Women's health20 min
Strong bones for women: ragi, sesame, curd and weight-bearing exercise
Women lose bone faster after 40 and especially after menopause, which raises the risk of fractures. Everyday Indian foods like ragi, til, curd, paneer and leafy greens, plus sunlight and weight-bearing exercise, help keep bones strong.
The Ayurvedic view
Ayurveda speaks of asthi dhatu, the bone tissue, and considers it especially vulnerable to vata as we age — dryness and porosity in both the Ayurvedic and literal sense. Nourishing foods, sesame oil massage and regular movement are its traditional supports. Modern science adds the essentials: enough calcium, vitamin D and protein, and exercise that loads the bones.
Ingredients
- Ragi (finger millet) flour for rotis, dosa or porridge
- 1 tablespoon white or black sesame (til) daily
- Curd, milk or fortified plant milk, paneer
- Leafy greens like methi, drumstick leaves and amaranth
How to prepare
- Make a quick ragi porridge: whisk 2 tablespoons ragi flour into 1 cup water or milk, cook for 5–7 minutes while stirring, and flavour with cardamom and a little jaggery or salt and buttermilk.
- Roast sesame and keep it ready to sprinkle on salads, sabzi and chutneys.
How to use
- Include two or three calcium-rich foods daily.
- Spend 15–20 minutes in morning sunlight a few times a week (arms and face exposed).
- Do weight-bearing exercise — brisk walking, stair climbing, dancing — and simple strength exercises with light weights or resistance bands.
Helpful habits
- Limit colas, excess salt and very high caffeine intake.
- Prevent falls at home: good lighting, non-slip mats, and removing loose rugs.
Precautions
- Don't start calcium or vitamin D supplements without asking your doctor, especially with kidney stones or kidney disease.
- Women over 50, or earlier with risk factors (early menopause, long-term steroid use, low body weight), should ask about a bone density test.
- Sudden back pain after a minor fall or lifting in an older person could be a fracture — see a doctor.
