In our last blog, we discussed the Art of Healing using lower back pain as an illustration and guide. In this article, we will delve into it further using the bone brittle disease, Osteoporosis, and how it can be treated from a multi-focal approach.
What is the problem with Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis affects both men and women and can occur at any age. The cost of treating osteoporosis for our Canadian health care system was over $2.3 billion in 2010 and will continue to rise! As our population ages, the risk of osteoporotic fractures increases — with hip fractures being the most common that which occur.
It’s no wonder that it’s a burden on our quality of life and the state of our healthcare system. There are many types of pharmaceutical drugs to treat osteoporosis, however, unless you are suffering from very severe bone loss, there are several other effective natural options to consider.
Natural Osteoporosis Treatment Options
Make sure you are receiving an adequate intake of Calcium from your diet. Since our foods are devoid of many essential minerals from the earth, it is vital to supplement them with calcium citrate — not carbonate. Citrate is a more absorbable form whereas carbonate is derived from shellfish and limestone (you naturally wouldn’t chew on a piece of chalk would you?).
Green leafy vegetables such as kale and Swiss chard, broccoli, cauliflower, almonds, and salmon with the bone in are excellent sources of calcium. Keep in mind that more is not necessarily better because the calcium needs to be absorbed and it depends on your own biochemistry to metabolize and utilize the calcium in its absorbable state.
Avoid smoking and limit alcohol consumption. Keep your intake of caffeine and carbonated beverages to a minimum as they can leach out calcium from your bones. We need 1000 mg of calcium/day as a daily requirement and 1200-1500 mg/day if suffering from osteoporosis.
Remember to take Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) when supplementing with calcium, the best source coming from the sun. Fifteen to twenty minutes of exposed sunlight during the day helps. Take Vitamin D3 in supplement form during the winter solstice months. Weight-bearing activity is vital to encourage calcium uptake into the bone. What better way to get those bones back into shape than to get outdoors on a bright and sunny day?
Other Treatment for Osteoporosis
Speaking of healthy bones, it’s good to consider having a qualified practitioner to assess your overall musculoskeletal health and have your co-ordination and balance assessed to minimize the risk of falls. That is where I come in, to fine tune your nervous system. I use a systematic approach to bring those “achy” bones back into proper alignment and function.
For more information on how to minimize and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and its subsequent complications, contact us and let us help you get started on the right path to health. After all, healthy bones should last you a lifetime!
