Thursday, October 22, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Osteoporosis Prevention Naturally
As woman get older, one of their major concerns is osteoporosis and bone health. Hip and other bone fractures is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in elderly women. The most recent treatment was to increase calcium intake; take hormones; and finally take bisphosphonates( Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva) All of the above treatments are not without side effects.
So what is a woman to do. Is is possible to slow down bone lost after menopause? Is it the type of bone that we are forming. To both these questions the answer is yes. It is possible to slow down the lost of bone. There are certain foods that we can eat and certain foods to avoid to maintain optimal bone health. In this article I will attempt to help women start making wiser choices about their diet and exercise regimens to help maintain our bones, and slow down what is now called the normal aging process. I will discuss Calcium supplementation and the vitamins and minerals that are needed to help create strong flexible bones.
Lets start with diet. We all know that a Calcium rich diet is what is needed to keep our bones healthy. What we don't understand is what is needed to help our bodies absorb the calcium into our system. Acidic Calcium products like Milk are high in Calcium. but alot of that clacium is not absorbed in our guts so has minimal effect. Natural green leafy vegetables like Collard greens, Kale, broccoli, and Spinach have high calcium contents that are much more absorable. Yogurt is less acidic than milk, and has high calcium levels that are more absorable. Lets not foreget our garden weeds like nettles, oat straw red clover, comfrey and dandelion greens all of which are hgh in calcium and other minerals. There are meats that are high in calcium including salmon, sardines and goats milk(that is less acidic than cows milk), friuts like figs, apples and strawberries.
Other vitamins that are important for the absorption of calcium include B Vitamins especially Vitamin B12. If you have malabsoption problems you may need B12 injections.Other vitamins important for the health of bones include Vitamin D which comes in milk products but can best be obtained by lots of sunlight.Minerals needed to maintain bone health include Magnesium which is known as the great relaxer. It will help with the absoption of calcium, but also help to keep bone pliable and reduces rigidity.Other minerals include potassium, manganese, silica iron, zinc, selenium boron, phosphorus, sulfur chromium.
Foods that Leeched the calcium out of the bones include carbonated beverages, excess sugar. Excess salt, processed meats like cold cuts and smoked meats.
Low stomach acid decrease the amount of calcium aborbed from the foods you eat therefore you get minium usabale calcium with antacids. Dietary acidosis caused by excessive consumption of acid forming foods like starch grains( white flour, rice, pasta,; beans : dairy milk and cheese and fatty meats all help to leeched the alkline minerals out of the bones and body. Also thing like excess coffee and alcohol intake will leech the calcium out of the bones.
Finally low impact exercise help strengthen bones and protect the body from falls because it will also stregthen the ligaments, tendons and muscles around the bone. walking briskly 3-5 times a week, yoga, pilates, or other low impact work-outs that increase flexibility will help in miaintaining bone and reduces falls as well as help send calcium into the bones.
In summary my advice to women who are concerned about their bone health, would be these 10 steps
1)add to your daily diet at least one green leafy vegetable a day ie Kale, spinach, broccoli, collards.
2) Eat Yogurt at least 3-5 times per week
3) Drinking 1 glass of herbal tea like nettles, horsetail, oatstraw that has been steeped for at least 30 minutes
4)Taking a good vitamin supplements that will have daily recommended allowances of your B vitamins and minerals
5) If you enjoy the taste of milk to use goat milk
6) 3-5 serving per week of fishes (not shellfish)
7) Adding figs apples, advacado and strawberry to your weekly diet
8) eating salsds made with dandelion greens
9) Advoiding carbonated beverages, and foods with alot of salt and sugar as much as possible.
10) excersise 4-5 times a week.
You can find your supplements and herbal tea preparations by clicking below.
So what is a woman to do. Is is possible to slow down bone lost after menopause? Is it the type of bone that we are forming. To both these questions the answer is yes. It is possible to slow down the lost of bone. There are certain foods that we can eat and certain foods to avoid to maintain optimal bone health. In this article I will attempt to help women start making wiser choices about their diet and exercise regimens to help maintain our bones, and slow down what is now called the normal aging process. I will discuss Calcium supplementation and the vitamins and minerals that are needed to help create strong flexible bones.
Lets start with diet. We all know that a Calcium rich diet is what is needed to keep our bones healthy. What we don't understand is what is needed to help our bodies absorb the calcium into our system. Acidic Calcium products like Milk are high in Calcium. but alot of that clacium is not absorbed in our guts so has minimal effect. Natural green leafy vegetables like Collard greens, Kale, broccoli, and Spinach have high calcium contents that are much more absorable. Yogurt is less acidic than milk, and has high calcium levels that are more absorable. Lets not foreget our garden weeds like nettles, oat straw red clover, comfrey and dandelion greens all of which are hgh in calcium and other minerals. There are meats that are high in calcium including salmon, sardines and goats milk(that is less acidic than cows milk), friuts like figs, apples and strawberries.
Other vitamins that are important for the absorption of calcium include B Vitamins especially Vitamin B12. If you have malabsoption problems you may need B12 injections.Other vitamins important for the health of bones include Vitamin D which comes in milk products but can best be obtained by lots of sunlight.Minerals needed to maintain bone health include Magnesium which is known as the great relaxer. It will help with the absoption of calcium, but also help to keep bone pliable and reduces rigidity.Other minerals include potassium, manganese, silica iron, zinc, selenium boron, phosphorus, sulfur chromium.
Foods that Leeched the calcium out of the bones include carbonated beverages, excess sugar. Excess salt, processed meats like cold cuts and smoked meats.
Low stomach acid decrease the amount of calcium aborbed from the foods you eat therefore you get minium usabale calcium with antacids. Dietary acidosis caused by excessive consumption of acid forming foods like starch grains( white flour, rice, pasta,; beans : dairy milk and cheese and fatty meats all help to leeched the alkline minerals out of the bones and body. Also thing like excess coffee and alcohol intake will leech the calcium out of the bones.
Finally low impact exercise help strengthen bones and protect the body from falls because it will also stregthen the ligaments, tendons and muscles around the bone. walking briskly 3-5 times a week, yoga, pilates, or other low impact work-outs that increase flexibility will help in miaintaining bone and reduces falls as well as help send calcium into the bones.
In summary my advice to women who are concerned about their bone health, would be these 10 steps
1)add to your daily diet at least one green leafy vegetable a day ie Kale, spinach, broccoli, collards.
2) Eat Yogurt at least 3-5 times per week
3) Drinking 1 glass of herbal tea like nettles, horsetail, oatstraw that has been steeped for at least 30 minutes
4)Taking a good vitamin supplements that will have daily recommended allowances of your B vitamins and minerals
5) If you enjoy the taste of milk to use goat milk
6) 3-5 serving per week of fishes (not shellfish)
7) Adding figs apples, advacado and strawberry to your weekly diet
8) eating salsds made with dandelion greens
9) Advoiding carbonated beverages, and foods with alot of salt and sugar as much as possible.
10) excersise 4-5 times a week.
You can find your supplements and herbal tea preparations by clicking below.
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