Ten Tips to boost your bones, by Rachel Green.
I am not a medical expert on bone density. These points reflect a summary of what I've read and are comments from my own experience. Please seek medical advice if you have low bone density or any concerns about your health.
- Have a bone mineral density test.
At the age of 48 I discovered I had low bone density. I had no symptoms and very few risk factors. I was fit and healthy. I had drunk masses of milk and eaten lots of cheese as a child. I hadn't menopaused. Yet I had low bone density. And I didn't discover it until I had a bone density test as part of a general health check-up. In Australia bone density tests cost about $80 and could save your life. It takes about 20 minutes and is painless. The test will tell you the density of your bones and whether you are at risk of developing or already have osteoporosis. The sooner you know, the more chance you have of avoiding serious problems. And osteoporosis is serious and can result in death from the associated fractures. Both men and women get it. It can also start early in life and is not just an issue for the over sixties. Peak bone density is around 28 years of age, after that it starts to diminish.
- Take enough calcium.
Some medical practitioners say that women around menopausal age may require between 1200-1500mg of calcium each day and that adolescents need high doses of it also, as this is the time of maximum bone growth. 1500mg is a lot more than just milk on your breakfast cereal. However a word of warning, if you are about to increase your intake, the National Osteoporosis Foundation of USA says to do it gradually in stages. In my own experience, when I suddenly increased my calcium intake I got headaches and muscle pain.
- Eat calcium rich foods.
Calcium rich foods include cheese, milk and yoghurt - typically, dairy foods. If you can absorb the calcium from dairy foods they may help you get enough calcium. If you are lactose intolerant or don't like milk products there are other sources such as calcium supplements and other foods such as tinned fish.
- Absorb the calcium.
It's not just how much calcium you take that matters but also, how much you absorb. Vitamin D and minerals such as magnesium, are said to help with absorption, and I currently take Vit D capsules for this. Different forms of calcium may get absorbed more easily than others. Some say calcium citrate is the easiest to absorb, and some say take the calcium in the evening for maximum absorption. Keep in contact with your Dr. My Dr tested my calcium absorption levels and we found that they were very low when I was eating dairy foods and taking calcium supplements from the pharmacy. This is not to say that they don't work just to say that I didn't absorb them. So I changed to making my own calcium supplement by dissolving egg shells in lemon juice. When I had another calcium absorption test I was absorbing it well. See: Lemon Egg recipe for calcium deficiency and oesteoporosis. You need to know what works for you.
- Avoid caffeine, salt and high protein diets.
Caffeine, salt and high protein diets may interfere with calcium absorption.
- Avoid alcohol and smoking.
Alcohol and smoking may interfere with calcium absorption. Men and women who are heavy drinkers may develop osteoporosis and one of my friends who likes his beer, a man in his 50s, has it.
- Do weight bearing exercise.
Prolonged bed rest (and time in space if you are an astronaut!) and a lack of weight bearing exercise may contribute to a loss of bone density. Walking 4-5 times a week for 45 minutes or so may help to keep your bones strong particularly in your legs and hips. Dancing, aerobics and golf are also considered weight bearing exercise, whereas exercise such as swimming and cycling are not considered weight-bearing and therefore may have less impact on building bone density. They can be good for other aspects of health though. Lifting weights regularly has also been found to increase bone density in both the spine, arms and legs in some people. It is the movement of the muscles, in activities such as weight lifting, that is mainly responsible for turning the calcium into bone, if I understand this correctly.
- Consider taking medication.
Some doctors prescribe drugs to overcome bone density problems. There are an increasing number of drugs being developed. Currently, the major ones prevent bone breakdown and inhibit bone removal (reabsorption). Oestrogen replacement therapy (HRT), Fosamax, Calcimar and Actonel are examples. Discuss medications with your doctor. Make sure you ask about any potential side effects as HRT, for example, has been given bad press recently.
- Talk through your bone health with your Doctor.
Seek individual advice with your bones and get the best treatment individually tailored to yourself.
- Use the Feldenkrais programme called "Bones for Life".
A Feldenkrais programme called "Bones for Life", devised by Ruthy Alon, one of the world's most experienced Feldenkrais practitioners and trainers helps to promote bone growth and density. Click here to read about Bones For Life. Look out for a Feldenkrais practitioner in your area who has been trained by Ruthy in this programme and give your bones a boost. There are many Australian and New Zealand practitioners trained in it. Click here for more details on Feldenkrais. I've been using Feldenkrais exercises to help me and it helps me in many ways.
Please note:
I am not an expert on osteoporosis, bone density or calcium intake. This is general advice only and is not a substitute for proper medical care or assessment or individual treatment. There is considerable controversy within the literature - so people don't agree as to what the best advice is. Please see your doctor to determine exactly how to keep your bones in the best shape possible.
Further information
There are other tips, newsletters, a book, and more that can help you. For example,
More information on midlife and health is available on the website under "40-60 year olds".
Rachel's Reflections: This newsletter also contains relevant articles on midlife, health and life-skills: Subscribe FREE: Rachel's Reflections
There are inspiring stories on coping with Midlife in the book: Midlife and Happiness.
Other tips on the website include:
Lemon Egg recipe for calcium deficiency and oesteoporosis, by Rachel Green.
May your bones be strong,
Best wishes,
Rachel Green
PO Box 344, Kelmscott, Western Australia 6991.
Phone: +61 8 9390 1188. Fax +61 8 9390 1199
E-mail:
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