Preventing fractures and keeping our bones strong is more important that we often think about. My father who is 81 years old just broke his left wrist and left hip falling on short stairs in a theatre. He values his independence, and this experience has been hard for him to adjust to. Just think about not being able to use one arm and one leg for 6 weeks. He is healing well and should be home again in a couple weeks, but just watching what he has gone through has been another educational experience for me. So I want to share some up-to-date information on keeping our bones strong.
Here is a list of risk factors that increase the rate of bone fractures:
1. Having previous fractures
2. Being underweight, thin, or losing weight with aging
3. History of dieting with weight fluctuations
4. Selected medications: steroids, anti-depressive, antacids, etc.
5. Too little regular exercise, small muscle mass
6. Irregular periods or early menopause
7. Advanced age
8. Acid / alkaline Imbalance
9. Ongoing bone loss - high bone turnover
10. Vitamin D deficiency
Notice that calcium deficiency is not on the above list. By itself calcium does not build bone strength. Calcium works better with other minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, silica, boron, and zinc. The nutrient on the list is Vitamin D, which is actually a hormone. One study printed in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that women who take 700-800 IU of Vitamin D3 with calcium had 32% less non-vertebral fractures, and 43% fewer hip fractures. Other studies show similar results. The consensus now is that calcium supplementation over 800 mg per day is not necessary when 700 to 800 IU of Vitamin D3 is provided. (Most vitamin D supplements use D2, which is 1/3 less potent than D3.)
Also vitamin K is necessary to attach calcium to the bone for bone strength. We get vitamin K in dark green leafy vegetables. Magnesium is needed to improve the connective tissue strength between the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones. Calcium and magnesium need to be in a 2 to 1 ratio. So if you are taking 600 mg of calcium you will need 300 mg of magnesium to balance. Potassium is another bone building mineral to protect the bone from becoming brittle. We find the best sources of magnesium, calcium and potassium in dark green leafy vegetables.
Another very important factor in keeping bones strong is to maintain a balanced urine and saliva pH reading. When our body becomes too acidic, minerals, especially calcium, will be used up. Our bones are our alkaline buffers, and bone loss can come on from acidic foods in our diet. Saliva and urine pH imbalances create patterns of stress that can lead to:
- Toxic Stress,
- Circulation Stress,
- Joint and Muscle Stress, or
- Immune System Stress.
Many people with immune diseases like cancer have low acidic urine and saliva pH readings. But people with fibromyalgia actually have a low urine pH and a higher saliva pH. When your urine and saliva pH readings are too alkaline then the metabolism slows down and toxins build up more easily. It is very beneficial to know where your own pH pattern of stress may be leading your health. More information is available on these pH readings on my website at: www.naturalchoicesforyou.com
Common medications and lifestyle habits can also create high risk for bone fractures. Here are some of the more current statistics:
- Steroid use causes 20%, or 4 million cases, of osteoporosis in the United States. (American College of Rheumatology Task Force on Osteoporosis Guidelines, 1996; 39: 1791-1801)
- Anti-depressant use for at least 5 years was associated with twice the risk of wrist, ankle, hip and other fractures. (David Goltzman, Archives of Internal Medicine, Jan. 23, 2007)
- Using common antacids regularly for more than one year increases hip fracture risk by 2.5%. (D. Metz, Journal of American Medical Assoc., Dec 27, 2006)
- Drinking cola soft drinks results in a decrease of bone mineral density of between 3.7% (one cola drink daily) to 5.4% for more than one cola drink daily. This is due to the phosphoric acid in dark colas. (Tucker, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 84, No. 4, 936-942, October 2006)
- Also excessive alcohol and caffeine intake affect calcium absorption and bone health.
Remember that supporting your bones is very important in maintaining your own independence whether you are 40 or 80 years old. Making sure you are getting the nutrients your body needs on a daily basis, and avoiding all the lifestyle habits that accumulate year by year that weaken your bones.
About the Author:
Jane Oelke has 15 years experience in the natural health care field. She creates, presents, and publishes seminars, books, and testing kits so that each person she works with understands their own health issues better. Her email address is:
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