Vitamin K - helps us keep strong, healthy bones as we age!
So I ended up at the hospital this week.
My 3 1/2 year, Hendrix, fell off the monkey bars and fractured his elbow.
Again!
Luckily, kids bones are young and 'green' and heal very well, unlike our old and more brittle bones which tend to break rather than fracture, and take longer to repair.
There is a vitamin that helps us keep strong, healthy bones as we age.
Vitamin K
There are actually two main types: vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) and vitamin K2 (menaquinone). Vitamin K1 is the most common source of vitamin K found in plant foods like leafy green vegetables. Vitamin K2, on the other hand, is found in animal products and fermented foods. Foods high in vitamin K2 include meat, dairy and natto. Vitamin K2 is also produced by the beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome.
Getting enough vitamin K is key to maintaining healthy bones because it's involved in bone metabolism and increases the amount of a specific protein that is required to maintain the calcium in our bones.
Several studies have found that increasing our intake of vitamin K can help reduce the risk of bone fractures and help prevent osteoporosis (along with weight training a few times per week, getting daily sun exposure and eating plenty of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids).
MY TOP TIP: Start every day with a green juice for a plethora of health benefits!
Other benefits include:
Cancer Fighting
Vitamin K foods like leafy greens are packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants, which help prevent damage from free radicals and decrease the risk of cancer — making vitamin K foods some of the best cancer-fighting foods.
Healthy Heart
In a 2009 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition with 388 participants, vitamin K1 was found to slow the progression of coronary artery calcification in older adults. Other studies have also confirmed the beneficial effects of vitamin K1 on vascular calcification, a condition in which calcium deposits build up in the arteries and cause blood vessels to lose elasticity. (1)
Improve Insulin Sensitivity
Increasing our intake of vitamin K may help with insulin sensitivity to help maintain normal blood sugar levels. In addition to including plenty of vitamin K foods in our diet, we can increase our physical activity, reduce our carb intake and eat plenty of protein- and fibre-rich foods to help stabilise blood sugar levels and prevent insulin resistance.
Vitamin K rich foods
Greens (kale, spinach, silverbeet, etc)
Brussel sprouts
Broccoli
Fish
Cabbage
Eggs
Fermented foods (kefir, sauerkraut)
PS rest assured, Hendrix hasn't missed a beat, a fractured elbow doesn't impede him whatsoever - check him out on his skateboard fracture and all!
Every small change WILL become the big difference
in your life.
With so much love,
Katie Jane
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