Better Bones for Life
By Dr. Alisa Cooper, D.C., C.C.N

 

Osteoporosis is a common and potentially debilitating disorder. It can cause painful compression fractures of the spine leading to stooped posture as well as severe hip fractures that can rob you of your mobility and independence. Osteoporosis costs us mentally, physically and financially; not only as individuals, but as a nation too, upwards of 18 billion per year, or $40,000 per hip fracture. Clearly steps must be taken to prevent and treat this disease, preferably in as natural a manner as possible.

 

A couple of little known facts demonstrate the complexity of our bones. First, our bones are not dry and stagnant structures. They are alive, dynamic and metabolically active. Additionally, certain bone cells are derived from the same lineage as the white blood cells, the soldiers of the immune system. That makes osteoporosis, in part, an immune system disorder, and what affects your immune system will ultimately affect your bones.  That is why it is vital for you to make the effort to stay as healthy as possible throughout your life.

 

Just like everything else in the body, bone health is a matter of balance: the intricate balance between two different bone cell types: those that form new bone and those that break it down. This constant remodeling of bone is what keeps it healthy and strong. Just as debris must be cleared away from a construction site, old, damaged bone cells must be removed to make room for new ones. When the immune system malfunctions, we end up breaking down more bone than we should, and that leads to osteoporosis.

Let’s follow the line of reasoning that osteoporosis is in large part, an immune system disorder. And let’s take it at face value that 70% of your immune system cells are located in your gut, which they are. Then it suddenly makes tremendous sense to have your digestive system working at its best. That means getting rid of bad bacteria and taking probiotics to re-populate the gut with beneficial bacteria. It includes taking digestive enzymes to ensure food is adequately broken down and absorbed. For many, it is also advisable to avoid gluten-containing foods that can irritate and inflame the intestines. Internal inflammation, along with an acidic blood pH, sets off reactions that end up over-stimulating the cells that break down bone. These over-stimulated cells, like sharp-toothed piranha, dig very deep pits that weaken the bone and make them susceptible to fracture.

 

One of the most important ways to keep bones healthy is by eating a diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables and adequate lean protein. In essence, the same healthy diet that keeps blood on the slightly alkaline side. Conversely, eating sugar and other refined carbohydrates acidifies the blood. When our blood is too acidic, calcium is readily leached from the bones in an effort to buffer that acid overload. This results in bones deficient in calcium that are simply more likely to fracture.

 

Not only must we maintain the proper pH of the blood, we must also be sure to eat calcium rich foods. Sardines, sesame seeds, salmon, almonds, Swiss chard, cooked spinach, bok choy, mustard greens, pinto beans and cheese are all good dietary sources. The challenge is absorbing the calcium from these foods and delivering it directly to the bones in a usable form.  Research presented by Dr. Naidu, M.D. has shown that lactoferrin, available as a supplement, transports calcium directly to the bone to increase its density.

 

For bones to function optimally and remain strong throughout life, they need vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, Vit D, Vit K, and others. At the same time, a proper supply of hormones is needed to orchestrate the delivery and function of these nutrients. Certainly, we must go well beyond the basic instructions to “get enough calcium” in the diet in order to prevent and treat osteoporosis. We must take a whole-body approach to bone health.

 

Healthy bones require an adequate supply of vitamin D. Vitamin D makes your digestive tract more receptive to absorbing calcium. Then it mobilizes the necessary minerals and directs them to the bone. Unfortunately, as we age it becomes more difficult to convert Vitamin D from the sun into its usable form, a conversion that takes place within our skin. Likewise, aging intestines are not as efficient at absorbing vitamin D from food, so it has become imperative to take it as a supplement.

 

Magnesium is another vital component of any comprehensive bone building regimen. Without enough magnesium, any calcium you ingest above and beyond the body’s need will end up being deposited in the soft tissues and arteries.  Since dietary intake of magnesium has gone down dramatically over the last 100 years, nearly 80% of Americans are now magnesium deficient and must take a supplement. Another well-researched supplement for bone health is encapsulated digestive enzymes. Taken with meals, these enzymes break foods down to liberate the calcium within.

 

Besides eating a healthy diet and taking supplements, eating adequate protein deserves special mention. Protein deficiency causes the muscles to become weak. Muscles normally weaken with aging, and not getting enough protein just makes matters worse. Without strong muscles, the bones have no “motivation” to stay strong; without anything for them to support, the bones simply begin to wither.  For this reason, we have to exercise moderately and consistently throughout our entire lives, hopefully at something we enjoy.  Not only does exercise strengthen the muscles, but performed against the force of gravity, it puts healthy stress on the skeletal system leading to new bone formation.

 

Anything that mineralizes the bones and makes them strong is like putting money in a “bone bank account.” The more deposits you make into your bone bank account, the more you will have on reserve in times of stress, accident, or illness. No single preventative measure is a guarantee, but collectively they go a long way in providing a strong safety net.

 

In some cases, medication may be necessary to treat severe osteoporosis, but in many cases, very low dose bio-identical estrogen given for the first few years of menopause may help those at high risk. Bio-identical progesterone, available in a cream, has been shown to actually create new bone cells, and may play a significant role in the treatment, and reversal, of osteoporosis at any age.

 

Again, it is also crucial to keep inflammation at bay. Inflammation, the “silent killer” long implicated in heart disease, is a known factor in osteoporosis as well. Two of the best ways to calm the fires of inflammation is to replace fried foods with sautéed, steamed, grilled or baked foods, and trans fats with healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado and raw nuts and seeds, in moderation. Adding essential fatty acids in the form of a high quality fish or krill oil supplement is also advisable.

 

Lastly, we need to modify our thinking about genetics. We are not necessarily doomed to the same maladies as other family members. The science of epigenetics has shown that our genes are not formed in stone, but rather they interact with our diet, the environment, and even our thoughts. Just because you have a gene for something does not mean that gene will be switched on. We can change, or at least influence, the expression of our genes! Let that fact alone motivate you to make the diet and lifestyle changes necessary to improve your bone health.

 

A comprehensive, integrated approach to preventing and treating bone loss is essential. Cultivating a healthy body, diet, lifestyle and mindset can play a significant role in the treatment and prevention of this worrisome condition. You can start right now to have better bones for life!