| Half of all women get osteoporosis by age sixty. | | | | bones. It is also important for immune system |
| 20% of women will have a hip fracture in their | | | | modulation, depression, and autoimmune disorders. It |
| lifetime, and 50% of them will never walk again. Men | | | | is made in the skin upon exposure to sun light. |
| are not immune to this problem. 30% of osteoporosis | | | | Vitamin D deficiency is epidemic in our society |
| happens in males, and 50% of men who suffer hip | | | | especially in northern latitudes. The farther away |
| fractures die within one year. | | | | from the equator you live, the more likely it is that |
| A "New" Disease | | | | you are to have a Vitamin D deficiency. Most |
| Osteoporosis which is so prevalent now, was virtually | | | | multivitamin supplements contain 400 to 800 IU which |
| unheard of a hundred years ago. It was a rarity until | | | | is inadequate for people in northern latitudes (1200 IU |
| the turn-of-the-century. So what happened? Did our | | | | or more is needed). |
| genes change in the past one hundred years? | | | | Using sunscreen blocks over 90% of your vitamin D |
| No! Genetic material takes thousands of years to | | | | production. But instead of putting yourself at risk for |
| change. The only thing that changed was our | | | | skin cancer, the best solution is to take supplements. |
| environment. Our diet and lifestyle are much different | | | | Vitamin D levels can be measured by your physician, |
| than they were hundred years ago and it has caused | | | | and the supplements can be titrated accordingly. |
| an epidemic of osteoporosis. So, what do we do? | | | | 7) Have Your Hormones Checked |
| How can we reverse this process? | | | | Hormonal decline is one of the most common |
| Here are 10 ways you can prevent or reverse | | | | reasons for bone loss after menopause in women. |
| osteoporosis: | | | | Andropause, the male equivalent of menopause, also |
| 1) Stop the Pop | | | | causes bone loss in men. Adequate levels of |
| Carbonated beverages such as soft drinks, | | | | estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA are |
| Champagne, and sparkling water leach calcium from | | | | important for bone maintenance. |
| your bones. A Harvard study on 16 to 20 year-old | | | | Excess levels of cortisol, insulin and parathyroid |
| women showed that half of them were already | | | | hormone can also cause bone loss. Most physicians |
| showing bone loss as a result of excess soft drink | | | | never check for these levels. An elevated calcium |
| intake. Carbonated beverages also have excess | | | | level in the serum is a clue that parathyroid hormone |
| phosphates, which accelerate urinary calcium loss. | | | | might be in excess. |
| 2) Cut down on Protein | | | | 8) Change Your Diet |
| Excess protein intake causes acidity in the body, | | | | Excess refined sugars and starches, elevate your |
| which in turn causes calcium to be lost in the urine. | | | | insulin levels and cause an increase in osteoporosis. |
| Most people need only two to 4 ounces of lean | | | | The ideal diet is one called a "low glycemic index" diet. |
| protein, three times a day. The average American | | | | Glycemic index is a measure of how quickly food |
| diet contains two to three times this much. | | | | turns into sugar in the bloodstream. Low glycemic |
| 3) Keep Your Stomach Acid | | | | index foods do not raise blood sugar or insulin levels |
| Many people are on acid blocking drugs, such as | | | | quickly, and include lean proteins, beans, vegetables, |
| Nexium, Protonix, Prevacid, Tagamet, and Zantac, for | | | | and good fats (nuts, olives, olive oil, fish, fish oils, |
| problems such as heartburn and hiatal hernia. Stomach | | | | avocados). |
| acid is necessary to absorb minerals such as calcium, | | | | Increasing fiber intake is an easy way to lower sugar |
| magnesium, and zinc. Blocking stomach acid | | | | and insulin levels. Fiber taken just before meals helps |
| significantly increases the risk of osteoporosis. | | | | to slow down the absorption of sugars and fats, and |
| These drugs were meant to be used for six to eight | | | | can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. |
| weeks at a time, not for years at a time. In fact, | | | | 9) Reduce Stress |
| most heartburn symptoms are not due to excess | | | | Stress raises cortisol levels. If cortisol levels are high |
| stomach acid at all. 60% of patients on acid blocking | | | | for long periods of time bone loss can occur. Cortisol |
| agents have too little stomach acid. | | | | antagonizes insulin and leads to insulin resistance, |
| 4) Cut out Caffeine | | | | eventually raising the blood sugar and causing calcium |
| Each cup of coffee that you drink makes you lose | | | | loss in the urine. As little as 25 teaspoons of sugar |
| 150 mg of calcium in your urine. Chemically | | | | can cause calcium to be lost in the urine. |
| decaffeinated coffee is not the answer either | | | | Stress reduction can include specific activities aimed |
| though, because it contains harmful chemicals that | | | | at invoking the "relaxation response" such as yoga, |
| interfere with the detoxification process. Naturally | | | | tai chi, meditation, massage and prayer. It may also |
| decaffeinated teas are a better option, but if you | | | | include getting more sleep, taking a vacation, getting |
| must drink caffeinated coffee, at least increase your | | | | psychotherapy to help with toxic relationships, and |
| calcium intake by 150 mg for each cup you drink. | | | | making an effort not to "burn the candle at both |
| 5) Get the Right Kind of Calcium | | | | ends". |
| Tums is one of the worst sources for calcium. In | | | | 10) Exercise More |
| addition to being composed of calcium carbonate, | | | | When the muscles pull against the bones during |
| which is a poorly absorbed form of calcium, it | | | | exercise, it stimulates the bones and tells them that |
| decreases the stomach acid even further. Calcium | | | | they are needed. Any weight-bearing exercise such |
| citrate and calcium hydroxyapatite are the best | | | | as walking, bicycling, and weightlifting can increase |
| forms of calcium to take. They need to be taken on | | | | bone density. As little as 15 to 30 minutes a day can |
| an empty stomach for best absorption, and only 500 | | | | be helpful. |
| mg at a time (that's all our bodies can absorb at one | | | | Using two to five pound hand or ankle weights can |
| time). A total dose of 1000 to 1200 mg per day is | | | | be effective. or you can use your own body weight |
| adequate for most post- menopausal women. | | | | and let gravity to do the job. Floor exercises such as |
| 6) Get Some Sun! | | | | leg lifts and sit ups, will work just fine. The important |
| Vitamin D helps absorb calcium and put it in the | | | | thing is to just get moving! |