With osteoporosis (bone loss) becoming so prevalent and leading to tragic consequences, fracture concerns have become sources of worry.
Women, more than men, are stricken by the disease and its aftermath, which result in pain, bone fractures, high medical costs, hospitalization, disability, deformity, dependence on others, and premature death. Fortunately, there are alternative ways to preventing the problem of bone loss. So prevention is the topic of our discussion today to avoid the consequences of osteoporosis.
Our skeletons consist of 206 bones, which support our bodies.
Our bones are constantly getting built and broken down through osteoblast and osteoclast cells. Unfortunately, the builder cells, osteoblasts, take longer to build bones than the destroyer cells, osteoclasts. Hence, if you are breaking down faster than you are replacing, then you are losing bone mass, which takes you down the path of osteoporosis. So what do we do to win the battle?
The best way to reclaim and maintain our bones is through a nutritious diet, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle, but what is more important is avoiding bone robbers. I will quickly touch on healthy lifestyles, and then enumerate the most dangerous bone robbers. Here’s what we need for the upkeep of our bone structure:
• Daily exposure to cool sunlight for 15 to 20 minutes for the skin to synthesize to vitamin D. The nutrient is also found in eggs, deep water fish (salmon, mackerel), oysters, cottage cheese, and mushrooms exposed to the sun. Vitamin D supplement should not be synthetic.
• Adequate intake of fruit (citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi) and raw vegetables (cabbage, peppers, tomatoes) to benefit from vitamin C, a helper to D.
• Dark leafy greens and yellow, orange, and red vegetables, and dairy products for calcium and carotenoids. Seaweed is very rich in calcium, too.
• Whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and cereal grasses offer calcium, magnesium, boron, and silicon, zinc for stronger bones.
• Nuts, seeds, and their oils are rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids for healthier bones and hormonal balance.
• If you are unable to get enough dietary nutrients, take a supplement of calcium combined with magnesium, zinc, and vitamins C and D.
• Regular activity and muscle building increase bone mass and reduce bone loss.
• Keeping good weight with a balanced nutrition maintains healthy bones.
Apart from genetic tendency, unhealthy lifestyles, hormonal imbalance, and age factor, there are other determinants that accelerate bone loss. They should be avoided to protect our bones as well as our skeletal structure.
• Smoking is a contributor to osteoporosis. Smokers, women in particular, suffer more fractures than their non-smoking counterparts. Smoking also decreases estrogen production, adding to bone loss before and after menopause.
• Excessive alcohol consumption leads to bone loss and fractures as it inhibits bone building and causes nutrient malabsorption.
• Caffeine such as over 2 cups of coffee a day and excess black and green tea, chocolate, and soda drinks increases incidents of hip fracture and osteoporosis.
• Sudden weight loss, due to strict dieting and malnutrition, adds to bone loss. Postmenopausal women should not lose all the fat around the waist as such fat cells are responsible for generating estrogen that activates bone building.
• Medical drugs such as corticosteroids accelerate bone loss. Treatments for thyroidism increase fracture risk as they leach calcium from the bones. Acid suppressing drugs like Prilosec, Nexium, or Prevacid inhibit stomach acid, resulting in insufficient mineral uptake.
• Digestive disorders like Celiac and Crohn’s disease, irritable bowl syndrome, or colitis interfere with the assimilation of calcium and other important minerals that promote healthy bones.
• Extreme stress, triggered by physical, mental, or emotional pressures, elevates cortisol secretion, leaching calcium from bones into the blood stream and inhibiting the production of hormones responsible for building bone mass. Stress also depresses immune system.
• Hormonal disorders due to thyroidism and pituitary gland malfunction disturb the process of bone building and calcium regulation.
• Acidic conditions like acidosis result in chemical imbalances, causing acidity levels to exceed the normal alkaline blood pH level. To keep a normal pH level, the system uses alkalizing minerals like potassium from the blood. When potassium is depleted the body takes its need of alkalizing minerals from calcium in the bones. The bones continue leaching as long as the body is acidic. An acidic diet, high in refined sugar and carbohydrates and meat, robs the bones of calcium. An alkalizing diet, rich in non-acidic fruits, deep-colored vegetables (dark leafy greens, cabbage family, carrots), legumes, unsalted nuts and seeds, and seaweed, promote bone building and maintain a healthy pH level.
• Salt in high amounts makes bones leach stored calcium. Processed and pre-prepared foods and pickles contain too much sodium.
There is a fine line between building and losing bone. Be smart and try to maintain this delicate balance by eliminating your bone robbers!
(Mariam Alireza is a holistic science specialist. Send comments to [email protected]. Log on to arabnews.com for previous articles.)