| Osteoporosis is the loss of bony tissue resulting in | | | | be harmful and a dose of 400 IUs per day is |
| deformed and brittle bones. In osteoporosis the | | | | adequate for housebound elderly people. |
| bones literally waste away as their mineral density is | | | | - Vitamin K is just as important as vitamin D for the |
| gradually lost, making them increasingly weak and | | | | absorption calcium. Many supplements designed to |
| fragile. This is a common cause of fractures in the | | | | help treat osteoporosis fail to include vitamin K while |
| elderly. Thinning of the bones leads to increased risk | | | | others include an inappropriate form or simply provide |
| of fractures, particularly of the lumbar vertebrae, | | | | too little or an improperly balanced amount, having |
| wrist, hip, shoulder and the femur, or thigh bone. It is | | | | regard for the total effect of the supplement. |
| possible to prevent and to treat osteoporosis. | | | | - Foods containing boron, which reduces the body's |
| However, you must take action. | | | | excretion of calcium and magnesium, and increases |
| It is estimated that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 12 men | | | | the production of estrogen, should be eaten. These |
| over the age of 50 worldwide have osteoporosis. To | | | | foods include pears, prunes, raisins and apples. |
| appreciate who is at risk of developing osteoporosis, | | | | - Take plenty of antioxidants such as vitamin C, |
| consider the following factors that are associated | | | | vitamin E and vitamin A (as beta carotene). The |
| with the disease. | | | | antioxidants will help to slow degeneration. Vitamin C |
| - Older age | | | | is also important for the absorption of minerals such |
| - Caucasian or Asian race | | | | as zinc. |
| - Low levels of estrogen (for women) | | | | - Take essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 oils to |
| - Low levels of testosterone (for men) | | | | slow down the loss of calcium in the urine. |
| - Early menopause - before 45 years (either natural | | | | - Eat a diet that is low in or has eliminated dairy |
| or surgical) | | | | products and has reduced amounts of meat (once or |
| - In young women, later menstruation and | | | | twice per week for animal protein). Animal protein |
| menstruation that has stopped for more than six | | | | increase the rate at which calcium is withdrawn from |
| months | | | | the bones. |
| - Family history of hip replacements | | | | - You need to cleanse your body of toxic material so |
| - Low body weight and thin to small build | | | | that everything, including your bones and joints are |
| - A loss of height or stooped posture | | | | able to work effectively. |
| - Unexplained back pain | | | | - Get as much weight bearing exercise as you can. |
| - Lack of exercise now or as a child | | | | Placing demands on the bones by using the muscles |
| - Disabilities | | | | that are attached to them will encourage the body |
| - Long-term bed rest | | | | to build bone than to loose it. |
| - Excessive exercise | | | | - Doing all the above is important. Equally important is |
| - Cigarette smoking | | | | not doing things that will undermine your positive |
| - Previous bone fracture | | | | efforts. So it is important to avoid salt, sugar and |
| - Long term medication, including:o corticosteroidso | | | | refined carbohydrates, coffee and alcohol. |
| heparino thyroxino antacidso antibiotics and | | | | - Of course, if you smoke you are destroying your |
| antifungalso aspirino cholesterol lowering drugso ulcer | | | | health in many ways. It is essential that you stop |
| medications | | | | smoking. Join a quit smoking program such as and |
| - High alcohol intake | | | | gain support and assistance to quit for good. |
| - Diet that is low in calcium, zinc, vitamin D and | | | | - If you have caffeine, alcohol, antacids, drugs, sugar, |
| magnesium | | | | or refined food it won't matter how good the rest |
| - High caffeine intake | | | | of the diet is. When the body's pH balance becomes |
| - Eating disorders | | | | acidic, calcium is pulled from the bones to buffer this |
| - Chronic diseases of the kidney, lung, stomach and | | | | acidic state, thereby weakening the bones. A study |
| intestines, particularly malabsorption related conditions | | | | at the University of California, San Diego School of |
| such as celiac disease. | | | | Medicine at La Jolla reports that as little as two drinks |
| What can you do to help prevent or treat | | | | of alcohol in a day could cut the benefits of calcium in |
| osteoporosis? | | | | one's diet. |
| - An increased intake of magnesium, calcium and zinc | | | | - This brings us to the fact that you need to eat |
| may help prevent the worst effects of osteoporosis. | | | | plenty of calcium rich food such as collard and turnip |
| These can be taken as a part of a good vitamin and | | | | greens, dried figs, spinach, kale and broccoli. You will |
| mineral supplement as well as increasing the intake of | | | | note that dairy products and animal proteins are not |
| foods that are high in these minerals. In particular it is | | | | a part of this list. Indeed eating large amounts of |
| important to have sufficient zinc. | | | | dairy and other animal proteins can undermine all your |
| - Vitamin D is essential because it helps the body | | | | other efforts and can increase the loss of calcium |
| absorb calcium. You may have a vitamin D deficiency, | | | | from your bones - but how this occurs is another |
| perhaps because of inadequate exposure to sunlight, | | | | story. |
| and this should be rectified by allowing 10 to 15 | | | | If you have osteoporosis or are at risk of developing |
| minutes of sunlight onto arms, legs or back daily, | | | | osteoporosis there are many things that you can do |
| although the exact exposure requirements do vary | | | | to reverse the bone loss trend - but you need to |
| depending on geographic latitude, darkness of skin | | | | take action. The longer you delay in making positive |
| and even air quality. You should take care never to | | | | changes the harder it will be to improve your health |
| burn. Do not take too much vitamin D. Taking high | | | | later. |
| doses of vitamin D (10,000 to 50,000 IUs daily) may | | | | |