The Youthful Life
0

How To Treat Osteoporosis Naturally

Osteoporosis is characterized by decreased bone mass and density. It’s a progressive bone disease that aggravates the thinning of the bone as people age, which increases their risk of bone fracture. Women have higher risks to develop osteoporosis than men. Also, ageing, menopause, low sex hormones, smoking, low body weight, and certain medications are other […]

Four Ways To Treat Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is characterized by decreased bone mass and density. It’s a progressive bone disease that aggravates the thinning of the bone as people age, which increases their risk of bone fracture. Women have higher risks to develop osteoporosis than men. Also, ageing, menopause, low sex hormones, smoking, low body weight, and certain medications are other factors that can increase the risk for osteoporosis. Aside from suffering from a hunchback, osteoporosis causes so much pain and discomfort, which we want to avoid as you age. Although osteoporosis is common among women who are in their 70’s or 80’s, younger ones, say 45 to 50 some, can also be diagnosed with this disease. The good news, however, is that osteoporosis can be treated naturally! so how to treat osteoporisis

How To Treat Osteoporosis

Step 1: Modify Your Diet

Both prevention and treatment strategies require exercise, a diet packed with calcium and vitamin D supplementation. But aside from that, other vitamins and minerals are also needed.

  • Eat a colourful set of vegetables. Leafy green vegetables like Kale, cress, spinach, mustard green, parsley and arugula are full of calcium, folate, vitamin K, phosphorous, magnesium and other nutrients that are essential in building strong bones. Kale is the king of all greens and parsley has a precursor to vitamin D, so you don’t want to miss these two in your diet. Other greens like cabbage, alfalfa and kelp seaweed are rich in boron – a mineral that prevents calcium loss, and enhances the uptake of magnesium and calcium in the body. Talking about boron, peanuts, hazelnuts and almonds, borlotti beans, kidneys and avocados are also rich in this mineral. Broccoli also has vitamin K and root vegetables like carrots, turnips, beetroot, parsnips; sweet potatoes and squash are rich in minerals.
  • Maintain an alkaline diet. Your alkalinizing foods include salt, miso, some grains, fruits, vegetables and sea vegetables. Eating mineral-rich foods helps in maintaining little alkalinity in the blood, offsetting acidic food consumption. On the other hand, eating acid-forming food like fish, meat, eggs, flour, beans and sugar should be minimized as these inhibit bone formation and encourage  bone loss.
  • Eat foods that are also rich in good protein. A Harvard research substantiates that elderlies with low protein intake have more tendency to lose bone mass, while those that have high protein intake maintain the calcium level in their blood.
  • Eat fruits that are rich in vitamin C. These are oranges and other citrus fruits, berries, blackcurrants, kiwi apples and peaches – all these help utilize calcium. Dried fruits like figs, dates and apricots help slow down bone loss.
  • Don’t forget healthy oils like omega-3 fatty acids, which you can get from pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and Brazil nuts among many other sources. Also, oily fish is a good source of secondary vitamin D.
  • Include pulses and grains in your diet. Lentils, soybeans, chickpeas, quinoa and brown rice are packed with minerals and natural hormones that help increase bone mass.

Step 2: Take Supplements

Here are some suggested doses in taking supplemental vitamins and minerals for the bones. Please take note that you still have to see a health practitioner to help you tailor-fit the supplements with your diet.

  • Multivitamin – choose one that has a good amount of vitamin C and E in it.
  • Calcium Citrate – 1,000 – 2,000 mg a day.
  • Magnesium – 500 – 600 mg a day.
  • Vitamin D3 – 2,000 – 8,000 IU per day; however, you need to have your Vitamin D levels tested before you self-dose. Also, you will get enough vitamin D naturally from the sun, so make it a habit to get out in the morning, even just for 15 minutes.
  • Vitamin K2 – 1,000 mcg per day if you are taking it as MK-4, or 1,100 mcg if you are taking it with an anti-clotting medicine like warfarin. Still, it is best to consult a doctor before taking this supplement.
  • Boron – 3 – 9 mg per day.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids – 1,400 EPA and 1,000 mg DHA daily.
  • Silica – 5-10 mg per day.
  • Zinc – 30 mg per day.

Step 3: Get On The Move

This simply means, you exercise. But, if you have a bone fracture, get a help from a physical therapist, or a healthcare practitioner to help you with a workout plan and accompany you in your fitness regime.

  • Hit the road. Do a low impact exercise like gentle aerobics or walking to help prevent bone loss. If you want to increase your bone density, do a high impact exercise like running, racquet sports and jogging.
  • Improve your balance to avoid falls and fractures. You can do tai chi or aerobics as a balance exercise.
  • Be flexible. If your body allows it, engage in various activities and exercises to train your body to move in different ways.

Step 4: Avoid The Following…

  • Too much coffee. Drinking 4 cups of coffee a day will deplete bone-building calcium and magnesium, which can predispose fracture. Keep your caffeine levels low by drinking only up to a maximum of 3 cups per day.
  • Too much alcohol intake. Alcohol is one of the number causes of osteoporosis, so, you better avoid too much booze before it’s too late. A maximum of 2 alcoholic drinks per day should be enough.
  • Chocolate indulgence. Women who eat chocolates on a daily basis have lower bone density than those who eat it once a week or less.
  • Cigarettes. Smoking can increase your risk of osteoporosis by 60%. In fact, 1 in 8 cases of hip fracture is attributable to smoking, so you better stop with it.
  • Aluminum cookware. Using an aluminum cookware suppresses the production of parathyroid hormone, which leads to osteoporosis.
  • Too much salt intake. After menopause, too much salt in the diet can lead to bone loss.
  • Fluoride. In a 7-year study in Utah among 65-year old subjects, it is found out that fluoride can inhibit alkaline phosphatase, leading to a formation of new, but inferior quality bones, especially around the hip.
  • Prescription drugs. Corticosteroids like prednisone have long been noted to cause the bones to weaken and become brittle. Also, anti-depressant and blood thinning medicines like warfarin can suppress the activities of vitamin K.
  • Sugar. A diet that includes refined and highly-processed foods induce insulin resistance, which can increase the risk of osteoporosis. This goes without saying that fizzy drinks should also be avoided.
  • Stress. An increased levels of cortisol in the body can curb sex hormones and amplify insulin resistance – both can increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Get in Touch for personalised advice send us a mail on how to treat osteoporosis

 

Share:
  • googleplus
  • linkedin
  • tumblr
  • rss
  • pinterest
  • mail
Aude Seynt Martin

Written by Aude Seynt Martin

Aude is an ex corporate Lawyer with a passion for health, self development and independence which lead her to give up her former career to help others through health.


Do you really want to live longer and better?

If you are serious about feeling and being younger, not matter what your age is, enter your email below to get the best tips on how to slow down your ageing process



back-pain-solution-book