The Other Side of Osteoporosis
By Iva Lloyd, RPP, RHN, ND
Men as well as women suffer from osteoporosis, a disease that can be prevented and treated. Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass and the deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures.
Whenever you read anything on osteoporosis the focus is often on the need to consume more calcium. In most cases, bones weaken when you have low levels of calcium, phosphorus and other minerals in your bones. Although calcium consumption is important, the food you consume and lifestyle issues that pull or leach calcium from bones often have a greater impact on the development of osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis Risk Factors
Sex. Fractures from osteoporosis are about twice as common in women as they are in men. That’s because women start out with lower bone mass and tend to live longer. They also experience a sudden drop in estrogen at menopause that accelerates bone loss. Men who have low levels of the male hormone testosterone are at increased risk. From age 75 on, osteoporosis is as common in men as it is in women.
Age. The older you get, the higher your risk of developing osteoporosis.
Family history. Osteoporosis runs in families. For that reason, having a parent or sibling with osteoporosis puts you at greater risk.
Frame size. People who are exceptionally thin or have small body frames are at higher risk. Slender, small-framed women are particularly at risk.
Tobacco use. The exact role tobacco plays in osteoporosis isn’t clearly understood, but researchers do know that tobacco use contributes to weak bones.
Poor nutrition. Women and men with anorexia nervosa or bulimia are at higher risk of lower bone density in their lower backs and hips.
Medications. Long-term use of corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone or cortisone, damages bone. Long-term use of the blood-thinning medication heparin, the drug methotrexate, some anti-seizure medications and aluminium-containing antacids also can cause bone loss.
Sedentary lifestyle. Children who are the most physically active have the greatest bone density. Any weight-bearing exercise is beneficial, but jumping and hopping seem particularly helpful for creating and maintaining healthy bones.
Chronic alcoholism. For men, alcoholism is one of the highest risk factors for osteoporosis. Excess consumption of alcohol reduces bone formation and interferes with the body’s ability to absorb calcium.
Calcium is one of the major components of bone and is involved in many other functions in the body. Calcium is used to maintain a specific pH level in blood. Calcium is pulled from bones anytime the pH of the blood becomes too acidic.
Factors that Help Build Healthy Bones:
• Increase your intake of green vegetables
• Consume about 10 grams of protein a day (choose salmon, sardines, legumes, tofu, nuts and seeds)
• Make homemade soups from a bone (add one tablespoon of wine vinegar to draw out the calcium)
• Use rice milk or soy milk as an alternative to dairy
• Take 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a little bit of water fifteen minutes before meals to increase your absorption of minerals
• Do 30 minutes, three times a week, of weight-bearing exercises. Rest for one day between workouts to allow your muscles to recover.
• Spend about 20 minutes a day, outside, to help vitamin D creation, which is required for calcium absorption.
• Address and decrease the impact that stress is having on your health.
There is a lot that can be done to prevent and treat osteoporosis by addressing diet, stress and lifestyle factors.
For more information, contact Osteoporosis Canada at www.osteoporosis.ca
2600 John Street, Unit 207, Markham, ON L3R 3W3 T: 905.475.5222 F: 905.475.6369
