Gwyneth Paltrow was a vegan for many years. While she still enjoys vegan fare, these days she doesn't rule out any one food.

That may be a good thing because she was diagnosed with osteopenia in 2010, alerting her to the risk for brittle-bone disease (osteoporosis). 

A new study found that compared to meat-eaters, vegans with lower calcium and protein intake have a 43% higher risk of bone fractures, especially of the hips, legs, and vertebrae.

The solution is to make sure that you eat foods — and take supplements, if necessary — that provide ample calcium and vitamin D. The combination of those two nutrients was found in a recent meta-analysis to be protective against fractures.

Foods that provide calcium include broccoli, kale, and Chinese cabbage, as well as the soft, edible bones in canned sardines and canned salmon. There's also added calcium in some cereals, juices, soy drinks, and tofu.

Still, most people only get around half of the 1,200 mg of calcium they need daily, so you should consider taking a 600 mg calcium citrate supplement (or more, if prescribed).

In addition, we recommend 2,000 IU a day of vitamin D3. And get a blood test to check your D levels — you want a reading of 50-80 ng/mL.

Those steps, along with regular exercise, can help prevent osteoporosis. We suggest resistance exercises and 20 jumps morning and night — if your doctor agrees.

If a bone scan indicates you have osteoporosis, discuss medication risks and benefits with your doctor.