 50); a cup of nonfat or 1 percent milk has 311. Yes, foods like greens and fish provide calcium, but stick to the white stuff to really boost bone: "There have been so many studies linking dairy to bone health," Dr. Deal says.
Dark leafy greens: They contain not just calcium (a cup of cooked kale has 94mg) but also hefty doses of vitamin K, which may help increase bone-mineral density. Get 90 to 120 micrograms of K daily (that cup of cooked kale has over 1,000).
Sardines: Their little crunchy bones are why a 3.75-ounce can holds about 351mg of calcium. They also pack 250 IU of bone-aiding vitamin D—try to get 600 IU daily.
RELATED: 11 Foods for Healthy Bones
STEER CLEAR OF TOO MUCH...
Salt: Ingesting excess sodium can make the body lose calcium—and bone. Aim for 2,300mg or less a day.
Booze: While research has found that women who drink one to two servings of alcohol a day have higher bone density than teetotalers, downing more than two servings a day may actually speed up bone loss.
Caffeine: Drinking more than three cups of coffee every day may interfere with calcium absorption, and some studies suggest that having cola at all is associated with bone loss, though the reasons why aren't yet clear.
Bone-builder No. 2: Calcium is key
Do you need a calcium pill? It depends. "If you're eating three or more servings of dairy a day, you're likely getting close to the recommended 1,000mg from your diet, which is really the preferred way, since calcium is most easily absorbed by your body through food," Dr. Singer says. But if you're not, which is probably true if you're lactose intolerant, vegan or over 50, consider taking a supplement. Since the mineral is best absorbed in doses of 600mg or less, divide your 1,000 to 1,200mg into two pills; take one in the morning and the other at night.
RELATED: 10 Healthy Calcium-Packed Recipes
Look for supps that contain vitamin D, too. While studies conflict when it comes to the benefits of taking D alone, experts agree that when paired with calcium, it's a no-brainer for bone health: "You need D to help pull in calcium," Dr. Deal says. A combination pill with up to 600mg of calcium and 400 IU of D, taken twice daily, should help most women. Talk to your doc if you're unsure about your dosage.
Bone-builder No. 3: Moving it
"Putting stress on bones"—like by pounding the treadmill or hoisting kettlebells—"forces them to make new cells, building their density," explains Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise. Here's what to do, and how often.
Weight-bearing exercise: The more body weight you put against your bones, the better, which is why relatively high-impact activities (like jogging and jumping rope) are ideal. Do half an hour most days, if possible—you can split it up into shorter bursts. If you're out of shape or getting over an injury, a lower-impact workout, such as walking, is fine. While no-impact activities like swimming and biking are great for your heart and muscle, they provide only modest benefits to your skeleton.
Resistance training: Two or three days a week, either lift dumbbells or work with your own body weight (think squats and lunges).
Balance exercises (Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi): Squeeze these in whenever you can: They improve your stability, so you're less likely to fall and break a bone.
Bone-building workouts ranked from most effective to least effective:
Jumping rope
Running
Resistance training
Tennis
Brisk walking
Aerobic dancing (like Zumba)
Stairmaster
Elliptical
Biking
Swimming
Yoga
Tai chi
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