OSTEOPOROSIS

Osteoporosis is a chronic disease which progress with time and may cause fractures of the ribs, vertebra, hip if not treated and not prevented.

Who gets osteoporosis? Men and women, by according statistics, mostly women with small frame and family history of osteoporosis. Bone mass– amount of minerals in the bone is at highest point at age 30-35 years old for women and decreases as they getting older. Between age 55 and 70, women experience 30-40% loss in bone mass.

Usually, symptoms of osteoporosis manifest only when there is significant loss of bone mass and complications already present, such as compression fractures of the vertebra, rib and hip fractures.

Compression fractures may effect nerves and it leads to deterioration of function for the organs, innervated by these nerves. Beside this, height will decrease and ‘ dowager’s hump will develop-slouched back.

Osteoporosis may lead to teeth damage and development of periodontosis- since it is bone tissue.

Very often, osteoporosis is triggered by vitamin and mineral deficiencies: vitamins C, D, K2, E and minerals: calcium, magnesium, boron, phosphorus, manganese, copper, zinc, silica.

There are two types of osteoporosis. One type is a result of estrogen decline which is physiological in cases of menopause, another one related only to nutritional deficiencies.

Our body can assimilate calcium only if we have enough of vitamin D, so if you deficient in vitamin D, calcium from food or supplements will not go to bones, it will be lost with stool. In this situation, body must steal Calcium from bone for important needs, so osteoporosis will be manifested. There are scientific data, saying that diet high in salt, sugar and protein leads to development of osteoporosis. Contributing factors in osteoporosis development are: smoking, family history of osteoporosis, chronic diseases of liver and kidney, hyperfunction of parathyroid glands, long time therapy with anticoagulants meds and corticosteroids.

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT OR TREAT OSTEOPOROSIS?

To use more natural sources of necessary vitamins and minerals.

1. Vitamin C- in majority of vegetables and fruits, (citrus, green leafy vegetables, berries).
2. Calcium- from organic dairy and green leafy veges.
3. Magnesium -from seafood, nuts, olives, banana, black strap molasses, rice and oatmeal.
4. Manganese -from avocado, pecans, hazelnuts, dairy, whole wheat, buckwheat.
5. Phosphorus- from meat, fish, dairy , nuts and grains.
6. Silica- from herb Horsetail.
7. Boron- mostly from vegetables, meat and fish are bad sources of boron.
8. Copper- from shellfish, liver, meat, nuts and beans.
9. Zinc- from meat, eggs, liver, beans and grains, Brazil nuts.

Regular exercises, especially with some weights, will help to prevent osteoporosis. It is recommended to walk 30-60 min a day, if it possible, caring small weights – walking with weights will enhance bone tissue metabolism.

In some cases of menopause, may be used HRT- Hormone Replacement Therapy with synthetic and natural hormones which will alleviate difficult symptoms of menopause. This treatment will help with osteoporosis.

In my practice I use natural supplements made from natural sources, giving necessary nutrition to bone tissue and preventing osteoporosis. Vitamin complex- K2 with D3 is very important for prevention and even treatment of osteoporosis since K2 carries Ca from blood and blood vessels walls to the bone, and D3 enables body to assimilate Calcium.

Weston Price started to talk about K2 in 1945 and named it Activator X since it activates assimilation of vitamins A, D and Calcium. Activator X present in organ meats, such as liver, in meat and milk of cows which were fed on fast growing grasses, in eggs and liver of some fish.

Later scientists confirmed that K2 and Activator X– are the same substance and when Cod liver Oil and Vitamin K2 used together, they are more effective.

Today, we can say that Cod liver Oil and vitamin K2 should be used for patients with osteoporosis and atherosclerosis since they clean vascular wall from calcium and carry it to the bone.

So, regular physical activity in conjunction with right diet will help you to prevent and treat osteoporosis.