Strengthening Our Skeletons

One of today's epidemic in the United States is Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis was considered rare and was only diagnosed in the elderly after an accident. Osteoporosis is an actual decrease in bone density that causes skeletal weakness.
One in two females and one in four males over 50 years old will have an osteoporosis-related fracture. Some estimations are that ten million people in the U.S. have osteoporosis!

Numbers show that there are no signs of improving despite the millions of dollars spent on pharmaceutical research, as well as increased bone mineral density screening. Christine Northrup, M.D, a specialist in women's health, states that bone density scans do not measure bone strength or quality. In fact, 50% of people with thin osteoporotic bones never fracture.
All this suggests that bones do not fracture due to thinness alone and that bone strength or quality is more important than bone density. Because of this, Dr Northrup suggests that millions of women are getting unnecessary tests and taking medications without evidence that the drugs are safe or effective.

So, why are our bones weakening?
The common idea is that we are not getting enough calcium in our diets. Right? However, if that were actually the case, then all the dairy products, calcium-fortified foods, calcium-based antacids and calcium supplements we consume would be fixing the problem. The fact is, that this increased calcium intake doesn't make the problem better!

Clearly, the pharmaceutical industry and media aren't addressing the real cause of bone weakness.
Like so many health problems we experience in modern day society, bone weakness is a result of our modern lifestyle and is not going to be solved by a magic "pill" or quick fixes.
For starters, bones are neither solid nor static; they are living tissue that is continually being renewed! A normally functioning body builds and maintains lifelong healthy bones that are strong and resistant, yet flexible enough to tolerate twisting and bending without breaking. Again, this is a normal functioning body, which most of us do not have!

Now, how do our bones build themselves anyway? Well this consists of a bundle of complex biochemical reactions that maintain a balance between breaking down old and injured bone and building new stronger bones. Old bone tissue is constantly being broken down and reabsorbed. Which, in return, new bone is constantly being laid down in its place. Because of this all our tissue within the body needs a constant supply of nutrients to stay healthy.
*Bones weaken when the breaking down process occurs more rapidly than the building up process.

The body needs Calcium because calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and the most abundant in bones. But bones are made of much more than calcium. They also contain magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, sodium, chloride, and potassium. Trace minerals are needed as well as vitamins such as C and D.
This explains why calcium supplements alone will not build strong bones. Most Americans are deficient in the other important trace nutrients that are needed.

A lack of trace minerals and nutritional density is the primary reason our bones are weaker, but there is another contributing factor. Remember the building up bone is balancing a constant break down of bone from wear and tear. An overly acidic diet causes bone to break down more because alkalizing minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium are taken from bones and other tissues to help counteract the excess acid.
This is caused by a diet high in soda, coffee, alcohol, grains, meat and interestingly enough, dairy.
Alkalizing foods tend to be fresh fruits and vegetables, in which most diets are low in.

High levels of stress, air pollution and shallow breathing also make the pH of the body become more acidic! These are also known as oxidative stress... This will be a whole other blog!

Now, herbal supplements to help keep our bones healthy and strong are easy to find! Calcium, of course, is an essential element for the health of bones. Calcium requires vitamin D for proper absorption and utilization. This helps absorption in the small intestines. Vitamin D3 is the best form.

Phosphorus is the second most abundant mineral in the body.

Magnesium is another that works in concert with calcium and is involved in the structure of bones, cell membranes and chromosomes. More people are deficient in magnesium then in calcium. Good food sources are chlorophyll-rich dark green leafy vegetables, kelp, nettle, horsetail, sage and oat straw.

The third most abundant is potassium. This helps prevent osteoporosis by counteracting increased urinary calcium loss due to high dietary salt intake. I love coconut water and within one container of coconut water it holds more then 600mg of potassium. This is more then a banana and helps lower high blood pressure.

So, instead of listening to media about ways to get strong healthy bones, take a lesson from the cows. Where do they get their calcium? They get it from the grass and green leafy foods they consume! The most assimilated and utilizable form of calcium is that found in dark green leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, turnip greens, cabbage, etc.

Since maximum bone size and density, or peak bone mass, is reached between 25-30 years old, the best prevention begins in youth. Start right away. Yet, if you are a bit older, it is never to late to begin a healthy lifestyle and reversing any health concerns you may be genetically predisposed too. With good nutrition, supplementation, exercise, lifestyle changes, osteoporosis can be eliminated as a major public health concern.


*Information is for educational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose and treat diseases. If you have a health problem, it is recommended you consult an open minded health practitioner.

"Sunshine Sharing" Build Better Bones 2008, Steven Horne, Kimberly Balas, Paula Perretty, Sharon Grimes, Carolyn Hughes