Osteoporosis - 6 ways to improve bone health
Myth buster or fact comin’ at you… calcium prevents and treats osteoporosis?
MYTH!
Managing and supporting osteoporosis is so much more than guzzling dairy or taking calcium supplements.
In fact, according to a report in the British Medical Journal, too much calcium is NOT good, because it can suppress bone turnover.
There's a bunch of forgotten factors when it comes to bone health, like hormones, Vitamin D, Vitamin K, protein + collagen, gluten, regular strength training exercise, etc.
Osteoclasts are cells that remove old bone and osteoblasts are cells that build bone.
The good news is, you can support bone health + naturally increase osteoclasts! Now, osteoclasts are the specialised cells that remove old, worn-out bone, which enables new bone formation.
6 Ways to support bone health and osteoclasts:
Strength training - move aside walking and cardio; the most important exercise for women is strength training. From squats to push-ups, you can find the right strength and resistance training that’s safe and can support your muscles, bones, metabolism, insulin levels and whole cardiovascular system.
Infact, if you’re over 65 years of age and you fall and break a bone, there’s a 30-40% chance you’ll be dead within a year. It’s a frightening and confronting statistic, isn’t it?
Vitamin D - check your levels with a Naturopath/GP and address a deficiency. Vit D helps the body absorb calcium.
Omega 3 fats - a key anti-inflammatory fat. Most of us need to eat more oily fish - Aim for 2-3 times a week. Do a simple omega 3 test and address low levels/deficiency
Protein - are you hitting your protein target each day? Work out how much you need with a naturopath/nutritionist. Most of us should be eating 20-30 grams of protein at each main meal to support bone density.
👉Again, don’t overdo protein - the body can’t really absorb more that 40 grams in one meal.Insulin - enjoy your slower-release, complex carbs rather than your fast-release carbs, such as sweet potato, oats, quinoa etc. Check your insulin levels.
👉Elevated insulin decreases bone resorption.Consider medication that could prevent the absorption of calcium or suppress osteoblasts like protein pump inhibitors and anti-depressant medication.
This is just a starting point. As you can see, there’s always more than one approach. Osteoporosis is so much more than just calcium!
For a personalised approach to supporting your bone health at ANY age, speak to your healtpractitionerer or book in a consultation with me.