Sunday 25 December 2011
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Osteoporosis is a major problem in the modern world. A woman had a higher chance, at almost 10 times greater, of getting a fracture related to osteoporosis compared to being diagnosed with breast cancer. Osteoporosis is also found to be five times more likely to occur than a heart attack. Anyone planning to live up to 85 years old would have a 30% chance of getting a hip fracture.
Why is this so? Experts believe that part of the problem lies in the basic human mindset over these last three decades: believing that medicine was the answer to all the physical issues faced by human beings. As such, diet and lifestyle took a backseat. Unfortunately, for osteoporosis especially, the drugs commonly prescribed are actually not as effective as people believe. They have also recently been found to have more long-term side effects, which include a wide range of physical ailments as well!
From these findings, experts are fast pointing back to proper nutrition and exercise. Medication is now only resorted to in cases of severe osteoporosis or when the person has suffered a fracture related to osteoporosis. For example, fractures related to osteoporosis typically come about from falls. The risk that an individual has for suffering a fall is actually more directly related to her balance skills and strength compared to her bone density score. Granted, muscles and bones have their size and strength decrease as the person ages; but there are factors that directly affect this decline, including muscle strength that is responsible for moving that bone. Regular exercise not only builds muscle, the bone also benefits from being strengthened and increased in its density. It would seem that bones react to stress in a way similar to muscles, wherein they become stronger and bigger.
As such, having regular exercise is a great way to fight against osteoporosis, most particularly the back and the legs. Experts in fact believe that muscle strength is an accurate gauge of predicting bone strength, and that improving muscle strength is actually the most effective way of improving the strength of one’s bones.
Meanwhile, nutrition is also an important determinant of the health of one’s bones. Of course, just about any woman has heard all the hype about an inadequate supply of dairy being directly related to poor levels of calcium which ultimately results in osteoporosis. But do you know that calcium is not all there is when it comes to bone health? Fruits and vegetables continue to lay claim as the best food choices, even over dairy, for dealing with osteoporosis. Why? These food choices, as well as beans and nuts, not only come rich in calcium, they also contain potassium, magnesium, vitamin K, and vegetable protein. They also come with micronutrients and phytochemicals that play a crucial role in bone health. Vitamin K is also found to be crucial for bone health, and fruits and vegetables are rich in this nutrient.
While calcium is indeed important, a person actually does not need as much of it as she is led to believe, and dairy certainly is not the only source. In fact, when a person eats a fairly balanced diet high in fruits and veggies, she will not likely be lacking in calcium, as fruits and veggies, as are all “natural” foods, all contain calcium. The advantage of fruits and veggies as a source of calcium is that they are alkaline, or they do not produce acid, which do not result in the loss of calcium through the urinary tract. Also, the absorption rate of calcium for green vegetables is found to be more than 50%, while milk has been found to have about 32% absorption rate.
It would seem that the reason why dairy was added and popularized as a calcium source could be related to the average American diet centered on meat and carbs. When a person’s diet was only composed of refined grains, animal meat, and sugar, calcium will definitely be lacking, and dairy seems to be the right answer. However, experts also show that relying on dairy without having enough vegetables may actually worsen one’s bone health.
Vitamin D is another crucial vitamin. Children know this as the vitamin we get from the sun. Perhaps the problem with osteoporosis could be related to the higher probability of people working indoors all day, and thus becoming deficient in the sunshine vitamin.
From these points, it would seem that your best bet for fighting osteoporosis would therefore be a balanced diet loaded with fruits and vegetables, a regular exercise program, and a good dose of frolicking in the sun—with the necessary sunscreen, of course!
Protecting Yourself against Osteoporosis
Why is this so? Experts believe that part of the problem lies in the basic human mindset over these last three decades: believing that medicine was the answer to all the physical issues faced by human beings. As such, diet and lifestyle took a backseat. Unfortunately, for osteoporosis especially, the drugs commonly prescribed are actually not as effective as people believe. They have also recently been found to have more long-term side effects, which include a wide range of physical ailments as well!
From these findings, experts are fast pointing back to proper nutrition and exercise. Medication is now only resorted to in cases of severe osteoporosis or when the person has suffered a fracture related to osteoporosis. For example, fractures related to osteoporosis typically come about from falls. The risk that an individual has for suffering a fall is actually more directly related to her balance skills and strength compared to her bone density score. Granted, muscles and bones have their size and strength decrease as the person ages; but there are factors that directly affect this decline, including muscle strength that is responsible for moving that bone. Regular exercise not only builds muscle, the bone also benefits from being strengthened and increased in its density. It would seem that bones react to stress in a way similar to muscles, wherein they become stronger and bigger.
As such, having regular exercise is a great way to fight against osteoporosis, most particularly the back and the legs. Experts in fact believe that muscle strength is an accurate gauge of predicting bone strength, and that improving muscle strength is actually the most effective way of improving the strength of one’s bones.
Meanwhile, nutrition is also an important determinant of the health of one’s bones. Of course, just about any woman has heard all the hype about an inadequate supply of dairy being directly related to poor levels of calcium which ultimately results in osteoporosis. But do you know that calcium is not all there is when it comes to bone health? Fruits and vegetables continue to lay claim as the best food choices, even over dairy, for dealing with osteoporosis. Why? These food choices, as well as beans and nuts, not only come rich in calcium, they also contain potassium, magnesium, vitamin K, and vegetable protein. They also come with micronutrients and phytochemicals that play a crucial role in bone health. Vitamin K is also found to be crucial for bone health, and fruits and vegetables are rich in this nutrient.
While calcium is indeed important, a person actually does not need as much of it as she is led to believe, and dairy certainly is not the only source. In fact, when a person eats a fairly balanced diet high in fruits and veggies, she will not likely be lacking in calcium, as fruits and veggies, as are all “natural” foods, all contain calcium. The advantage of fruits and veggies as a source of calcium is that they are alkaline, or they do not produce acid, which do not result in the loss of calcium through the urinary tract. Also, the absorption rate of calcium for green vegetables is found to be more than 50%, while milk has been found to have about 32% absorption rate.
It would seem that the reason why dairy was added and popularized as a calcium source could be related to the average American diet centered on meat and carbs. When a person’s diet was only composed of refined grains, animal meat, and sugar, calcium will definitely be lacking, and dairy seems to be the right answer. However, experts also show that relying on dairy without having enough vegetables may actually worsen one’s bone health.
Vitamin D is another crucial vitamin. Children know this as the vitamin we get from the sun. Perhaps the problem with osteoporosis could be related to the higher probability of people working indoors all day, and thus becoming deficient in the sunshine vitamin.
From these points, it would seem that your best bet for fighting osteoporosis would therefore be a balanced diet loaded with fruits and vegetables, a regular exercise program, and a good dose of frolicking in the sun—with the necessary sunscreen, of course!
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