PREVENTING OSTEOPOROSIS WITH BETTER BONE HEALTH....( part 2 )

Our bones define us, make us beautiful, provide leverage for movement and allow us to stand upright. We build bone until our third decade. After that, a steady loss begins, like sand slipping through an hourglass.

Nevertheless, while osteoporosis has become a major public health problem, it is not inevitable. A number of strategies will keep your bones strong—and some of them run counter to the party line on osteoporosis prevention.

Granted, some of the osteoporosis risk factors are outside of your control—namely being older, female, menopausal or white. Happily, you have some control over a fleet of bone-robbers: inactivity; stress overload; malnutrition; cigarette smoking; being excessively thin; hiding from the sun; and excessive consumption of caffeine, alcohol, sodas, salt and acidifying foods.  

MOVE YOUR BONES

Physical activity tones bone and muscle, and strong muscles minimize the risk of bone-shattering falls.

To stimulate new bone formation, the exercise has to stress the bone.

Weight-bearing exercises—walking, jogging, jumping rope, and climbing stairs—maintain hips and spine.

Strength-training exercises (working against the resistance of weights, elastic bands or tubes, or your own body weight) also strengthens your bones.

It’s never too late to start. Research shows that endurance and resistance training boosts bone mass in elders.

Exercises like tai chi and yoga that improve balance are valuable to help prevent falls.

One study showed tai chi reduced bone loss in postmenopausal women.

“Mix it up,” suggests Amy Joy Lanou, Ph.D., associate professor of health and wellness at the University of North Carolina and coauthor of Building Bone Vitality (McGraw-Hill, 2009). “Walk every day. Practice yoga or garden a couple days a week.” 

In her book, Lanou and coauthor Michael Castleman highlight data suggesting that dairy consumption does not reduce fracture rates. In fact, fracture rates are higher in countries where dairy consumption is high, such as Norway and the United States.

In many parts of the world—including those with relatively low fracture rates, such as Asia and Africa—humans don’t drink milk once they’ve been weaned.

ACIDIC DIETS AFFECT BONES

Curiously, before agriculture gave us a ready supply of dairy cows and cereal grains, humans had more massive bones. So says Michael Bizeau, Ph.D., assistant professor and coordinator of the nutrition program at Metropolitan State College of Denver.

Our ancestors ate non-grain vegetables, fruits and, when the hunters got lucky, meat. Bizeau thinks we still haven’t adapted to a grain-heavy diet, which can generate acid and inflammation and which contains phytates that bind minerals like calcium in the gut.

What does acid and inflammation have to do with bones?

A lot, as it turns out. Inflammation has been linked to osteoporosis, as well as a number of other diseases. Anti-inflammatory diets—those rich in vegetables, fruits and omega-3 fatty acids—appear to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. This kind of diet is also alkalinizing (which reduces acidity).

Diets that generate acid cause calcium loss. Here’s why:

Acid-base balance is critical for many bodily processes. When dietary acid enters the blood, calcium compounds come out of bone to neutralize it. Eventually, that calcium is flushed out in the urine. Although the loss is small, the theory is that, over time, acidic diets slowly, steadily deplete the bone’s calcium stores.

Which foods generate acid?

Dairy products, eggs, meat, some beans, some nuts and cereal grains. Lanou says hard cheeses, like cheddar or Swiss, are the worst offenders.

On the other hand, alkalinizing foods are fruits (especially dried fruits) and the vast majority of vegetables.

While higher-protein foods generally produce acid, plant foods—even those rich in protein—contain alkaline nutrients.

Protein is critical for bone health. Plants have that, plus a host of other bone-essential nutrients—calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin K, boron and others.

And, as noted above, they’re more likely to be anti-inflammatory. Studies have indeed shown an association between high fruit and vegetable consumption and greater bone mineral density.

Disclaimer: The information on this POST is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional advice. The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this article is for general information purposes / educational purposes only, and to ensue discussion or debate.

Thank you …Build a strong structure

When it comes to building strong bones, there are two key nutrients: calcium and vitamin D. Calcium supports your bones and teeth structure, while vitamin D improves calcium absorption and bone growth.

These nutrients are important early in life, but they may also help as you age. If you develop osteoporosis, a disease characterized by brittle and breaking bones, getting plenty of calcium and vitamin D may slow the disease and prevent fractures.

Adults up to age 50 should get 1,000 milligrams of calcium and 200 international units (IUs) of vitamin D a day. Adults over 50 should get 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 400 to 600 IU of vitamin D.

Liked what you just read? 

Spinach

Don't eat dairy products? Spinach will be your new favorite way to get calcium. One cup of cooked spinach contains almost 25% of your daily calcium, plus fiber, iron, and vitamin A.

Fortified cereal

Certain cereals—like Kashi U Black Currants and Walnuts, Total Whole Grain, and Wheaties—contain up to 25% of your daily vitamin D. When you don't have time to cook salmon or get out in the sun, cereals can be a tasty way to get your vitamin D.

Want to add word or two ?

You have more calcium in your body than any other mineral, and 99% of it is stored in your bones and teeth. This means consuming enough calcium is critical for keeping your bones and teeth strong, especially as you age. Calcium is also important for your nerves, heart, and muscle function.

Your comment ….?

A true calcium deficiency, or hypocalcaemia, usually has nothing to do with diet. Instead, blood levels of calcium become too low as a result of taking certain medications and medical conditions. 

Calcium inadequacy is more common, which is when someone's dietary intake of the mineral is lower than recommended. This can lead to health problems like osteoporosis over time.

Instead of milk, also green leafy vegetables, such as kale, are key to building stronger bones.