DIET AND FITNESS:
Osteoporosis --Top 10 Natural
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March 15, 2010, Last Updated July 16, 2012
By Katrina Devine, Contributing Columnist and Susan
Callahan, Health Editor
Do you think osteoporosis is something that only
menopausal women should worry about? Well you’re wrong.
Every single American is at risk whether male or female. Yes
there are some heightened risk factors in genders, ages and
races but we all have the potential to suffer from
osteoporosis.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation has estimated that 10
million Americans are currently suffering with osteoporosis
and another 34 million are at risk. 80% of those affected are
women. Which means that 20% are male which is quit a
large number. What can you do to prevent osteoporosis?
Are there any natural remedies for osteoporosis once you
have it?
Osteoporosis, literally translated from its Latin roots, means
“porous bone”. This name gives us a better picture of what
is actually wrong when someone has osteoporosis. Our
bones need to be a certain ‘weight’ or density, when some
one develops osteoporosis their bones lose their density, this
is measured by bone mass density (BMD) tests.
It is usual that once diagnosed with osteoporosis your
doctor will prescribe a certain drug to help your bones.
Below are 10 natural remedies that may help increase your
bone mass density or decrease your rate of fractures:
1. Gain Weight - A study conducted by the University of
Bergen, Norway in 2008 found that being underweight is
related to osteoporosis. The bone mass density of those who
are significantly under the recommended weight for their
height was below what was required to be healthy. Those
who are underweight do have or are at a higher risk of
developing osteoporosis. Take a look at the government’s
recommendations on what is a healthy weight and make sure
you’re within its guidelines.
2. Do Weight bearing exercises (strength training) - Weight
bearing exercises help to strengthen the bones and prevent
fractures. The Centers for Disease Control recommends the
following exercises: walking, jogging or running, tennis or
racquetball, field hockey, stair climbing, jumping rope,
basketball, dancing, hiking, soccer and weightlifting. Adults
should engage in at least 30 minutes of activity per day.
The University of Arizona in 2007 recommends the following
weight training exercises; squat, military press, lat pull
down, leg press, back extension and seated row. They
recommend three weight training sessions a week.
3. Dump the Red Meat. Red meat can increase your risk for
osteoporosis. A diagnosis of osteoporosis may mean a
complete change in what you eat. Most of the
recommendations below will tell you what you should eat
but there is one warning about what you should not eat.
A study completed by Harvard in 1996 suggested that red
meat protein could be linked to increased fractures. Women
with a diet containing 5 or more servings of red meat a week
were at increased risk. The same can not be said from
vegetable protein which seemed not to affect the rate of
fractures.
Some researchers believe that animal protein inhibits your
body’s ability to absorb calcium.
4. Add Calcium to Your Diet- Calcium is good for your bones,
this is pretty basic. Specifically, calcium reduces your risk for
osteoporosis. The Centers for Disease Control recommends
an intake of 1000mg to 1200mg for adults. Calcium can be
found in dairy products such as nonfat milk, cheese and
yoghurt. It can also be found in dark green leafy vegetables
such as bok choy (Chinese cabbage) and broccoli. The other
two important sources are almonds and fortified foods such
as orange juice and tofu products.
While getting extra calcium from food is non-controversial, a
new study suggests that taking calcium supplements for
bone strength actually might increase your risk for heart
disease.
A 2010 study from the University of Auckland in New
Zealand lead by Dr. Ian Reid found that women who take
calcium supplements experienced a 30% higher rate of heart
attacks than women who don't. The New Zealand study was
a so-called "mega-study" , meaning it drew upon numerous
other studies to reach its conclusions. In this case the mega-
study looked at 11 other separate studies involving 12,000
people.
At this point, health authorities in the US have not changed
their dietary guidelines for calcium supplements until other
studies are conducted to confirm the New Zealand result. As
Dr. Margery Gass, Executive Director of the North American
Menopause Association stated: “While we recognize that
raises a red flag, we like to see other studies find the same
results before making a change in guidelines,” she says.
“They don’t know the reason or mechanism behind their
findings.” (Bookmark this chart of calcium rich foods.)
5. Don't Forget Your Vitamin D. However, calcium doesn’t
work alone. Vitamin D helps the absorbing of calcium. A
study completed by the University of Western Sydney in
2007 found that by using a combination of calcium and
Vitamin D supplements they were able to reduce fractures by
12%. Vitamin D can be found mostly in fish such as; cod liver
oil, salmon, mackerel and tuna. Most milk is fortified with
vitamin D and if you are a vegan the best source is fortified
cereals.
6. Take Vitamin B12/ folic acid- Two studies point to Vitamin
B-12 increasing bone mineral densisty. The first was
completed by the University of California, San Francisco in
2004 and the second was completed by Tufts University in
2005. These studies both suggested that those with a low
Vitamin B12 intake tended to have a lower bone mineral
density. They also tended to suffer more fractures.
7. Take Magnesium- Doctors at Cornell University suggest
that magnesium helps reduce your risk for osteoporosis.
You need about 500mg of magnesium per day and can be
found in most whole products such as brown rice, rye,
wheat germ, and whole grain cereals.
8. Consider Boron Rich Foods- Boron is a chemical element
used in the production of things like windshields. It is
however a naturally occurring element that has biological
benefits for plants and animals. The US department of
agriculture found that those women who took 3mgs of
boron per day excreted less calcium.
The main sources of boron are many fruits and vegetables
but the levels depend on how much boron is already present
in the soil. Pulses and nuts can also contain boron.
9. Try Herbal remedies- In women osteoporosis can be
caused by a lack of hormones during menopause.
Osteoporosis in menopausal women is usually treated by
drugs containing hormones (hormone replaement therapy).
Some natural remedies can replace these hormones and help
produce more estrogen. A study completed in UCLA in 2000
found that these herbal remedies can be an effective
alternative to hormone replacement therapy. The most
common herbal remedies for osteoporosis are black cohosh,
flax, kuduz and red clover. As the study cautions, you
should be careful to take these herbs properly as they can be
dangerous. Always consult your doctor or herbal medicine
practitioner before taking these herbal supplements.
10. Give up your vices- A Texas A&M University study in
2003 showed that smoking was a factor that has been linked
to osteoporosis. The tobacco inhibits the body’s ability to
absorb calcium. It also breaks down estrogen in women at a
faster rate than normal. It is also generally linked to a
decrease in physical activity. Giving up tobacco can help
elevate these risk factors in osteoporosis. Excessive amounts
of alcohol consumption have also been linked to
osteoporosis for similar reasons to tobacco. Here is a list of
natural tips to help you stop or cut back on smoking.
As the Centers for Disease Control points out, the best
remedy is prevention. Young girls especially should get
enough calcium and take care of their bones throughout
childhood to decrease the risk of osteoporosis later in life.
All of the vitamins can be taken as supplements if you find it
difficult to fit them into your diet but remember healthy
eating is the key to fighting osteoporosis.
11. Bonus Tip. Stop drinking sodas. Carbonated drinks are
bad for your health for many reasons, including that they
de-mineralize bones by driving down your levels of calcium.
So, give up the fizzle.
You're just getting started. Learn more about the
relationship between your diet and your risk for other
diseases and conditions: How to Lose Weight After
Menopause/Best Breakfast to Fight Arthritis/ Health Dangers
of Milk / Lose Weight by Lowering Thermostat / Lose Belly
Fat After the Baby/ Foods That Shrink Your Waist/ Drinking
Cold Water Burns Calories / Six Pack Abs-A Guided Tour
/Top 10 Foods That Fight Anemia / How Much Is Too Much
Salt? /Sugar-The Disease Connection / Are Diet Sodas Bad
for Your Health? / Ideal Breakfast for Diabetics / Ideal
Breakfast for Arthritis /Healing Foods Links / Foods That
Shrink Your Waist / Foods That Lower Cholesterol/ VLDL-
The Other Cholesterol/ Foods That Reduce Blood Pressure
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