Strong, healthy bones are the answer to osteoporosis, but what is the answer to strong, healthy bones? Though studies are constantly being done to determine the best way to build strong bones, so far the best advice is to get plenty of vitamin D and calcium. While it has not been determined whether vitamin D works by itself, most health experts think that calcium does not; make sure to take them together for the best osteoporosis protection. Calcium builds bone, and vitamin D allows your body to absorb and use calcium, therefore calcium alone is not able to be absorbed by the body.

There are many ways to get vitamin D and calcium in your diet. While some opt for supplements, others opt for spending protected time in the sun and eating the correct foods.

The easiest way to get vitamin D is through sunlight. While some people don't want to expose themselves to the sun, it is recommended that only ten to fifteen minutes a day in sunlight is enough to get a healthy dose of vitamin D. Wearing a sunscreen with a 15 SPF (or higher) is highly recommended and will not keep the vitamin D from entering your body.

Foods that offer vitamin D are egg yolks, fortified dairy products, fortified cereals, and oily fish such as sardines (in oil), salmon, mackerel, and tuna (in oil). Cod liver oil is also an excellent source of vitamin D.

For calcium, you can eat a wide variety of dairy products, leafy greens such as kale and broccoli, and fish such as sardines and salmon. Eating sardines, salmon, and fortified dairy products should take care of your needs for vitamin D and calcium.

If you aren't sure whether you are getting enough vitamin D and calcium, add supplements to your diet.

Getting enough vitamin D and calcium in one's diet will make you less likely to develop osteoporosis; they are the most important nutrients you can consume for keeping your bones strong and healthy. Studies have found that children who do not get enough of these nutrients in childhood are more likely to develop osteoporosis in their later years.

Not all research has shown that vitamin D plus calcium reduces the chances of broken bones, but enough research has shown the correlation to warrant doctors recommending the nutrients for their patients.