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“Make No Bones About It” Boomers and Osteoporosis – A Real Health Concern

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The oldest group of baby boomers, over 3 million, are now in their 60’s. They represent a large portion of our population–more than 75 million people and they are redefining what it means to grow old. No doubt you’ve heard one of them say 60 is the new 40. Today’s baby boomers aren't going to retire, sit around and just play bingo. The bottom line is baby boomers aren’t slowing down; they are more active than ever. Many feel they are in good health and believe they will live longer and be happier if they continue to stay active. A Del Webb report found that 25% reported feeling an average of 15 years younger and almost 10% feel 21 years younger than their physical age.

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But what about those who don’t feel so good? What are their concerns? They’re worried about cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's, and osteoporosis in that order. Why shouldn't they be? These health concerns rank at the top and many believe they also correlate with diets of highly refined and processed foods. Baby boomers are more and more concerned about taking prescription medications that compromise their way of living and how much they enjoy life. They are actively looking for choices outside of prescription drugs and are taking responsibility for their health, spending whatever it costs to maintain their bodies and have quality of life in their later years.

Unless the boomer population has nurtured their body along the way, their aging issues may be accompanied by ailments they have not planned for. Have no fear…. there are more than enough medical experts and media personalities to go around to tell you what to do about it. They give us all the traditional causes and cures for any and all of the ailments we’re plagued by. But here’s the thing, baby boomers are leading the shift towards alternative therapies that work. Let’s talk about one here, osteoporosis. Let’s discuss what it is and how we can prevent from robbing our quality of life in our golden years.

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Osteoporosis ranks high on that baby boomer’s concern chart. It's often the cause of many health complications. Loss of bone density is called "osteopenia" when mild and "osteoporosis" when severe. It is more common as we age and become more sedentary. An estimated 1.5 million of older folks experience fractures related to osteoporosis every year. Pain, disfigurement, and debilitation are common in later stages of osteoporosis. There are other manifestations such as that large “hump” on the upper back at the neck (hyperkyphosis), or we can lose height up to six inches due to this condition. Recognizing the disease early is a major key. By the time osteoporosis shows up on an x-ray 50% bone loss has already occurred. Most people think of hip fractures occurring in a fall, yet it is more common to have bone fracture occur when standing which is then followed by a fall. The bone collapses first due to chronic poor bone health.

Bone of Contention

Sadly, except for calcium, most doctors only hear about expensive prescriptions such as bisphosphonates like Alendronate (Fosamax), Risedronate (Actonel, Atelvia), Ibandronate (Boniva), or Zoledronic acid (Reclast, Zometa). These drugs have shown to cause serious damaging side effects. We won’t get into that here, but you should really read the fine print and do your homework before jumping on board with one of those. Although drug companies mostly promote expensive (and sometimes toxic) medications to both patients and physicians, the good news is really rather simple, safe and effective….NATURAL REMEDIES. These natural means are even more effective than medications! It’s easy to treat osteoporosis safely, effectively, and naturally!

So what do we know about bones and how to take care of them?

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Although using calcium to increase bone density has received most of the media attention, it is actually a rather small player when it comes to improving bone strength. The daily recommended calcium supplement amount is 1200mg/day. It is set this high because most studies have been done on indigestible calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is difficult to ionize once it’s in the body. When using more digestible and “ionizable” calcium, like calcium lactate, the dosage does not have to be that high.

Bare Bones:

1.Bone is a complex structure that requires a multitude of nutrients to grow.

2.Bone is constantly remodeling (breaking down and rebuilding).

3.In a year’s time, between 10-30% of the skeleton is remodeled.

4.Hormones interact to direct bone remodeling and mineral metabolism.

5.Sufficient hydrochloric acid in the stomach (to reach ph of 3 or lower) is required to digest calcium, magnesium, and most other minerals.

6.People taking antacids or acid-stopping medications (Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium) are prevented from making sufficient hydrochloric acid.

7.Calcium and other mineral supplements made from ground up rocks and shells (calcium carbonate) are very difficult, if not impossible, to digest, assimilate and use effectively in the body.

8.Calcium and other minerals need vitamins, enzymes, and other co-factor nutrients to function properly.

9.Without vitamin F and K, for example calcium won’t enter or remain in bone.

10.Without sufficient magnesium, calcium cannot be used effectively in the body. (Dairy products have plenty of calcium, but very little magnesium content)

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Feel It In My Bones:

In addition to weight-bearing exercise and natural estrogen, many other nutrients and treatments can dramatically improve bone density and decrease bone pain. I would certainly start first by adding the natural nutrients that your body needs to make strong bones. Other important factors are trace minerals, vitamin D 100 UI per tablet (whole food source), phosphorus, protein, amino acids, and enzymes.

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Did you know that cruciferous vegetables like brussels sprouts and kale have vitamin K which is required to produce osteocalcin, the protein in bone tissue that crystallizes calcium. These vegetables also promote phase I and II detoxification processes in cells, supports calcium absorption, blood clotting, healthy liver function, contains trace amounts of lutein which in higher amounts appears to support healthy eye function, and filled with antioxidants to protect cells. So eat those greens! If you don’t eat them then check your local markets or health food store for a concentrated whole food form to add to a fruit smoothie drink or capsule to take daily.

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Talk to your doctor whether it’s an MD, DC, DO, or other health care professional about tests for osteoporosis like Pyrilinks-D (DPD) urine test, which assesses bone breakdown, in combination with a saliva test that measures hormone levels of estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, FSH, testosterone and cortisol. Your doctor can use the Pyrilinks-D urine test within this panel to: Screen for osteoporosis in conjunction with bone densitometry and as a follow-up test to monitor the bone response in hormone replacement therapy and/ or osteoporosis treatment protocols.

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Bone Up On Natural Ways to Keep Your Bones Healthy By Remembering These Tips

1.Digestion must be working normally including enough hydrochloric acid in the stomach and bile flow from the gall bladder

2.Avoid elemental (inorganic) forms of minerals like calcium carbonate and magnesium oxide

3.Consider testing hormone levels

4.Consider doing a hair mineral analysis to evaluate overall mineral metabolism

Dr. Duvé is owner of The Natural Living Shoppe and a Doctor of Chiropractor in Port Isabel.

We don’t live forever, but we should all take care of ourselves as if we’re going to.

Wellness is a choice.


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