About 54 million Americans have osteoporosis and low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for fractures. Studies suggest that approximately one in two women and up to one in four men age 50 and older will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Why is osteoporosis so prevalent now, compared to a century ago? What has happened to increase the number of people affected by this disease? Some suggest that our diet and lifestyle is a lot different than a hundred years ago. For instance, there are significantly lower amounts of minerals in our soils and therefore less in our food. Our lifestyles are more sedentary today, so our bones don’t get the resistance they used to years ago. So, what do we do? How can we reverse bone loss? 1 Reduce consumption of refined sugar Generally, a large ingestion of refined sugars or refined carbohydrates, such as white flour, white bread, white rice, and pastries, results in a transient increase in urinary calcium presumably from mobilizing calcium from the bones. If it is just an occasional ingestion, this is not a problem, but if it is chronic then it can be a big issue. High sugar intake also increases cortisol, which is our own stress hormone and that increases calcium loss in urine. Stick with a largely whole food, varied diet that is organic (as much as possible) and avoid processed foods (e.g., prepackaged foods). The food you consume provides vital nutrients to your bone cells, so you want to eat a clean, whole and varied diet. Make it a priority to eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean protein that provides essential nutrients, especially calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and K. © Lasting Change Health 2019 Page 2 of 6 2 Minimize inflammation Inflammation can have a huge impact on up-regulating or speeding up bone break down. Specifically, inflammation promotes the growth of cells that break down bone and in turn, suppresses bone building cells. Therefore, even low-level chronic inflammation increases fracture risk. Inflammation can also increase the release of parathyroid hormone, which accelerates bone breakdown. Eating a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods and omega-3 fatty acids helps to limit inflammation. 3 Reduce ingestion of caffeine and soda Each cup of coffee that you drink results in a 150 mg calcium loss in your urine. If you drink coffee, then try to increase your intake of calcium to offset this loss. Dark-colored sodas contain phosphoric acid which is a type of a phosphate that causes calcium to be released. There’s a huge acidic dose of phosphate that, once it’s absorbed, enters the bloodstream causing the body to lose calcium. Try reducing your caffeine consumption and instead adding lower-caffeine hot drinks like green tea or cold herbal tea beverages. © Lasting Change Health 2019 Page 3 of 6 4 Increase stomach acid Many people take acid-blocking agents, such as Nexium, Protonix, Prevacid, Tagamet, and Zantac, for problems such as heartburn and hiatal hernia. These medicines can lower stomach acid. We need strong stomach acid, hydrochloric acid (HCl), for optimal digestion. Stomach acid helps with protein breakdown and aids in mineral absorption (e.g., iron, magnesium, chromium, selenium). You need good protein digestion and minerals for bone health, and for blocking stomach acid significantly. Low stomach acid also increases the risk of advanced osteopenia and There are natural osteoporosis. ways to increase stomach acid, but you should start this process low and slow (check with your doctor). 5 Reduce stress To control bone loss, managing stress is paramount. Stress hormones not only impair new bone growth, but break down the collagen backbone of bone tissue. People who have chronic stress and high cortisol levels struggle the most with bone loss. Engaging in regular stress-mediating activities helps the body to relax. Popular ways to reduce stress include yoga, tai chi, meditation, reading, and massage. Also, getting plenty of sleep (7-9 hours each night) can help keep stress levels down. © Lasting Change Health 2019 Page 4 of 6 6 Check your hormones We hear a lot about the importance of estrogen during menopause, but unfortunately one important hormone is usually left out of the conversation. It's widely believed that progesterone is the hormone that has the greater effect on consistent production of new bone tissue. Bone health is about having a balance between the generation of new and the breakdown of the old. The most positive effect is seen when estrogen and progesterone are used in combination. Progesterone is largely produced by the adrenal glands, but these glands also produce cortisol in response to stress. It’s important that we manage stress so that our adrenals can prioritize making progesterone. 7 Soak your seeds, grains, and beans Phytic acids are found in seeds, grains, and legumes, which help them germinate in nature under the right conditions (e.g., sprouting in the spring when ideal weather supports growth vs sprouting in winter during harsh conditions). These acids are known as anti-nutrients because they can interfere with mineral absorption in the body. Mineral absorption is critical for good bone health. How can we eat foods that contain these acids without compromising bone health or bone rebuilding? Soak phytic acid-containing foods in lemon water overnight and rinse them well before eating. © Lasting Change Health 2019 Page 5 of 6 8 Get adequate amounts of minerals Magnesium, vitamin D3, calcium, vitamin K2, and strontium are important minerals for bone health. These minerals work in concert with one another. Food is medicine and information for your body so try to get these minerals from your diet (check out this book for guidance). However, some people can benefit from supplementation. Have your bloodwork taken before supplementation so you know your baseline levels and check with your doctor to ensure proper mineral intake. A good bone health supplement should contain: calcium, magnesium, Vitamin D3, and Vitamin K2. Please note that strontium is not usually included in most bone health supplements as it competes with calcium. For this reason, it’s important to space strontium supplementation apart from calcium supplementation (e.g., take calcium in the morning and strontium in the evening). 9 Watch oxalate consumption Oxalic acid binds with minerals (typically calcium) preventing absorption and in some cases can lead to kidney stones. To lessen the amount of oxalic acid in greens (e.g., spinach and chard), you can boil them and pour off the cooking water. Other foods that contain oxalic acid, such as beets and buckwheat may be eaten in moderation. To offset the potential calcium loss from eating oxalates, combine them with calcium-rich foods (e.g., spinach and kale salad with tahini dressing). © Lasting Change Health 2019 Page 6 of 6
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