Bone Up on Bone Health
For the Health of It
Recent estimates claim that 44 million people are threatened with osteoporosis. Ten million are estimated to already have the disease, 80% of them women. If our recent ancestors had sturdy, healthy bones that carried them upright for a lifetime, then we have to ask ourselves, what are we currently doing wrong? Why are we destroying our vital internal foundations?
The term osteoporosis, derived from Latin, literally means “porous bones.” Osteoporosis is a progressive disease characterized by structural deterioration of bone tissue. Bones become weaker and more brittle, making the individual extremely prone to fractures and causing marked changes in posture. The hips and spine are the areas of most concern due to the fact that hip fractures take a long time to heal, especially in older folks. Osteoporosis in the spine typically causes curvature and loss of height.
Age Matters
Due to the hormonal and physiological dissimilarities and the differing nutritional needs of men and women, osteoporosis affects many more women than men. Unfortunately, half of all women between the ages of 45-75 show signs of osteopenia (low bone mass). Women tend to suffer from bone loss due to the standard American diet, poor nutrition, estrogen loss, and some prescription medications. Men tend to suffer because of medications such as thyroid hormone, corticosteroids, and chemotherapy drugs.
Bone mass is strongest around age 30 and then begins to weaken. For women, the onset of menopause causes bone loss to hasten due to decreased estrogen. If we have neglected to accumulate adequate bone mass during our formative years, including childhood, adolescence and early adulthood, we are at a much-increased risk of full-fledged osteoporosis. Many women wrongly believe that this condition is something they only need to be worried with post-menopause. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Recent evidence indicates that osteoporosis begins early in life and this is yet another reason to feed our children well, with lots of bone-strengthening, whole foods that will lay a foundation for a lifetime of bone health.
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