Is it possible that homogenizing and pasteurizing milk is contributing...

[BeckyFL]

to osteoporosis in this country? I googled and found a few things about it, but not much. My mom had it and my only sister has it as well. Now my cousin has been diagnosed. I guess I want to think that if I drink raw milk, I can avoid it. Any thoughts?

[Mergath]

I don't think so. I think it's probably more what people eat overall than any one thing causing it. There are plenty of people who don't drink any milk and don't end up with osteoperosis.

[Peela]

I have cut way back on my dairy intake, even the raw dairy I was eating, as a result of reading The China Study.

i think many people have connected the high meat, sugar and dairy diets in the west as being a significant cause of osteoporosis. Also, the high calcium intake, believe it or not. Have a look at what people eat in countries that have much lower rates of osteoporosis- many of them are much closer to vegan.

I would keep doing your research.

[littlebug42]

There has also been a link suggested to carbonation actually leeching the calcium from bones which goes along with the increased soda intake. I have seen teenagers at the hospital with osteopenia/osteoporosis.

[GoVanGogh]

I have done quite a bit of research on osteoporosis and have yet to make up my mind. :tongue_smilie:

 

My grandmother was born and raised on a farm during the depression and often only had raw milk to drink. She was always a heavy milk drinker and never drank soda. She was physically active all of her life, even in later years walking several miles to a restaurant if she wanted a bowl of ice cream.

According to her doctors, she had terrible osteoporosis - she lost nearly 6 inches and developed the typical hump in her back.

Yet she took three big spills in later years (~80 years of age) and never broke a bone. (1: She tripped walking on a wooden pier and fell flat on her face 2: She was blown several feet off her deck by the screen door during a bad wind storm 3: She fell off her step-stool in her kitchen)

The doctors could never explain why someone with such poor bones could fall and not break something.

 

I guess I tend to look at how physically active someone is, as weight bearing exercise is suppose to be so beneficial to bones. As a society, we are so inactive compared to previous generations. We literally have to go out of our way to exercise these days.

[OrganicAnn]

It seems to be genetic rather than diet. It seems to run in families.

[LauraGB]

I agree with others who mentioned genetics and activity. And, no, I have no articles to link to prove my perspective because all of any studying I did on the subject is ages old.

 

Honestly, I don't think adult humans can completely absorb and utilize the benefits of the milk of another animal and the whole calcium absorption of drinking 3 glasses a day thing is government hype at best. :leaving:

 

(and I'm not even vegan or against dairy - I love cheese :D.)

[Denise in Florida]

Yes, I believe it is one factor. It is more difficult to absorb calcium from Pastuerized and Homogenized (I hope I spelled those correctly :)) milk.

 

I don't have any studies to link to, but I know that I had absorption problems as a child that went away after we switched to raw milk.

 

Of course there are lots of other factors, but I think some people aren't consuming as much usable calcium as they think.

[JadeOrchidSong]

I have cut way back on my dairy intake, even the raw dairy I was eating, as a result of reading The China Study.

i think many people have connected the high meat, sugar and dairy diets in the west as being a significant cause of osteoporosis. Also, the high calcium intake, believe it or not. Have a look at what people eat in countries that have much lower rates of osteoporosis- many of them are much closer to vegan.

I would keep doing your research.

I have lived in the US for 10 years now and went back to China for a visit last March.

The Chinese not only drink much less milk, they walk to everywhere they need to go to. For example, my former coworker walks 20 to 30 minutes one way to work every day. She also walks to the farmer's market to buy fresh veggies every day and walks to wherever she needs to get to. Also she has to carry all the heavy loads and walk home.

Here people don't have to walk if they choose not to. If you take a walk, you have to plan it and put it in your schedule.

In China, walking is the primary way to get to places. Even if you have a car, you have to walk quite a distance to your car, and you can't find parking easily anywhere and that means you have to walk a lot to and from your car. People also climb stairs a lot. Buildings under 9 stories don't have elevators. I used to live on the 6th floor. Every day I had to walk stairs a few times.

I love climbing stairs as a way of exercise. I do 1008 stairs at a time a few days a week now.

[JadeOrchidSong]

I have done quite a bit of research on osteoporosis and have yet to make up my mind. :tongue_smilie:

 

My grandmother was born and raised on a farm during the depression and often only had raw milk to drink. She was always a heavy milk drinker and never drank soda. She was physically active all of her life, even in later years walking several miles to a restaurant if she wanted a bowl of ice cream.

According to her doctors, she had terrible osteoporosis - she lost nearly 6 inches and developed the typical hump in her back.

Yet she took three big spills in later years (~80 years of age) and never broke a bone. (1: She tripped walking on a wooden pier and fell flat on her face 2: She was blown several feet off her deck by the screen door during a bad wind storm 3: She fell off her step-stool in her kitchen)

The doctors could never explain why someone with such poor bones could fall and not break something.

 

I guess I tend to look at how physically active someone is, as weight bearing exercise is suppose to be so beneficial to bones. As a society, we are so inactive compared to previous generations. We literally have to go out of our way to exercise these days.

:iagree::iagree:

[newlifemom]

I agree with others who mentioned genetics and activity. And, no, I have no articles to link to prove my perspective because all of any studying I did on the subject is ages old.

 

Honestly, I don't think adult humans can completely absorb and utilize the benefits of the milk of another animal and the whole calcium absorption of drinking 3 glasses a day thing is government hype at best. :leaving:

 

(and I'm not even vegan or against dairy - I love cheese :D.)

 

Laura! I haven't noticed you around. [of course I have been pretty busy lately and have mostly only skimmed this place on my phone] I miss you. Hope all is well.

[Mommyof4ks]

I have lived in the US for 10 years now and went back to China for a visit last March.

The Chinese not only drink much less milk, they walk to everywhere they need to go to. For example, my former coworker walks 20 to 30 minutes one way to work every day. She also walks to the farmer's market to buy fresh veggies every day and walks to wherever she needs to get to. Also she has to carry all the heavy loads and walk home.

Here people don't have to walk if they choose not to. If you take a walk, you have to plan it and put it in your schedule.

In China, walking is the primary way to get to places. Even if you have a car, you have to walk quite a distance to your car, and you can't find parking easily anywhere and that means you have to walk a lot to and from your car. People also climb stairs a lot. Buildings under 9 stories don't have elevators. I used to live on the 6th floor. Every day I had to walk stairs a few times.

I love climbing stairs as a way of exercise. I do 1008 stairs at a time a few days a week now.

 

:iagree:My son was on a steroid for a health condition for several years, and we were told that he may lose calcium that would lead to osteopenia. We were told that the best thing for him was to walk and do weight bearing activities. Too much calcium can cause kidney stones, so we were told not to go overboard with milk or other dairy, but push weight bearing activity. As a society we sit to watch tv, do our jobs, in school, driving from place to place, and on and on, so we don't get nearly enough weight bearing activity.

[BeckyFL]

There has also been a link suggested to carbonation actually leeching the calcium from bones which goes along with the increased soda intake. I have seen teenagers at the hospital with osteopenia/osteoporosis.

I have wondered about this as well. Since I stopped drinking soda (well... once in a while), I can hang onto that.

The picture of carrying my groceries as I walk home from the farmer's market is not such a good one for me. I avoid carrying anything because of a bulging disk. I had better figure out how to do weight bearing exercise in spite of that. Better start doing some more research.

[FaithManor]

I think that the greater issue is low D3 which is vitally necessary to the absorption and proper utilization of calcium. Calcium intake doesn't have to be taken in high dosages when enough D3 is present.

 

Modern Westerners are working huge, long hours and most of it in offices, away from windows, etc. The work week away from the sun has gotten longer and longer for each generation since the Industrialization of the western world. In areas where the suns rays aren't all that strong to begin with, stimulation of the skin for the natural conversion of D3 is very poor. In America, a line east of the Missisippi river and north of the Ohio river valley puts one at extreme risk of the disease if addtional dosages of D3 aren't taken along with diet. People could drink all of the raw milk they could hold, and without vitamin D3 supplementing or FAR more time spent in the sun or under full spectrum lighting, they will still be at risk of osteoperosis. Rickets is actually making a comeback in this region because children spend so little time outdoors and they aren't given D3 supplements. Recesses are short or non-existent and sunscreen is slathered on children before they spend a single second in the summer sun. Sunblock does lower the body's efficiency in producing D3 from light stimulation.

 

So, I wouldn't lay this on the door of pateurization or homogonizing those those processes do strip the milk of it's nutrients and digestive enzymes and the main nutrients are added back in a synthesized form which is hard to digest and utilize. The reality is most people need a lot more sunshine with less sun block (20 minutes is good) and because of the very low strength of the sun's rays in many parts of the US and Canada, D3 supplements or some method of getting D3 in large dosages in the environment (fish is one of the absolute best ways but it's expensive and many people do not even like seafood) are vitally necessary. Once this is added back to the body, the amount of calcium required in nutritional intake, is much, much lower.

 

Faith

[regentrude]

Doubt it - does not do anything to the calcium.

I see two huge contributors to osteoporosis: soft drinks (which, as far as I understand, contribute to leaching calcium form the body) and lack of weight bearing exercise. Anything who grew up on a farm would not just have drunk raw milk, but also engaged in strenuous bone strengthening/bone growth promoting physical activity. It is the sedentary lifestyle that contributes, rather than pasteurized milk.

[Jennifer3141]

Our local milk company does not homogenize their milk because this is what they believe.

 

I think there's a relationship between homogenizing milk only in so far as it represents people moving from the land and fresh food to a more urban lifestyle. Those people tend to be more sedentary because they are not working on the farm all day and their diets are not as good as they could be.

 

So I think homogenization of milk is related to dietary deficiences but I don't think it's a causal relationship.

[SweetBean]

I think there are many factors that contribute to osteoporosis.

 

Soft drinks, particularly those with caffeine, because of the phosphorous content: http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/features/soda-osteoporosis

 

The lack of vitamin D, because of prolonged time spent indoors, and now use of sunscreens. I take vit. D supplements.

 

The lack of weight bearing exercise.

 

Genetics.

 

I come from a long line of dairy farmers. The only member of my extended family who has developed osteoporosis was my paternal grandmother who hadn't drank milk since she was a child. She gave birth to and nursed 7 children. I remember having such a compressed spine that when she sat on the sofa her elbows touched on the seat beside her. Her bones were just crumbling. She died at age 64 from cancer. Her 3 sisters lived well into their 90s and were independent and healthy until shortly before their deaths. Her brother even lived to the ripe old age of 107.

 

I'll keep drinking milk!

[LauraGB]

Laura! I haven't noticed you around. [of course I have been pretty busy lately and have mostly only skimmed this place on my phone] I miss you. Hope all is well.

 

Awww, thanks :blush:. I'm here, but so busy that I just get to check in for a few minutes here and there lately. (and I check in on my phone sometimes, too, but the keys are so darn small I couldn't even dream of typing out a post!) And besides, I haven't had much to contribute to the group lately, either - just reading and learning from everyone else for now.

[Chelli]

My grandmother was diagnosed with osteoperosis and her doctor told her that there was not much use in taking calcium supplements or drinking extra milk because calcium does not benefit our bone strength once we are out of our early 20's. It only benefits you if you are young, then as you age you will use up what is stored in your bones. If you use up all of your stored calcium, you get osteoperosis. So it is really important to make sure our daughters are getting lots of calcium.

 

However, he told her that to have good bone health throughout life, you must do weight-bearing exercises. The more high impact you can handle, the better (so kudos to all those joggers out there :001_smile:). It slows down the leaching of calcium from our bones.

 

Also, genetics plays a factor in the disease as well (white, Asian, and Latin-American are more likely to get it than African-American). If you know that it runs in your family, you need to be extra diligent to take precautions.

 

One of the things I found interesting, that he told her was that people who are overweight tend to have osteopeosis less than people who weigh less because their bones are stronger due to having to carry around the excess pounds. He didn't reccommed that my grandmother gain a lot of weight, but he said that if you are slim, relatively sedentary, and genetically predispositioned you need to be very diligent about your bone health.

[JadeOrchidSong]

But my doctor friend just told me that jogging, climbing stairs, and jumping rope are all bad for the knees. Aren't they the most weight bearing (without weight outside our bodies, I mean) we can do? Stairs and rope are my favorite exercise. She suggests brisk walk. But when my kids are playing in the park and I can't walk away from them, jumping rope in place is my exercise.

[JennyD]

I have lived in the US for 10 years now and went back to China for a visit last March.

The Chinese not only drink much less milk, they walk to everywhere they need to go to. For example, my former coworker walks 20 to 30 minutes one way to work every day. She also walks to the farmer's market to buy fresh veggies every day and walks to wherever she needs to get to. Also she has to carry all the heavy loads and walk home.

Here people don't have to walk if they choose not to. If you take a walk, you have to plan it and put it in your schedule.

In China, walking is the primary way to get to places. Even if you have a car, you have to walk quite a distance to your car, and you can't find parking easily anywhere and that means you have to walk a lot to and from your car. People also climb stairs a lot. Buildings under 9 stories don't have elevators. I used to live on the 6th floor. Every day I had to walk stairs a few times.

I love climbing stairs as a way of exercise. I do 1008 stairs at a time a few days a week now.

 

Do people in China really have a lower rate of osteoporosis than Americans? My husband is Chinese-American and my understanding is that osteoporosis is a major risk for Asian women generally. His grandmother, who grew up in China, was terribly bent over; MIL had a fairly precipitous drop in bone density after menopause but she seems to be staving it off so far by a LOT of exercise (she swims).

[Negin]

Lots and lots and lots of info on osteoporosis here. Sorry it's overwhelming.

 

4 WAYS TO PREVENT YOUR BONES FROM BREAKING

1. Take 500-1000 mg of magnesium a day and 500-800 mg of calcium – if you’re eating dairy every day, you may want to add more magnesium to your diet and supplements

2. Strengthen your bones with bone-stressing exercise

3. Learn to balance. People break bones when they fall.

4. Reduce your stress. Stress hormones such as cortisol, pull calcium out of your bones.

 

TOO MUCH CALCIUM

Osteoporosis is the greatest misunderstood women’s health problem of modern times. No matter what you’ve heard, taking a lot of calcium is not the answer. If it were, fewer women today would have broken bones.

Think about it. Doctors have been pushing calcium supplements on women for decades, and osteoporosis continues to plague us.

 

Always remember this: High calcium intake causes bones to form that are brittle. Magnesium causes bones to form that are strong and flexible. You need plenty of magnesium and enough, but not too much, calcium.

 

While taking calcium may help preserve bone density, it also makes your bones more brittle, and brittle bones break easily.

Taking too much calcium has other consequences:

Heart Disease - Unabsorbed calcium can collect in your arteries where it contributes to atherosclerosis.

Arthritis - Unabsorbed calcium can collect in your joints where it becomes arthritis.

These are diseases that are becoming more common in women since calcium has been emphasized. Not only is calcium not the answer, in many cases it’s the problem. No wonder so many women suffer from heart attacks and painful arthritis as they age!

Excessive amounts of calcium from supplementation and/or dairy intake can also suppress the thyroid gland.

More illnesses are caused by a need for magnesium than for calcium.

Arthritis and joint pain are caused by excessive calcium and insufficient magnesium.

 

Meanwhile, vested interest groups continue to give out old information. The dairy and supplement industries are two of them. A review of nearly 60 studies on dairy consumption and bones published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that there was not enough evidence to support recommending dairy products for osteoporosis prevention.

 

While for years doctors have been recommending dietary calcium as the best way to ward off osteoporosis, many studies cast doubt on this idea. For example, a 2003 Harvard study looked at diet and hip fractures among 72,337 older women for 18 years and concluded that "Neither milk nor a high-calcium diet appears to reduce (fracture) risk." A more recent Harvard study, this one from 2007, analyzed seven trials that followed a total of 170,991 women for several years and found no association between total calcium intake and hip fracture risk.

The truth is that calcium isn't all it's cracked up to be when it comes to bone health. After all, in Africa and Asia, where people generally don't take calcium supplements and they consume little or no dairy (except for breastfed infants), fracture rates are 50 to 70 percent lower than they are in the US. Statistics show that most industrially advanced countries have the highest fracture rates, although they consume more dairy products than other countries.

[Negin]

EAT MORE

ALKALINE-RICH FOODS

For healthy bones, your blood needs to maintain a slightly alkaline pH level (a measure of relative acidity or alkalinity), which you can usually achieve by eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables for every one serving of red meat, chicken or fish. Another good idea is to eat vegan--no meat or dairy--one day a week, which is very easy given the wide availability of beans, tofu, and other protein these days.

The best solution for bone health is to eat more greens. Eating more greens, which, in effect, makes your body less acidic and more alkaline, is the most effective way to protect your bones. Try to have one fresh veggie juice daily and eat more raw greens. Juicing is wonderful for making your system more alkaline. If you don’t have time for making a veggie juice, powdered green drinks - Green Magma is an excellent one - are good also. Look for labels that contain little or no protein, lots of dehydrated fruit blends (especially citric fruits which are particularly alkalizing), as many greens as possible, bee pollen, and whole grains. Avoid products with ingredients that you can’t pronounce, as well as those that contain sucralose, which can negatively impact your kidneys and urinary tract. Capra Mineral Whey is another excellent drink to help alkalize the body. I love it.

Leafy greens (including arugula and other salad greens, collards, spinach, and Swiss chard) are high in calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K, so important to bone health.

Dr. Susan Brown, leading researcher in the area of osteoporosis, and author of the book “Better Bones, Better Body,” has found that the single most important factor in changing bone density and decreasing osteoporosis risk is maintaining optimal pH through an alkaline diet and lifestyle.

 

RIGHT KIND OF CALCIUM

Your body does need calcium, but you must supply it with the right kind of calcium – which does not come from most dairy products – along with plenty of other vitamins and minerals.

Alternative sources of calcium:

Eggs

Non-pasteurized/unpasteurized dairy and goat’s milk products

Fish with soft bones (salmon, sardines)

Various fruits like strawberries

Goat Cheese

Goat Milk

Green vegetables like romaine lettuce, and kale

Kelp

Liver

Molasses

Nuts

Tofu (organic and non-GMO)

Plain Yogurt is one of the most easily assimilated sources of calcium. It’s easily digested, less likely to cause allergic reactions than other dairy foods, and rich in probiotics, beneficial bacteria vital to healthy digestive and immune systems. Yogurt is also an unexpected source of iodine, helping to promote better thyroid function.

Whole Grains

[Negin]

PROTEIN

Too much protein increases your risk for fracture. Too little protein causes low collagen and brittle bones. You need as much as 15-20 grams of protein at each meal, at least for a while. A study out of Harvard Medical School found that women who ate the most protein had the fewest hip fractures.

Eat some animal and some vegetable protein each day. Don’t fool yourself by thinking you can get away with eating protein only occasionally. You’ll survive, but your bones won’t be strong. Eating protein once a day is not enough. This won’t support muscle strength and tone.

• Add a scoop of rice protein powder to your morning cereal or juice.

• Add beans, nuts, or slices of pressed tofu to salads. Even the small amount of protein found in beans is better than no protein at all.

There’s no way you can have strong, toned muscles without eating enough protein. If you’re doing the right kind of exercise and not eating much protein, you’re fooling yourself. You may be healthy in other ways, but you’re not protecting your bones.

1 egg contains only 6 grams of protein

1 cup of yogurt has from 8-12 grams

A serving of chicken or fish can give you 20-30 grams of protein — if you’re able to digest it. Of course, if you’re taking antacids, you’re not utilizing the protein you’re eating. Antacids stop your stomach’s acid from breaking down food so you can’t absorb it properly.

Add protein powder to your cereal, or start the day with a protein shake. Boost your protein intake with snacks of nuts, cheese, and yogurt. Add beans to your salads. Don’t count calories. Count grams of protein. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, it’s even more important to concentrate on proteins.

 

MAGNESIUM

A diet low in magnesium (the norm in most modern-day diets), and relatively high in calcium actually contributes to osteoporosis. Remember: Too much calcium and not enough magnesium forms brittle bones. Most of us get too much calcium and not enough magnesium in our diets. Milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products are the culprits. They’re high in calcium with no magnesium. To balance the calcium in dairy, you need to eat large amounts of magnesium-rich foods:

Almonds

Avocado

Barley

Beans

Brazil nuts

Brown rice

Buckwheat

Dark Chocolate

Dates

Figs

Garlic

Greens (including Collard Greens and Dandelion Greens)

Kelp

Molasses

Millet

Parsley

Pecans

Rye

Sea vegetables (seaweed and kelp – but make sure they come from non-polluted waters and are high-quality)

Shrimp

Walnuts

Whole Grains

Wheat bran

Wheat germ

[Negin]

MANGANESE helps maintain calcium balance and prevent further calcium loss. The following foods are rich in manganese:

Avocados

Falafel

Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas)

Hummus

Nuts – especially pecans and hazelnuts

Seeds

 

SILICA is necessary for calcium utilization and bone strength.

Found in fruits and veggies

 

LYPOCENE helps prevent and alleviate hip fractures

Found in:

Blood oranges

Guavas

Pink grapefruits

Prickly pears

Tomatoes

Watermelon

Lypocene is more abundant in processed tomato products, including tomato paste, ketchup, pasta sauce, and tomato soup

 

BORON helps maintain calcium balance and prevent further calcium loss. This amount is easily met with a diet rich in fruits, nuts, and vegetables and in most healthy vegetarian diets.

Foods high in magnesium are also high in boron. Boron protects against osteoporosis.

 

POTASSIUM helps balance the body’s pH. Over time, an acidic pH can cause bone loss. Most fruits and veggies contain potassium, especially the following:

Acorn squash

Bananas

Prunes

Raisins

Spinach

VITAMIN K keeps calcium from getting stuck in your arteries, where it’s inaccessible to bones.

Significantly reduces the incidence of fractures – although it does not increase bone density

Found in lettuce, spinach, chard, cabbage, broccoli, collard greens, turnip greens, parsley, cauliflower, kidney beans

Because the body cannot store vitamin K for long periods of time or in large doses, benefits are best obtained through food

Try to have 1 cup of spinach at least 3 times a week

Vitamin K is fat-soluble, so eat your greens with a little olive oil to help absorb the nutrient

[Negin]

SULFUR is necessary for calcium uptake. It increases bone and connective tissue strength.

Sulfur food sources are eggs, onions, garlic, and asparagus.

 

TURMERIC blocks the mechanisms that break down bone as you age. Turmeric also prevents arthritis by stopping the action of a protein that triggers joint inflammation.

To be assimilated by the body, turmeric must be mixed with black pepper and dissolved in olive, canola, or linseed oil.

All of us should regularly consume a soupspoon of turmeric every day, with a generous pinch of pepper and olive oil. You can use it in your salad dressings, cooking, vegetables, and soups

In store-bought curry mixes, turmeric represents only 20% of the total, so it’s better to obtain turmeric directly

Because powdered turmeric is a powerful blood-cleansing herb, don’t overdo it.

Research has shown that turmeric in capsules is poorly absorbed by the digestive system.

When turmeric is not mixed with pepper or ginger, it does not pass the intestinal barrier. Pepper increases the body’s absorption of turmeric by 2000 percent

CAUTION: Some brands of turmeric powder and supplements have been found to be contaminated with heavy metals themselves. Make sure to obtain a high quality brand.

 

CATECHINS help prevent and alleviate osteoporosis

White, green, and oolong teas

Spiking tea with citrus juice such as lemon stabilizes the catechins, making them easier to absorb.

 

Pumpkinseeds are loaded with magnesium, zinc, iron, and phosphorus all vital for bone health and normal heart function.

[Negin]

EAT LESS

The best solution for bone health: eating a low-acid diet. A high-acid environment leaches calcium from bones.

If you eat a diet that is high in meat, dairy, sugar, salt, phosphorous, and caffeine, and low in fresh fruits and vegetables, and if you don't get enough exercise, and sunshine, you're writing yourself a prescription for osteoporosis.

The bottom line: For healthy bones, your blood needs to maintain a slightly alkaline pH level (a measure of relative acidity or alkalinity), which you can achieve by eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables for every one serving of red meat, chicken or fish. Another good idea is to eat vegan--no meat or dairy--one day a week, which is very easy given the wide availability of beans, tofu and other protein these days.

 

If milk were really good for our bones, all the people in high milk-consuming nations would have some of the strongest bones in the world. Instead, they have some of the weakest!

While dairy does contain ample calcium, it’s also highly acidic. So if you drink milk or eat a lot of animal protein and don’t include plenty of alkalizing foods, your diet will suck more calcium from bone than it provides and eventually cause osteoporosis.

One can completely avoid dairy and still have healthy bones. You can find calcium in a lot of foods, not just dairy.

 

Meat

Animal protein metabolizes in our bodies forming two strong acids, sulfuric and phosphoric. To keep our blood pH slightly alkaline, our bodies need to neutralize (buffer) these acids, and calcium is the best substance our bodies have to do this. And the most plentiful source of calcium is in our bones.

Animal protein also contains large amounts of phosphorous, which reacts with calcium to form an insoluble compound, inhibiting calcium absorption. If you eat a diet high in animal protein, it doesn't matter how much calcium you consume, you will still lose bone mass.

"Dietary protein increases production of acid in the blood which can be neutralized by calcium mobilized from the skeleton." - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1995

As animal food consumption increases, so do hip fractures.

 

Too much protein increases your risk for fracture. Pay attention to your sources of protein and don’t overdo protein from animal sources. Eat some animal and some vegetable protein each day.

 

Refined sugar acidifies the body - requiring buffering with calcium which leads to bone loss.

Also, processed sugars strip the body of magnesium, which is needed for bone re-mineralization.

 

Soda and Soft Drinks containing phosphoric acid also contributes to osteoporosis; the acid having to be neutralized with calcium.

You don’t want too much phosphorus or it will keep calcium from being absorbed.

Instead of soda which creates acid, have vegetable juices which boost alkaline levels.

 

Quit smoking and cut back on alcohol. Since smokers, along with women who consume two or more alcoholic drinks daily, are at the highest risk for osteoporosis, women should refrain from smoking and limit alcohol intake.

 

Caffeine destroys calcium. Limit caffeine intake to 1 or 2 cups a day. More than 2 cups of coffee a day can affect your bones.

 

Watch your fiber intake. An overly high-fiber diet restricts the amount of calcium that is absorbed. You don’t need to go to the extreme of drastically reducing fiber intake, just consider reducing it a little. There are still a lot of good things about fiber – and it does help lower cholesterol.

 

Limited quantities of all of the above should cause no problems. Two cups of coffee (or 4 cups of green tea) a day, with an occasional cookie or dessert, is not going to affect your bones. But 4-5 cups of coffee and a lot of sugar may. Don’t take the risk. Keep your intake low.

[Negin]

SUPPLEMENTS

Our bones need more than just calcium. The way we eat – along with our lifestyle choices and stress levels – can actually contribute to bone depletion, no matter how many calcium supplements we take or glasses of milk we drink.

Calcium is an essential mineral necessary for good health [a calcium deficiency can exacerbate migraine symptoms, for example]; but bone health doesn’t depend on taking lots of calcium.

I think there is a very big difference not only in the brand but the type of calcium you use.

The major types of calcium are: Carbonate, Citrate and Bone Meal.

1. Calcium carbonate (also found in coral calcium) is the hardest calcium compound for the human body to break down and absorb. You’ll find it in a lot of supplements because it’s inexpensive. The Carbonate (like Tums) is basically like taking chalk board chalk. It may alkalize your body, but it does almost nothing for your bones.

2. Calcium citrate is slightly better than calcium carbonate, since minerals need an acidic base to break down and get used. It is a little bit more bio-available, but still not the best.

3. Bone Meal is the best source for bones and has one of the highest bio-availabilities. Just make sure it's from a clean source, and the animals it came from weren't given hormones or antibiotics. KAL from New Zealand is good and I get it from vitacost or amazon.

4. You can also get an herbal calcium source that is also bio-available and easily absorbed.

 

MAGNESIUM

Most of us need more magnesium than calcium to prevent bone loss. You need magnesium to drive calcium into your bones, which is where you want it. Unlike calcium, most people don’t get enough magnesium in their diets and dietary supplements.

For most people on a healthy diet, 400 mg of Magnesium daily should be sufficient. But for those who have symptoms of deficiency (and most of us do), I would recommend more, but probably no more than 1200 mg. Add in more magnesium gradually. Your body knows how much it can handle according to how much your bowels can tolerate. The stools should feel soft, but not excessively loose.

Take in divided doses and with meals to ensure optimal absorption – preferably more at night

I have read that it’s preferable to not take magnesium at the same time as calcium. Others say that it’s fine. This is where I am confused. I think the former makes more sense.

The most absorbable forms are:

Magnesium Citrate

Magnesium Glycinate

Magnesium Taurate

Magnesium Aspartate

Magnesium Malate

Magnesium Succinate

Magnesium Fumirate

Avoid:

Magnesium Oxide

Magnesium Carbonate

Magnesium Gluconate

Magnesium Sulfate

These are not absorbed well and are the cheapest forms

Side effects from too much magnesium include diarrhea, which can be avoided if you switch to Magnesium Glycinate.

People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor's supervision.

 

VITAMIN D3

One of the studies which showed no benefit from calcium intake alone also showed that of the 72,337 women who took Vitamin D in adequate amounts there was a 37% lower risk of hip fractures. The National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute in their September, 2007 conference on Vitamin D concluded "Combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation decreases the risk of bone fracture and increases bone mineral density but vitamin D alone does not."

This conclusion about the ineffectiveness of vitamin D alone, however, was based upon relatively low doses of the vitamin.

So calcium by itself? Not so helpful. But with its colleague, vitamin D, this is a good thing. [VitaminD3 is the best absorbed].

Besides osteoporosis, vitamin D deficiency causes muscle weakness. It also increases the risk of multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and other auto-immune diseases.

Vitamin D fights frailty.

One study found that people with low levels of vitamin D walked more slowly and took longer to get up out of a chair than people with higher levels.

Another study found that when people took vitamin D, their posture improved and their thigh muscles got stronger!

And still another study showed that vitamin D actually improves your balance, making you less likely to fall!

Vitamin D deficiency is not an occasional issue. It is in fact, a worldwide epidemic.

If you're under 60, take at least 2,000 IU per day.

If you're 60 or over, take 5,000 IU per day of vitamin D3.

Your need for vitamin D3 is affected by age, skin color, and the severity of any deficiency

Most people are deficient in D3!

• Body-mass index (BMI) and obesity

• Older people

• Dark-skinned people

• Strict vegetarians

• People with celiac, Crohn’s disease, and cystic fibrosis

• Heredity

• Certain medications

• Regular use of sunscreen

• Northern Latitudes (above that of Atlanta, Georgia)

D3 in pill form is very poorly absorbed. Be sure to take the oil-filled gelatin capsules, and take them with a meal that contains fat to help with absorption.

Don't be concerned that 2,000-5,000 IU will give you too much. With exposure to sunlight in the summer, the body can generate between 10,000 IU and 20,000 IU of vitamin D per hour with no ill effects. In addition, no adverse effects have been seen with supplemental vitamin D intakes up to 10,000 IU daily.

To this day, medical textbooks mention the risk of vitamin D toxicity. Yet, the scientific literature suggests that toxicity occurs only with very large intakes of vitamin D over prolonged periods (more than 10,000 IUs daily for longer than 6 months). Except in people with disorders known as granulomatosis (such as sarcoidosis or tuberculosis), little risk (if any) is associated with vitamin D supplementation.

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STRONIUM

Strontium is particularly helpful in building strong, flexible bones when you take it along with calcium and magnesium. But you need to take strontium at a different time. Take it on an empty stomach and take calcium and magnesium with food.

 

If you don’t have time for making a veggie juice, powdered green drinks such as Green Magma are excellent.

 

Capra Mineral Whey is another excellent drink to help alkalize the body. I love it.

 

OTHER SUPPLEMENTS – THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE NEEDED – DEPENDS ON QUALITY OF DIET

MANGANESE helps maintain calcium balance and prevent further calcium loss. But don’t take it at the same time as calcium.

This nutrient should be supplemented in the form of manganese picolinate. The recommended dose is 15 mg per day.

 

SILICA is necessary for calcium utilization and bone strength.

5-20 mg

 

LYPOCENE helps prevent and alleviate hip fractures

10-20 mg daily

 

BORON – 2-3 mg boron daily helps maintain calcium balance and prevent further calcium loss. Make sure that your daily multivitamin contains enough of this mineral. 1 mg won’t give you the protection you want unless your diet regularly contains high-boron foods.

It has been found to reduce urinary calcium loss and to increase serum levels of 17-beta estradiol (the most biologically active estrogen); both of these effects help bone health.

Boron protects against osteoporosis.

 

POTASSIUM helps balance the body’s pH. Over time, an acidic pH can cause bone loss. Take 4700-5000 mg a day.

 

VITAMIN K keeps calcium from getting stuck in your arteries, where it’s inaccessible to bones.

Vitamin K can be safely taken in high doses to not only improve the strength of bone, but to significantly reduce the incidence of fractures. Vitamin K does not increase bone density.

Another finding is that Vitamin K may also reduce the development of cancers in a study of over 400 women with osteoporosis.

Vitamin K can be safely taken at doses greater than 1 mg per day to help reduce the risk of fracture for those with osteoporosis. It is an essential part of our osteoporosis treatment and fracture prevention program.

Take 1000 mcg daily

Do not take Vitamin K if you are taking Coumadin!

You may wonder if vitamin K causes blood clots. It actually does not. You do not increase clotting risk with these doses of K unless you are taking Coumadin.

High doses of K - 5 mg per day for four years -- have been studied without any increased risk of clotting or toxicity.

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THE PROBLEM WITH BONE DENSITY TESTS

Bone density tests have several drawbacks that can lead to inaccurate results.

1. Although these tests measure bone density, they can't measure how strong your bones are. Measuring your bone density is not an accurate way of predicting future fractures.

2. A bone density test is merely a snapshot of what your bone looks like today. It can't tell you how quickly your bones are breaking down.

3. When you compare two tests, it’s difficult to get a correct comparison. The technician performing the scan must aim the X-ray at the exact same spot on the same bone. If it's just one-sixteenth of an inch off, you can get different results, even if your density hasn't changed.

There’s a newer, better way to test your bone health. This test is safe, inexpensive, and can be done in your own home. It's a simple urine test called Pyrilinks-D. There are a number of different labs that now offer the Pyrilinks-d test.

 

EXERCISE

If you don’t exercise, you lose bone.

Exercise at least 3 times a week

Not all exercises are equally effective in protecting you against osteoporosis. Some build bones, while others don’t.

Swimming is excellent for your flexibility, but not for building bones.

Dancing and calisthenics are excellent for your heart, but they’re not the most effective ones to protect against osteoporosis.

Neither are running and biking, which primarily stress the legs.

Daily cardiovascular exercises (walking, running, stationary bike, treadmill) strengthen your heart and lungs.

Resistance exercises strengthen your muscles and bones.

If you’re not doing full body weight-bearing exercises, you’re losing bone density no matter how much calcium you take and how much exercising you do. To increase your bone density, you need exercises that stress all your muscles where they attach to your bones.

 

Lifting weights builds stronger bones, can halt further bone loss and even regain bone density.

Some greatly prefer a more precise – and safer – method than free weights. There’s an excellent exercise program called the OsteoBall - http://www.bonefitness.com/ - this program uses resistance training rather than heavy weights. This is small, light, and affordable resistance training that you can do at home. It targets all muscle groups, including the neck. More importantly, it comes with many years of sound research. The specific resistance exercises in this program can not only reverse osteoporosis, but also reverse frailty.

 

Rebounding builds stronger bones. The bones in your legs and hips are actually stimulated to grow. When you do rebounding, the forces acting on your skeleton increase to double or triple your body weight. Because the trampoline pad is bouncy and soaks up a large proportion of the impact of your landing, your bones and jointed are protected whilst being strengthened. There are rebounders with stability bars as well as rebounding chairs for those who may fall.

 

Most people break bones when they fall. The better your balance, the less likely you are to take a tumble. Any exercise that tones your muscles will help you keep your balance.

Yoga is particularly good. It enhances body awareness, coordination, concentration, and sense of balance. It helps prevent and alleviate osteoporosis and is great for overall bone and joint health.

Higher cortisol levels are directly related to increased rates of bone loss. Yoga helps to rebuild bone and reduce cortisol levels at the same time.

Pilates is another great method of improving balance and it focuses on strengthening you at your core.

Yoga and Pilates improve coordination, helping to reduce the risk of falls and fractures.

Stand on one foot when you can. That wobbling means you're recruiting more muscles in your legs and core. Work up to a 30-second balance on each side, holding onto the back of a chair, if necessary.

While you brush your teeth, alternate standing on one leg as you switch mouth quadrants (every 30 seconds).

Eat with your non-dominant hand. Eating w/your non-dominant hand not only helps with balance and preventing mental decline, but also makes you eat slower.

Practice balancing by walking sideways in your kitchen

Rebounding is also wonderful for improving balance, coordination, rhythm, timing, dexterity and kinesthetic awareness, which means the ability to know where every part of the body is at all times. Make sure to use a stability bar when rebounding.

Ear and balance problems are symptoms of a congested lymphatic system. Rebounding helps clear a congested lymphatic system, as does dry body brushing, deep breathing, and massage.

 

Gardening is one of the best exercises you can do for your bones. It can build bone density. If you push a lawnmower or rototiller, dig holes, spread mulch, and carry compost or soil around, you’ve got a winning combination. Kneeling and weeding may not be enough.

 

Walking is a form of weight-bearing exercise for your legs. It has been found to be moderately protective for bone density. But it isn’t as good as weight training. Still, if you like to walk instead of garden, you can buy a set of one- or two-pound weights with Velcro fasteners and attach them to your wrists before you walk. You can also find hand-held weights with foam padding at sporting goods stores. Either will work, especially if you move arms back and forth, up and down, etc. as you walk.

When you walk, make sure your walking shoes are not overly cushioned in the heel. Excessive cushioning actually decreases the bone-generating vibrations that come from your heel striking the ground.

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OTHER TIPS

Spend at least 4 hours a day on your feet

 

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE always fascinates me and yet I still know very, very little about it.

According to Chinese medicine, the kidneys support the bones. Healthy kidneys are essential for strong bones. Weak kidneys may cause increased urinary losses of calcium and phosphates due to the kidneys' inability to form an acid urine.

Strong and healthy bones require good diet, exercise, healthy kidneys and digestive system. Adequate intakes of proteins, vitamins and minerals and proper absorption of these nutrients by a healthy digestive system are vital. Healthy kidneys maintain calcium and phosphate balance. Regular exercise increases the blood supply to bones and also provides mechanical stimulus to bone formation. Morning exercise is more beneficial than exercise at other times of the day. It activates the liver, stimulates blood circulation and strengthens the bones.

The well-known folk remedy of taking two teaspoonfuls of apple cider vinegar and one teaspoonful of honey daily to strengthen the bones is said to be effective.

 

Homocysteine is an amino acid that occurs naturally in our bodies. In small quantities, it’s safe. In large amounts, it can produce free radicals that can lead to a build up of plaque in the arteries and heart disease.

The connection between high homocysteine and osteoporosis is well defined. Aim to keep your homocysteine levels low, especially after menopause.

A simple inexpensive homocysteine blood test indicates inflammation. Make sure you get this test next time you see your doctor. A change in diet, stress reduction, or vitamin therapy can all reverse it.

Every time you have your cholesterol checked, tell your doctor to check your homocysteine. You need to fast for about 12 hours (nothing but water).

Homocysteine levels should be 8-14 micromoles per liter, and ideally, less than 10.

When you have enough betaine, vitamins B6 and B12, and folic acid – you can keep your homocysteine levels low.

Green leafy vegetables are the primary source of folic acid. Folic acid may be the most important nutrient to keep your homocysteine levels low. It is also very abundant in legumes (beans). The way you cook vegetables can also either reduce or retain folic acid. When you stir fry, you seal in a number of nutrients and retain more folic acid than if you steam or boil them.

Some medications and other substances block the absorption of folic acid. They include oral contraceptives, alcohol, nicotine, anticonvulsants, antibacterials, and some chemotherapy drugs.

Aging is a factor in high homocysteine levels.

Aim for 400-800 mcg a day if on medications or if your diet lacks folic acid.

Eat at least one serving of dark-green leafy vegetables a day.

Tea also contains a lot of folate. Drink a couple of cups of green tea daily. If your homocysteine is high, tea is a much better choice than coffee.

B12 often becomes lower as we age. If you have digestive problems or not enough friendly bacteria like acidophilus and bifido, you are likely lacking in B12. Begin by chewing your food well. Next, consider taking enzymes and hydrochloric acid. Check with your health care practitioner about these supplements before taking them.

B12 is lacking in a vegan diet. However, many vegetarians who eat eggs and dairy get sufficient B12 from their diet and a healthy digestive system.

B6 helps lower homocysteine. It is found in meat and whole grains, but the amount in food may not be enough to lower your homocysteine. Consider taking a multivitamin with 25-50 mg of B6.

Probiotics lower homocysteine. Take probiotics and add dietary sources of friendly bacteria like plain yogurt, sauerkraut, and miso soup.

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IF YOU HAVE OSTEOPOROSIS

Get regular eye exams and treat visual problems.

 

Secure loose rugs, electrical wires, and other falling hazards.

 

Use light-colored carpet, paint, or other finish on stairs to increase depth perception and visibility.

 

At night, use a small, plug-in nightlight to light up path from bed to bathroom.

 

If necessary, install grab bars, stair rails, and other structures that can help prevent falls.

 

When you stand, use furniture, such as the edge of a table, to help you support your body.

 

When you sit, don’t twist. If you drop something, get up from the chair to pick the item up.

 

OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR THOSE WITH OSTEOPOROSIS

Avoid using unstable floor coverings, such as certain rugs – they could cause you to slip.

 

Use a night-light so when you have to go to the bathroom at night, you don’t fall.

 

Don’t position furniture too close together – you need room to move around.

 

Use a walker or cane if you feel unsteady.

 

Osteoporosis drugs make your bones weaker.

Recent studies have come to this conclusion: bisphosphonates like Fosamax and Actonel contribute to broken bones. Your bones may look dense on bone density tests, but the quality of bone is worse.

Researchers found that women taking bisphosphonates have poor bone quality in their jaws. More and more dentists are seeing this.

At first it appeared that bisphosphonates affected only the bone quality in jaw bones, and only when doctors administered them intravenously. Now it is being found that they can cause brittleness in bones throughout the body when you take them for four years or more. The longer you take them, the more brittle your bones.

A study out of Columbia University found that the integrity of bones improved with bisphosphonates initially, but bones became more brittle with long-term use. A second study compared women who took bisphosphonates with women who hadn’t been treated. Both groups had bones that appeared to have the same structure. But the bones of women on bisphosphonates weren’t as strong as those who didn’t.

Researchers believe that bisphosphonates interfere with the body’s natural process of building bone.

Make sure that you take strontium and all the needed supplements and make the necessary dietary changes.

You may need to add Calcitonin nasal spray. This is a prescription drug made from salmon. Unlike bisphosphonates, Calcitonin won’t make bones brittle. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it’s both effective and safe. Bisphosphonates aren’t either.

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BOOKS

Building Bone Vitality: A Revolutionary Diet Plan to Prevent Bone Loss and Reverse Osteoporosis--Without Dairy Foods, Calcium, Estrogen, or Drugs by Michael Castleman

In this book, of the 136 trials they found that examined the effects of dietary calcium on osteoporotic fracture risk, two-thirds of them showed that a high calcium intake does not reduce the number of fractures--even in those who took calcium (with vitamin D) during childhood. They also found that eating fruits and vegetables improved bone density in a whopping 85 percent of studies that looked at the effects of such foods. The key to preventing osteoporosis, they determined, is eating a low-acid diet.

Understanding, Preventing and Overcoming Osteoporosis by J. A. Plant

Better Bones Better Body by Susan E. Brown

The Myth of Osteoporosis by Gillian Sanson

User's Guide to Calcium & Magnesium: Learn What You Need to Know about How These Nutrients Build Strong Bones by Nan Fuchs

[BeckyFL]

Wonderful information! Thank you SO very much!

[Georgiana Daniels]

OH. WOW.

 

Not half an hour ago I read this very thing, that homogonizing and pasteurizing (I know I wiped out on the spellings, LOL!) are contributing to all kinds of problems, including osteoperosis.

 

I can believe it!