Archive for the ‘Osteoporosis’ Category

Lifestyle suggestions for osteoporosis prevention

Exercises

Weight-bearing activities, which place stress on the bone, help to strengthen bones and improve bone density. Examples include weight lifting, walking, tennis, and dancing.

Exercise also increases muscle strength, coordination, and balance, helping to preserve mobility and reduce the risk of injury and fracture.
Weight-bearing and load-bearing exercises help to keep the bones strong. These types of exercises cause the muscles and tendons to pull the bones which will stimulate the cells of the bones to produce more bone.

Running
Running is a great way to prevent osteoporosis and keep your body strong and fit.

Jogging and walking
If running is too high-impact for you, jogging or walking will provide the same benefits.

Gymnastics

If you are flexible and enjoy gymnastics it will help prevent osteoporosis later in life.

Aerobics or dancing
Any type of aerobics, such as step or dance, will help prevent osteoporosis.
Weight lifting- Weight lifting is a great way to keep your bones strong and improve balance, which will help to slow the deterioration of bone.

Team Sports

Team sports that involve running and throwing are great ways to get involved and prevent osteoporosis.

Although all types of exercise are good for your health, there are some exercises that are less effective in preventing osteoporosis. Some of these exercises are swimming, water aerobics and any other minimal weight-bearing exercises.
Spend 15 minutes outdoors daily. Your body manufactures some vitamin D through sunlight exposure

Nutrition

Nutrition is very important.
Calcium-rich foods are essential to build and maintain strong bones. Examples include canned fish with bones (salmon and sardines), dark-green vegetables (kale, kelp, collards, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts), and calcium-fortified orange juice and soy milk.

Some studies have shown that people who get their calcium from plant sources have lower rates of osteoporosis. Green vegetables are also a good source of vitamin K. Vegetables and fruits are alkaline and health promoting.
Recent research suggests that polyphenols (plant pigments) in fruits, vegetables, green tea, and red wine have a positive effect on bone-building cells.
Tomatoes and tomato products also are very beneficial as contain lycopene, a carotenoid – an antioxidant that may offer some bone-preserving benefits.
Magnesium is also necessary for bone formation and may be deficient in those with osteoporosis.
Food sources include leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, meat, milk, soybeans, tofu, legumes, and figs.

Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium. Food sources include fortified milk products and breakfast cereals, fatty fish, and eggs.

Soy foods such as tofu, soy milk, roasted soy beans, soy powders, and soy bars can also play a role in the prevention of osteoporosis. Soy contains isoflavones, which are plantbased estrogens that protect against bone loss.

Organic yogurt contains friendly bacteria necessary to convert vitamin K (important vitamin for bone development) to its active form, which helps in calcium absorption.

Foods that should be avoid:

  • Caffeine (more than three cups coffee per day) or sodium can increase calcium loss through urination, accelerating bone deterioration.
  • Soft drinks may contribute to bone loss due to the phosphoric acid and sugar, which changes the acid balance in the blood.
  • Fast food and processed foods are acidifying and can promote bone loss.
  • Minimize alcohol (less than two drinks per day).

For prevention of bone loss and osteoporosis supplement your diet with bone-building nutrients.


Supplements for osteoporosis prevention

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Cigarette Smoking and Osteoporosis

Analyzing the impact of cigarette smoking on bone health is complicated.
But many studies have proved that smoking is risk factor for osteoporosis and that there are direct relationship between tobacco use and decreased bone density.

In men and women, cigarette smoking is known to influence hormone function. Smoking increases estrogen loss in women who are perimenopausal or postmenopausal. This can result in a loss of bone density and lead to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes bones to lose strength, becoming more fragile.

The study suggests continuing high exposure to tobacco in older smokers and greater sensitivity to smoking-induced bone loss after menopause as possible explanations for the more pronounced negative effects of tobacco on bone loss in postmenopausal women.

The longer you smoke and the more cigarettes you consume, the greater your risk of fracture in old age. Smokers who have fracture may take longer to heal than nonsmokers and may experience more complications during the healing process.

Women who smoke often produce less estrogen (a sex hormone) and tend to experience menopause earlier than nonsmokers, which may lead to increased bone loss.

Women, who are already very vulnerable to osteoporosis, should avoid smoking because it can limit how much estrogen you produce.
Cigarette smoking may increase the risk of serious blood clots in women taking estrogens, the risk increasing with the patient’s age and amount smoked. Smoking also may make estrogens less effective.

At least one study suggests that exposure to second-hand smoke during youth and early adulthood may increase the risk of developing low bone mass.

Quitting smoking significantly reduces the risk of osteoporosis, low bone mass and fractures. However, it may take several years to lower a former smoker’s risk.

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Vitamins and minerals for osteoporosis prevention

Osteoporosis is a disease that takes place when bones become porous and lose their mineral density. When this happens, bones become brittle, fragile and highly likely to fracture.

There is wide range of osteoporosis causes.
Generally, osteoporosis occurs to women who are in their menopausal stage.
Women in menopausal stages are going through hormonal imbalance that eventually affects the bone, thus osteoporosis postmenopause can usually happen in older women.

It also can be a side effect of taking anticoagulant medications as these medications can inhibit mineral uptake and utilization. You are particular at high risk for osteoporosis if you are a heavy smoker, or drink excessive amounts of coffee or alcohol.

Eating a nutritional balanced diet and regular exercise for women in menopausal age can help prevent osteoporosis. The elderly and special high-risk groups may need to take extra supplementation to be safe. Below are the five essential supplements for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

Calcium

Calcium deficiency is a direct cause of osteoporosis. Though there is plenty of calcium in food sources, deficiency can still occur due to drug, hormonal and other chemical inhibitors that prevent efficient absorption of calcium. You need at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium every day to ensure proper bone development.

If you who have impaired digestive function or take calcium-inhibiting medications, you should take an OTC calcium salt, such as Caltrate or BioCalth, to supplement your dietary intake. Postmenopausal women are especially at risk for osteoporosis, so that extra calcium supplementation becomes crucial to prevent the loss of bone mass.

Remember, your body cannot handle more than 600 milligrams of calcium per sitting. Any excess of this amount can form deposits in your soft tissue.

Vitamin D

Absorption of calcium into your bone structure requires the presence of vitamin D. Though your body can synthesis its own vitamin D, this process involve the adequate exposure to sunlight and is usually not enough to meet the demand of your body. Most fortified and supplement sources of calcium are coupled with vitamin D. Vitamin D is also available as a part of multivitamin pills.

Vitamin C

Calcium incorporation is more effective in acidic environment. Researches have shown that vitamin C can encourage higher calcium uptake. The easiest way to avoid vitamin C deficiency is eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Phosphates

Phosphorus is the other most important mineral component of your bone and teeth structures. Dietary phosphorus ionizes into phosphates and forms the “bone mineral” when combined with calcium. Dietary sources of phosphorus include all fruits and vegetables grown in phosphorus-rich soil. Fortified cereals, dairy and grain products are also excellent sources of this calcium phosphate. OTC phosphates and prescription bisphosphonates are approved for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

Estrogen Replacement

Estrogen availability can greatly impact your risk of calcium deficiency and osteoporosis during menopause. The cessation of estrogen production in postmenopausal women and women undergoing breast cancer treatment is the main reason why they are highly susceptible to bone deterioration.

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Osteoporosis prevention

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