Make no bones about it: Your Lifestyle Prescription for Osteoporosis
- 2013-07-22
- By afsha malik
- Posted in Blog
OSTEOPOROSIS
What is Osteoporosis?
Lack of calcium in the bones make them more porous and liable to fracture easily . There are often no symptoms until fracture occurs though some signs may be severe back pain, shrinking height, mild but regular bone pain, fractures.Up to 40% of women may suffer by the age of 80.
What are the Risk Factors
- Lack of regular weight bearing exercise
- Very low body weight(small,thin body frame)
- Age
- Race and Ethnicity(more common in African Caribbean origin)
- Genetic
- Gender (more common in women)
- Reduced levels of Hormones (oestrogen and testosterone)
- Other diseases(hyperthyroidism, Rheumatoid arthritis, Crohns)
- Smoking
- Medication (long-term corticosteroids, some anti-cancer drugs)
- Too much coffee (> 8cups daily), fizzy drinks and alcohol (>3units a day)
- Excessive salt and protein intake.
- Lack of calcium and Vitamin D in diet or malabsorption of these vitamins
Your Lifestyle Prescription for Bone health:
EXERCISE
It is best to build bone strength before the age of 35 with Weight bearing exercise and diet. However it is never too late to start.
Try and do one of these 4-5 times a week and weight training at least 2 times a week:
- Walk or Jog
- Stair climbing
- Yoga
- Tai chi or similar movements
- Aerobic or Dance classes
- Weight training using dumbbells or resistance bands, or household objects and bodyweight.
DIET
Eat food rich in PHYTOESTOGENS like the Japanese who have very low levels of Osteporosis
- Soya products
- Chick peas
- Lentils and Mung beans
- Apples, plums and cherries
- Peppers, yams, tomatoes, olives, carrots, fennel, aubergine, potato
Increase these nutrients used to make healthy bones:
- Calcium: dairy products, dark green leafy veg (calcium is harder to absorb from spinach and rhubarb), seeds, beans, sardines
- Phosphorous:Bran,seeds,Brazil nut,pine nuts,cheese. But also found in most processed foods and too much of it actually can cause calcium to leach out of bones…so avoid the procced foods
- Magnesium: Leafy veg, cauliflower, seeds, nuts, pulses, dairy products
- Vitamin D: Sunshine (15-20 min arm and face exposure 3-4 times a week in summer),Oily fish, fortified cereals, wholegrain
- Zinc: Wholegrains, meat, pumkin seeds, liver,Brazil and pecan nuts, shellfish , oysters
- Vitamin C: berries, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, leafy veg, citrus fruit.
- Vitamin K: Green leafy veg, broccoli, cauliflower, soya beans
- Copper: Nuts, seeds, mushrooms, fruit, crab
- Manganese: Leafy veg, nuts, seeds, meat, pulses, wholegrains
- Silicon: barley, oats,rice
- Boron: nuts, dairy, apples, pears,grapes, green leafy veg
Avoid these as they often cause calcium to be drawn out of the bones and lost through urine :
- High Protein diets (healthy diets are 15-20% protein)
- Fizzy drinks
- Excessive alcohol
- Excessive salt
- Excessive caffeine
To make sure you get all these nutrients, it is clear that a healthy varied diet is essential. A little time planning in meals and shopping lists goes a long way. And again, as with many diseases, regular,moderate, consistent exercise will prevent, delay and improve the condition. Obviously if you have severe Osteoporosis talk to your doctor/chiroparactor/physiotherapist about which exercises are safe for you.
Nuff’talk…Grab a veggie salad and go for a walk!