Easy keys to strong bones (and more!)

You know healthy bones protect against fractures if you fall. Buta strong skeleton also helps you stand tall to improve lung function by up to 111%, plus curbs breakdown in the spine to cut back pain risk by 61% and preserves sound-conducting bones in the ear to reduce hearing loss risk by 44%. The strategies that make it simple...

- Melissa Gotthardt

Spoon up tomato soup

Or savor tomato sauce over pasta. Tomatoes’ lycopene inhibits the action of bone-degrading cells called osteoclasts. And in a Harvard study, women whose diets were high in lycopene had bones up to 118% stronger than those who ate low amounts. Tip: Lycopene is higher in cooked tomatoes since heat releases the nutrient from tomato cells. When salads and salsa call for raw veggies, add olive oil or avocado oil. Doing so boosts lycopene absorption by as much as 340%!

Sip a hot toddy