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Posts Tagged ‘Osteoporosis’

Menopause is a difficult experience for any woman. The symptoms are irritating. Most treatments take exorbitant amounts of time to actually show results and some never do. You probably have all sorts of people giving you unsolicited advice. You pray for the day when you go deaf so you won’t have to hear everyone’s advice. Truthfully, it’s expected since one of your symptoms is irritability. Fortunately, for those around you there are many treatment options available.

When you discover one treatment doesn’t work for you don’t fret there is likely more. Here are some proven effective treatments you might not know about yet.

Develop a diet rich in phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens come from a variety of naturally occurring foods. Lignans are one of the types of phytoestrogen available in the food we eat. You can find lignans in foods that contain flaxseed, whole grains and they are also in many fruits and vegetables.

Isoflavones are also found in some beans. Most women will forgo hormone replacement therapy by using these foods rich in phytoestrogens. Tests have shown some promise as far as phytoestrogens are concerned but there is no solid proof that they can completely replace hormones. Treatment results vary greatly depending on the person. Many women describe fewer symptoms with treatment. Hormone therapy has also been reported to diminish these symptoms. It should go without writing but to keep everything covered and spelled out: a healthy and balanced diet really is an effective menopause treatment. Consuming a balanced and nutritious diet will help you keep your whole body healthy. Of course the needs of a woman going through menopause are going to be different than the needs of a woman who has not gone through the change yet. One’s calcium intake should be increased during and after menopause. If you want to keep osteoporosis at bay and keep your bone density levels up, doctors say you should get at least 1200mgs of calcium.

Smoking is, obviously, a no-no. Actually, you should not ever smoke. Quitting smoking can make you more irritable in the beginning but once you get over the initial withdrawals, leaving nicotine behind is a quite effective menopause treatment. Women who do not smoke experience fewer hot flashes. If you smoke you will probably go through menopause earlier than your non-smoking friends. So throw out the cigarettes!

You cannot universally treat menopause. No single treatment that will help every menopausal woman exists. Most women find that a combination of herbal, medicinal and lifestyle treatment is the best menopause treatment method. Other women choose only one form of treatment. Still others insist that menopause is not actually happening to them. You will figure out what is best for you. Make sure, however, that no matter what kind of menopause treatment that you decide to try, you run it past your doctor. Don’t try anything new without your doctor’s okay. You want to help yourself not hurt yourself.

When I saw the headlines, “Chocolate Causes Osteoporosis” I knew I was in trouble. As expected I came into the office to tons of emails from chocolate lovers everywhere who wanted to know if their love affair with their creamy sweetie was at an end. It especially hit home when my own mother told me that she was giving up her occasional chocolate square because she read the news that her bones were damned if she didn’t cease consuming chocolate entirely.

So what is the deal?

In a recent study, scientists evaluated the food diaries of over one thousand senior women (ages 70-85). After evaluating the records and comparing a number of variables to bone density it was discovered that women who ate chocolate one time or more daily had weaker bones than those who ate it less than once a week. In fact the group who ate chocolate daily had bone densities that were 3.1% lower than their counterparts who ate chocolate less than once per week.

Thus the headlines… Chocolate Causes Osteoporosis.

So does chocolate cause osteoporosis? Not likely. This study is considered preliminary research because it does not show cause and effect. Although the statistics show a correlation between chocolate and bone loss, there are just too many other factors (perhaps thousands) that can account for the findings that chocolate eaters have lower bone density. For instance, is it possible that people who eat chocolate daily take less care of themselves compared to people who eat it once a week? In my book, daily chocolate consumption suggests either a lack of health knowledge or a disregard for health and fitness. Is it then feasible that the group who eats chocolate daily also eats other acidic foods, sugary foods, drinks more sodas, exercises less, etc?

Of Course! This study falls into a class of research called observational or epidemiological research which is considered the weakest form of study. This type of research commonly acts as the launching board for more expensive and involved double blind research. In the case of chocolate, I doubt we will see this type of research completed.

Is it possible that these findings are accurate? Is it possible that there is some compound in chocolate that causes bone loss? As a scientist, I must concede the possibility, however, it is highly unlikely! Should we eat chocolate daily? Of course not, at least not in quantity, but should my dear mother, who eats well, takes her supplements, goes to her daily “Guts and Butts” exercise class avoid her chocolate square once or twice a week…No! She is 72 years old and deserves to enjoy her chocolate square and it is unfortunate that many people will likely fall prey to this ploy to sell newspapers.

Vitamin D and osteoporosis are an osteoporosis treatment combination that many healthcare practitioners closely follow.

The body requires adequate calcium intake as well as an adequate intake of vitamin D in order to maintain strong, dense and healthy bones.

Vitamin D alone is not sufficient for the treatment of osteoporosis. Nor are vitamin D and calcium alone and adequate treatment choice.

But vitamin D is an important component in the treatment of osteoporosis for many reasons. It helps with the absorption of calcium from the intestines.

Without adequate absorption of calcium, the calcium is unable to be metabolized as the body needs and so it sits there in the gut and is completely ineffective. When you have an insufficient amount of vitamin D in your body, bones that are already weakened become even more so.

Vitamin D comes from both your diet and from exposure to the sunlight. People living in sunny areas of the country don’t seem to have any problem producing the majority of the vitamin D that they need from the sunlight.

But if you look at the folks that live in the less sunny regions, then they seem to struggle with an adequate production of vitamin D. This is particularly true among the elderly who live in these less sunny regions. It puts them at even higher risk for osteoporotic fractures.

The Institute of Medicine has recommendations as to an adequate vitamin intake D regardless of whether you are battling osteoporosis or not.

Men and women aged 19 to 50 should take 200 IU per day. Men and women from the ages of 51 to 70 years old should take a 400 IU of vitamin D per day.

While men and women 71 years of age and older should ingest 600 IU per day. But the catch is, if you already have osteoporosis then you should take 400 IU two times per day.

Vitamin D and osteoporosis are important to manage appropriately since chronic overuse of vitamin D, especially above 2000 units per day, can cause toxic levels of vitamin D, excessively high calcium levels in the urine and blood, and even the development of kidney stones.

It’s like you are trading one problem for another one, not necessarily the smartest thing to do. It is important to talk with your physician prior to the initiation of vitamin D into your daily routine.

All sources are in agreement that getting enough calcium, magnesium, and Vitamin D combined with proper exercise is necessary to prevent osteoporosis. Even once you have a diagnosis, these factors will help decrease your likelihood of fracture and prevent further bone loss. On the medication front, biphosphonates such as Fosomax and Actonel have been shown to increase bone density and reverse bone loss.

Our bones hold 99% of our body’s total calcium. If we do not ingest enough calcium to assist the bone remodeling process our system takes it out of the bones themselves. Therefore, adults over 50 should take 1200-1500 mg of calcium per day along with 600-750 mg of magnesium and 400-600 mg of Vitamin D to assist absorption. As our bodies do not hold on to the calcium we don’t use, it is better to spread your calcium supplements over the course of the day. And always take your pills with 8 ounces of water.

In addition to nutrition and medication, the best thing we can do for our bones is exercise on them. Wolff’s law states that bone becomes stronger in response to increased stress i.e., exercise. Weight bearing activities such as walking and dancing are done upright and require our bones to fully resist the forces of gravity. Maintenance of bone density is accomplished by long term routine loading on our bones, specifically while standing or in spinal extension. Once there is a diagnosis of low bone density spinal flexion (bending forward) is contra-indicated.

Osteoporosis is a common condition which can affect both men and women. Since osteoporosis is a degenerative disease, bone density is lost over time. It is possible to reverse the side effects of osteoporosis, however. Before you try any osteoporosis treatment, it is a good idea to consult your doctor.

However, if you have found that the latest treatment for brittle bones just does ever seem to work for you, then it may time to try some different and more natural osteoporosis treatments.

The first natural treatment that you will want to think about is your diet. For years, people with this serious health disease have been told that their diets should mainly consist of high amounts of Calcium. The latest treatment for osteoporosis and treating the bone disease shows that more than Calcium is needed in the diets of those who suffer from osteoporosis.

A diet which consists mainly of fruits and vegetables, as well as a minimal amount of saturated and trans fat, is ideal for someone with this health condition. Keep in mind that a well balanced diet will not only help treat osteoporosis, but it will help prevent this disease from occurring at all.

Another main key to naturally preventing and treating osteoporosis is a regular exercise routine. Remaining active will help ensure that your bones stay healthy and strong. Of course, this is not only an osteoporosis treatment, but a treatment for almost everything.

If you follow a regular exercise routine, as well as a healthy diet, you will also be able to prevent yourself from experiencing other conditions aside from osteoporosis.

Finally, if have had no success with the latest treatment for osteoporosis, you may want to think about taking a supplement. There are several different supplements that doctors recommend as treatment options for osteoporosis. Calcium and Vitamin D are both known to prevent further loss in bone density.

Whether you take these supplements individually or you opt for a multi-vitamin, this is a very effective and natural osteoporosis treatment. And it is better if you take a complete balanced nutritional supplement rather than a simple vitamin supplement as the body needs a wide range of vitamins and minerals in balance to operate to it’s optimum.

As you can see, there are several different options available for those who are looking for a natural and organic method of treating osteoporosis. Rather than just looking for the latest treatment for osteoporosis you may want to consider combining a well balanced diet, exercise routine and the best organic and natural supplements into your life. This may well be far healthier than just a drug based approach.

It’s not uncommon for people to get osteoporosis these days. Especially frail and prone to it are the elderly. Before I start discussing the treatment of osteoporosis, I want to take you back to how you evolved.

Take a look at your teeth. Do they look more like cats teeth or horses teeth? You may not know what their teeth look like, so I’ll tell you. Cats teeth are sharp and spiky. Horses teeth are flat and blunt. Which do yours resemble?

Cats are carnivores and rely heavily on meat to have a healthy life. Horses are herbivores and they need an exclusive diet of plant material to live in a healthy way. You are an omnivore. But, judging by your teeth, you are at the herbivore end. Unlike dogs, also omnivores, whose teeth are very similar to cats, putting them at the carnivore end.

Those animals who digest plant material need long intestines, and sometimes multiple stomachs, as plant material can take a while to digest. Raw meat, on the other hand, digests quite quickly (as opposed to cooked meat). So exclusive meat eaters tend to have short intestines. Your intestines are longer than the equivalent of cats and shorter than the equivalent of horses.

These two factors mean that you evolved on a diet of mostly plant material, but with meat occasionally. Chimpanzees, our closest relatives, eat meat occasionally – from anywhere between once a week to once a month. Where did the idea of eating meat two, even three times a day come from? Probably because it was a symbol of wealth. I believe that this is one of the most important contributors to the prevalence of osteoporosis.

With this firmly in mind, the treatment of osteoporosis is suddenly crystal clear. Cut back on your meat consumption and increase your fresh fruit and veggies. Putting it another way, meat makes you acid. Fruit and veggies make you alkaline. Your body pH should be slightly alkaline, for optimum health.

Natural treatment of osteoporosis can be as simple as changing your diet. Reduce your animal protein and up your fresh fruit and veggie intake. Green leafy veggies are especially dense in calcium in an easily absorbable and balanced form.

Supplements can be a good idea to ensure you are getting all the nutrients you need. But there are the good, the bad and the ugly supplements. How do you know which is good value for money and won’t harm?

Supplements should be in the form of a naturally occurring food, in perfect balance with all the other nutrients you need. Not in an isolated or synthetic mineral supplement which at best is a waste of money, and at worst can cause harm.