Derek L. Hill, D.O.

Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Surgeon and Specialist

Suffering From Osteoporosis

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iStock_000002529630_MediumOsteoporosis (bone loss) is a condition so serious it makes bones weak to the point of breakage. Commonly found in older people, especially women after menopause, fifty-four million Americans have low bone density or osteoporosis.

A postmenopausal woman over age 50, a woman over age 65, or a man older than 70, with osteoporosis risk factors need to get checked out. Each year osteoporosis fractures leads to 2.5 million annual office visits, and seventy percent of those fractures occur in people over the age of 65. There are testing and treatments available to help you detect osteoporosis, unfortunately x-rays are not able to show the disease until it’s in the more advanced stage.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends a quick and noninvasive bone density test that uses a central DXA (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) machine for diagnosis. Test results are reported using T-scores, which compare how higher or lower your bone density is to a healthy 30-year old. The lower the T-score will determine a diagnosis of osteoporosis. A T-score of -1.0 is lower than 0.5.

Below are examples of what your T-score means, according to the World Health Organization (WHO):

• A T-score of -1.0 or above is normal bone density. Examples are 0.9, 0 and -0.9.
• A T-score between -1.0 and -2.5 means you have low bone density. Examples are -1.1, -1.6 and -2.4.
• A T-score of -2.5 or below is a diagnosis of osteoporosis. Examples are -2.6, -3.3 and -3.9.

People with osteoporosis think that exercise causes bone breakage. However, weight-bearing and strength training exercises are known to build and maintain bone density. They are also safe and effective.

Medical Disclosure: When dealing with bone loss, be sure to consult with a physician or trained physical therapist before starting an exercise regimen.

Written by: Jamacia Magee, FizzNiche Staff Writer

Natural Ways to Keep Bones Healthy & Strong

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Banana and dumbbellsAccording to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, approximately 52.4 million Americans over age 50 have osteoporosis, with 80% being women. As you mature, it is critical to avoid fractures and prevent bone loss through the right dietary and lifestyle choices.

Avoid Hidden Causes of Poor Bone Health

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D3 deficiency is the most common vitamin deficiency in the United States and Canada. Without adequate levels of vitamin D in your body, you cannot effectively absorb calcium. It is important to have your vitamin D levels checked by your doctor to see if you have a deficiency. If so, you can take a supplement to build your levels back up. Most naturopathic physicians recommend 2,000 to 5,000 I.U.s a day.

Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease characterized by the inability to digest the protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. This protein is called gluten. If you’re intolerant to gluten, your intestines will be chronically inflamed and this will interfere with your ability to absorb nutrients from food, including vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin K. The best way to test for celiac disease is to talk with a nutritionist or naturopathic physician about a gluten elimination diet for a period of at least 6-8 weeks.

Hyperthyroidism

An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) is often caused by a malfunctioning immune system. After the age of 30, the natural process of bone remodeling (the act of breaking down and building up) is sped up in the case of hyperthyroidism and can lead to significant bone loss. Get tested for thyroid disease and if the results come back negative, but you still have symptoms, seek a second opinion. Conventional thyroid tests often give a false negative.

Corticosteroid Drugs

Corticosteroid drugs taken for asthma or autoimmune disease can have a significant impact on your bone health. These drugs not only interfere with the absorption of essential nutrients, they also encourage the breakdown of bone. Get a second opinion from a naturopathic or osteopathic physician about using nutrition and natural supplements to treat your condition without steroids.

Proton Pump Inhibitors

According to a clinical study published by Osteoporosis International, proton pump inhibitors have been shown to significantly increase bone fragility. Talk with your doctor about weaning off proton pump inhibitors and using digestive enzymes, probiotics, and dietary changes to heal your acid reflux disease.

Keep Your Bones Strong as You Age

Eat a Bone-Building Diet

A bone-building diet is essential in the fight against bone loss as you mature. Slowly wean off junk food and invest in your health with a diet rich in organic produce, fermented foods, grass-fed beef, organic poultry, wild-caught fish, magnesium-rich beans, and healthy fats like coconut oil and butter.

Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise is essential, especially after the age of 30, as this is when your bones begin to break down. Exercise for at least thirty minutes using weight-bearing exercises like walking, hiking or jogging at least three times per week. Light weight training can also help prevent bone loss.

Take the Right Supplements

Even if you eat a very healthy diet, you may still have one or more nutrient deficiencies.

Supplements Shown to Help Prevent Bone Disease

Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency can greatly increase your likelihood of developing osteoporosis. Adding a vitamin D supplement can help you better absorb calcium and magnesium.

Calcium

Calcium is important for strong bones. It is best to get this essential nutrient from vegetables or a supplement instead of milk. Milk contains synthetic calcium that is more difficult for your body to absorb.

Vitamin K2

Japanese clinical trials have shown that when combined with vitamin D, vitamin K2 can help prevent bone loss and reduce the likelihood of the development of brittle bone disease.

Magnesium

Magnesium is the most common mineral deficiency in the world. Without this essential nutrient, your body cannot effectively absorb calcium or vitamin D. In addition to helping prevent bone loss, magnesium also helps stimulate a hormone called calcitonin, which helps preserve bone structure by drawing calcium from the blood and soft tissues back into the bones.

Brittle bones isn’t an inevitable part of aging. Prevent bone disease naturally and stay active for years to come!

Written by: Jaime Heidel, FizzNiche Staff Writer

Menopause-Related Bone Loss

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Happy senior womanMenopause is the transition between two important phases of a woman’s life: from the child-bearing years to their end, the cessation of menstruation. Complex hormonal changes occur during these 5 to 10 years.  Understanding the many potentially-dangerous changes in your body chemistry will help you eliminate bone loss during menopause.

Menopause brings a drastic reduction in the vital hormone estrogen. Estrogen affects the absorption of calcium into the bones. Bones can become less dense, brittle and prone to breakage. This makes a woman more susceptible to fractures and broken bones.

BONE DENSITY SCANS

This is the time to begin having bone density scans every two years after the full cessation of your menstrual period. This diagnostic scan tracks the bone loss and may signal the need for bone density treatment medications that your doctor can prescribe.

CALCIUM

You should begin to add a calcium supplement to your diet to avoid menopause-related bone loss.   Above all, be sure to drink calcium-rich low-fat skim milk, and eat low-fat cheese and yogurt. Non-dairy drinks such as soymilk and almond milk are great for those whose digestive systems can’t tolerate lactose and are high in calcium. Dark green, leafy vegetables and broccoli are high in calcium as well.  To guard against rapid loss of bone, avoid drinking sodas and carbonated beverages. These leach calcium from your bones, which heightens the loss of density when your body is most at risk.

EXERCISE

Exercise can build bones and counteract menopause-related bone loss. Strength training—i.e., weight lifting, lunges, and push-ups— puts anti-gravity stress on bones. Recent research says that this increases the denseness of bone. Exercises such as walking, jogging, running and jumping also put that same type of “positive” stress on the bones to make them thicker and stronger.

Menopause is a time for change. But that doesn’t have to include menopause-related bone loss. Taking care of your bones after menopause will give your body a youthful posture and the ability to do what you want, regardless of your age.

Written by: Ruby Holder Moseley, FizzNiche Staff Writer