Osteoporosis —Fighting The ‘Brittle Bone’ Disease

Hey friends,

Lately, I have been researching so many topics of interest in health and diet as I have always been because I have so much passion for health and foods. I’m always interested in studies that can improve health and foods that are healthy. Today, I want to share with you what I have learned about Osteoporosis.

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According to “Osteoporosis—A Guide to Prevention & Treatment, by John F. Aloia, M.D. “Osteoporosis is a condition in which the amount of bone tissue is so low that the bones easily fracture in response to minimal force. A person with osteoporosis can fracture a wrist or hip from a fall on the ice or receive a broken rib from an affectionate hug. . . . In fact, the amount of bone tissue may be so low that a person fractures the spine simply by carrying the weight of the body.”

Do you suffer from osteoporosis? This bone-thinning disorder is common among postmenopausal women. Yet, it can develop in younger women as well as in men. It is believed that it affects as many as 15-20 million individuals in the United States alone. In that country, osteoporosis is blamed for about 1.3 million fractures in people aged 45 and older.

Useful Health Tips to Combat Osteoporosis

A publication of the California Medical Education and Research Foundation, explains: “Although the symptoms of osteoporosis are most visible in the later years, the process that weakens bones actually begins 30-40 years before the first fracture occurs. At the subsequent age (from 35), both men and women start to lose bone mass. As the bones become lighter and thinner, fractures can occur more easily and may heal slowly because the body is not able to form new bone as easily as it once was. The precise cause of osteoporosis is not known, but inadequate calcium and vitamin D in the diet, reduced estrogen levels in women and insufficient exercise may all contribute to its development.”

Therefore, it is important to ensure that the body has the proper amount of calcium along with vitamin D, which is essential for calcium absorption. Another preventive measure is regular weight-bearing exercise, such as walking or jogging.

Postural correction and strengthening exercises are important to managing the disease. An ideal exercise program for an older osteoporotic patient should be easy to understand, simple to carry out, and safe.

Of course, osteoporosis cannot be cured, but new medications for it are becoming available. Furthermore, it may be prevented by proper nutrition, adequate exercise, and for some, hormone replacement therapy. For best result, these measures must be initiated before bone loss begins and must be continued for life.

Symptoms

The book Understanding Your Body—Every Woman’s Guide to a Lifetime of Health notes that one of the common symptoms associated with menopause is bone strength loss. It states: “Osteoporosis, literally porous bones, is a common and important health problem for women after menopause.”

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Causes

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Likely causes include:

-Outdoor sunlight, less than three hours a week
-Low calcium intake
-High caffeine and/or phosphate intake

Take These To Prevent Osteoporosis

1. Calcium
2. Vitamin D
3. Sunshine
4. Good posture
5. Back-care precautions
6. Exercise
7. Avoid smoking

Foods to get calcium

-Nonfat milk
-Cheddar cheese
-Yogurt
-Beef, chicken, fish
-Canned salmon
-Tofu (soybean curd)
-Almonds
-Walnuts
-Broccoli
-Spinach
-Turnip greens
-Apricots