Ladies, Drink milk now!

Milk is no mere kids' stuff. Research in France shows that calcium and vitamin D in milk not only build bones but could prevent serious hip fractures in older women.

In French study, 1'634 elderly women received calcium and vitamin supplements daily for 18 months. Another similar size group received a placebo (fake pills). The study found that only 21 in the supplemented group had hip fractures compared to 37 in the placebo group. This was a 43 per cent reduction in hip fractures while non-vertebral fracatures were also cut by 32 per cent.

But there's a catch, you need a dozen glasses of milk to match the high calcium and vitamin diet in the study. Still, the researchers are excited because hip fractures only affect women late in life. Besides, nutritionists say we absorb lots of calcium from vegetables like soy beans, broccoli, kale and bok choy.

So it makes sense to bolster our diet now to build up bone density and to protect against serious fracture later.