| The Bone Health Revolution | | | | simple thing you can do to correct this imbalance. |
| | | | # Osteoporosis is not inevitable. Anyone can easily |
| Recently my good friend Chris called to say her | | | | prevent and reverse it without taking drugs. Actually, |
| mom's latest Bone scan revealed quite a bit of bone | | | | a 2006 report by the Mayo Clinic says that over |
| loss since her last test and the doc wanted to put | | | | 37% of women older than 50 don't meet the true |
| her on osteoporosis meds. | | | | criteria of Osteoporosis and are wrongfully diagnosed! |
| This made Chris uncomfortable and she called to ask | | | | Are you one of them? |
| what, if anything I knew about these drugs, their | | | | # The active ingredient in prescription Osteoporosis |
| efficacy, side effects and possible alternatives. My | | | | drugs (Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva) is a |
| limited research after my own diagnosis of | | | | bisphosphonate. That's just a fancy name for a |
| osteopenia a few years ago--a non-disease created | | | | common ingredient used in laundry detergents, |
| to sell more drugs I'm convinced--led me to believe | | | | fertilizers, and industrial lubricants. Would you put |
| that the drugs were not a good choice and that | | | | those in your body? |
| there were many things to do first to strengthen | | | | This is not fear mongering nor is it an |
| bones naturally. | | | | anti-pharmaceutical rant. It is comprehensive research |
| I fumbled through some of that I knew but told | | | | presented in lay person's language. Vivian started on |
| Chris I'd get back to her after getting my research | | | | this quest when she was diagnosed was |
| updated and together. Meanwhile she found this | | | | osteoporosis some years ago and given Fosamax by |
| month's book. | | | | her doctor. Her science background-she has a degree |
| The author Vivian Goldschmidt, has written a book I | | | | in nutrition from New York University--and scientist's |
| wish I'd penned. | | | | curiosity drove her to research this so called disease |
| Chris was correct, the book is a gold mine of the | | | | and the "cures" being given liberally by many |
| latest information on osteoporosis, osteopenia, and | | | | well-meaning docs. |
| the drugs big Pharma would have us take to slow | | | | What she found was shocking and she felt she had |
| down this "disease". Dirty little secret--osteoporosis is | | | | to write about it and help other women avoid the |
| not a disease at all simply a function of aging. It is | | | | potentially life threatening--at the very least quality of |
| not inevitable and does not need dangerous drugs to | | | | life damaging--side effects of Big Pharma's answer to |
| prevent, reverse or slow it down. It can be slowed | | | | this "problem. |
| and reversed using diet, supplements, and exercise. | | | | "According to a recent article by Consumer Affairs |
| Did you know that the mean against which our | | | | (February 2007), Merck, the maker of Fosamax, has |
| middle aged bones are compared for their "health" is | | | | put aside $48 million to set up a defense fund for |
| 20 - 29 year old women? As Vivian asked, "Are | | | | lawsuits related to the debilitating side-effects of |
| women expected to keep their bone density | | | | Fosamax. Does Merck know something that the |
| unchanged as they grow older?" How can we ever | | | | general public doesn't? |
| hope to have a "normal" bone density score as | | | | Caveat: Vivian does not say that drugs like Fosamax, |
| compared to women who are at their peak of bone | | | | Actonel and Boniva do not harden bones. They do; |
| health? | | | | it's their ingredients, their side effects, and what we |
| Not to mention that bone density--the characteristic | | | | don't know that encourages us to look for |
| of our bones being tested for--is not the best | | | | alternatives. And what we don't yet know is whether |
| indicator of healthy bones, bone flexibility and | | | | the action of these bone building drugs will actually |
| strength is. | | | | increase density but limit or prevent new bone |
| Bone loss associated with aging is normal, bone | | | | formation which is more flexible and therefore less |
| strength and resilience is what we should work | | | | prone to fracture than old brittle bones. |
| towards. | | | | If you have been diagnosed with either osteoporosis |
| Here are some bullet points Vivian covers in detail in | | | | or osteopenia I encourage you to buy the book and |
| her book: | | | | try natural alternatives before a drug protacol. I can't |
| # Osteoporosis is not a disease but actually it's the | | | | recommend this book enough. |
| body trying to correct an imbalance. And there's one | | | | |