Australian Fact Sheet: Vitamins for Healthy Bones

The bone within our body is constantly being broken down and renewed. When we are young, more bone is made than is broken down, until we reach 'peak bone mass' in our late teens.

Like our muscles, bone is a living tissue that needs exercise to build strength and our hormones also play a fundamental role in maintaining this strength.

As we get older, our bones have a propensity to lose calcium and become weaker and more brittle. It is therefore important for our bodies to maintain appropriate levels of certain vitamins and exercise to prevent bone diseases such as Osteoporosis.

Vitamins for Healthy Bones

The following vitamins are said to have substantial evidence of benefit for healthy bones:

• Calcium
• Vitamin D

These vitamins have some evidence of benefit:

• Magnesium
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin C
• Boron

Calcium

Bones are composed of 35-40% calcium. It is therefore imperative that we ingest sufficient amounts of this nutrient to prevent bone loss and Osteoporosis. Numerous studies have been performed in this area with the following conclusions:

• Peak bone mass is reached in the late teens. Children up to 18 years of age should ingest 1300mg per day to ensure their 'peak bone mass' is as high as it can be.
• Women under the age of menopause should ingest 800-1600mg of calcium per day to slow down the rate of bone loss
• Post-menopausal women should ingest 1200-1600mg of calcium per day
• Recommended daily amount of calcium for men and peri-menopausal women is 800mg per day

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is vital to support the absorption of calcium. It may be ingested in food or produced by the body when it comes into contact with direct sunlight. Up to 22% of Australian women have inadequate levels of vitamin D during winter months.

Studies have shown the following:

• Daily recommended dosage of vitamin D is 5ug per day
• This is equivalent to 10 minutes of direct sun exposure to the arms and face daily (before 11am or after 3pm is the safest time for this)
• If vitamin D intake is increased to 20ug per day, vitamin D has been shown to reduce bone mass loss, reduce the risk of bone fracture and increase the absorption of calcium.

Magnesium

Magnesium is required for the renewal of bone tissue and it is recommended that women take a minimum of 270mg per day and men take 320mg per day to minimise the risk of accelerated bone loss or fracture.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K must be present to form bone proteins and support the cells that remodel bone tissue. It is recommended that we ingest 80ug of vitamin K daily.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is necessary to support the functions of vitamin D. It is recommended that we ingest 75mg of vitamin C per day.

Boron

Boron is said to inhibit the excretion of calcium and magnesium which may help reduce the rate of bone loss.

Where to get help for Osteoporosis

Your doctor is the first port of call.

The Jean Hailes Medical Centre for Women 03 9562 7555

Disclaimer

Healthy Comparisons does not give or purport to give any medical or healthcare advice and is not qualified to do so. You should not under any circumstances substitute qualified medical advice with information found in this fact sheet. The information contained in this fact sheet does not take into account the physical state, medical status or health requirements of any particular individual which are relevant to the proper diagnosis and treatment of any problem, condition or disorder. You should never use or act upon this information without first properly consulting, and seeking proper information and advice from, a qualified healthcare professional. Healthy Comparisons, its related companies and its licensors expressly disclaim all responsibility for and liability in respect of the accuracy of the information provided in the website, its improper application and the consequences of anyone's failure to obtain a proper medical examination and advice from a qualified healthcare professional in the relevant circumstances.

© HealthyComparisons.com.au 2008

Vitamin D – Are you getting enough sunshine?

Around the world health experts have recently started talking about a new epidemic; Vitamin D deficiency.

Even in sun drenched Australia levels of vitamin D deficiency are likely to be high as people are now spending more time indoors, or if they are in the sun are using high protection sunscreen that prevents the production of vitamin D in the skin. Some specialists in Australia feel that vitamin D deficiency may be present in up to 30% of the adult population.

The reason for the international alarm at the high level of vitamin D deficiency is that it increases the risk of many health problems including heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and several types of cancer. It has been estimated that 25% of deaths caused by breast cancer could be avoided if women maintained adequate vitamin D levels throughout their life.

The link between bone health and vitamin D has been known for decades, however we are only beginning to understand the effect that vitamin D has on the immune system, cancer regulation, heart health and even the neurotransmitters in your brain. As our understanding of vitamin D increases it is becoming clear that it is a very important vitamin in nearly all aspects of our body's functions.

If you are concerned about your vitamin D level you can easily have it checked by your Doctor or Naturopath. In practice I am seeing more and more people with sub-optimal vitamin D levels and vitamin D deficiency. Supplementation with vitamin D3 is required if you have suboptimal levels or deficiency, if you need advice about the best dosage to use you should ask your Naturopath or Nutritionist.

If you have any further questions regarding vitamin D you are welcome to contact me through my website  http://www.theelmtree.com.au/

Gerard is a Naturopath and Nutritionist with a busy practice in Surry Hills, Sydney. He specialises in metabolic disorders, cardiovascular health and digestive problems.

Australian Sun Exposure Times That Result in Adequate Vitamin D Production Without Significant Risk of Skin Damage for People with Moderately Fair Skin*

*Exposure to achieve 1/3 minimal erythermal dose (MED) is advised to be before 10am or after 3pm. Exposure times for people with highly pigmented skin are three to six times greater. `11am or 3pm daylight saving time, respectively. Adapted from: Working group of the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society, Endocrine Society of Australia and Osteoporosis Australia. Vitamin D and adult bone health in Australian and New Zealand: A position statement. Med J Aust 2005; 182:281-284

Building Better Bones

"It is a bone-deep change you are going into, my beloved," counsels Grandmother Growth. "You must open to your very marrow for this transformation. No cell is to remain untouched. You are to open more than you ever dreamed you could open, more than you have opened in birth or in passion. You open now to the breath of mortality as it plays the bone flute of your being. What can you do but dance to the haunting melody, develop a passion for an elegant posture and a long stride?

"Ah, yes," Grandmother Growth smiles rather wantonly. "It would do you well to develop a taste for dark greens tarted with vinegar and mated with garlic. These things will build strong flexible bones to support you as you become Crone."

Did you know that your bones are always changing? Every day of your life, some bone cells die and some new bone cells are created. From birth until your early 30s, you can easily make lots of bone cells. So long as your diet supplies the necessary nutrients, you not only replace bone cells that die, you have extras left over to lengthen and strengthen your bones.

Past the age of 35, new bone cells are more difficult to make. Sometimes there is a shortfall: more bone cells die than you can replace. In the orthodox view, this is the beginning of osteoporosis, the disease of low bone mass. By the age of forty, many American women have begun to lose bone mass; by the age of fifty, most are told they must take hormones or drugs to prevent further loss and avoid osteoporosis, hip fracture, and death.

Women who exercise regularly and eat calcium-rich foods enter their menopausal years with better bone mass than women who sit a lot and consume calcium-leaching foods (including soy "milk," tofu, coffee, soda pop, alcohol, white flour products, processed meats, nutritional yeast, and bran). But no matter how good your lifestyle choices, bone mass usually decreases during the menopausal years.

For unknown reasons, menopausal bones slow down production of new cells and seem to ignore the presence of calcium. This "bone-pause" is generally short-lived, occurring off and on for five to seven years. I noticed it in scattered episodes of falling hair, breaking fingernails, and the same "growing pains" I experienced during puberty.

I did not see it in a bone scan, because I didn't have one.

The idea behind bone scans is a good one: find women who are at risk of broken bones, alert them to the danger, and help them engage in preventative strategies. There's only one problem: bone scans don't find women who are at risk of broken bones, they find women who have low bone density.

I would like to help you let go of the idea that osteoporosis is important. In the Wise Woman Tradition, we focus on the patient, not the problem. In the Wise Woman tradition, there are no diseases and no cures for diseases. When we focus on a disease, like osteoporosis, we cannot see the whole woman. The more we focus on one disease, even its prevention, the less likely we are to nourish wholeness and health.

Focusing on osteoporosis, defining it as a disease, using drugs to counter it, we lose sight of the fact that postmenopausal bone mass is a better indicator of breast cancer risk than broken bone risk. The twenty-five percent of postmenopausal women with the highest bone mass are two-and-a-half to four times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than those with the lowest bone mass. And that hormones which maintain bone mass also adversely affect breast cancer risk. Women who take estrogen replacement (often given to prevent osteoporosis), even for as little as five years, increase their risk of breast cancer by twenty percent; if they take hormone replacement, the risk increases by forty percent.

Focusing on bone mass, we lose sight of the fact that a strong correlation between bone density and bone breakage has not been established, according to Susan Brown, director of the Osteoporosis Information Clearing House, and many others. We lose sight of the fact that women who faithfully take estrogen or hormone replacement still experience bone changes and suffer spinal crush fractures.

Bone-pause passes and the bones do rebuild themselves, especially when supported by nourishing herbs, which are exceptional sources of bone-building minerals and better at preventing bone breaks than supplements. The minerals in green plants seem to be ideal for keeping bones healthy. Dr. Campbell, Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, has done extensive research in rural China where the lowest known fracture rates for midlife and older women were found. He says, "The closer people get to a diet based on plant foods and leafy vegetables, the lower the rates of many diseases, including osteoporosis." Women who consume lots of calcium-rich plants and exercise moderately build strong flexible bones. Women who rely on hormones build bones that are massive, but rigid.

Hormone replacement regimes do not increase bone cell creation; they slow (or suppress) bone cell killers (osteoclasts). There is a rebound effect; bone loss jumps when the hormones are stopped. Women who take hormones for five years or more are as much as four times more likely to break a bone in the year after they stop than a woman of the same age who never took hormones. Women who build better bones with green allies and exercise nourish the bone cell creator cells (osteoblasts).

Hormone or estrogen replacement, taken as menopause begins and continued for the rest of your life, is said to reduce post-menopausal fracture rates by 40-60 percent. Frequent walks (you don't even need to sweat) and a diet high in calcium-rich green allies (at least 1500 mg daily) have been shown to reduce post-menopausal fractures by 50 percent. The first is expensive and dangerous. The second, inexpensive and health promoting. It's easy to see why more than eighty percent of American women just "say no" to hormones. It is never too late to build better bones, and it is never too soon. Your best insurance for a fracture-free, strong-boned cronehood is to build better bones before menopause. The more exercise and calcium-rich green allies you get in your younger years, the less you'll have to worry about as you age.

"A woman has lost half of all the spongy bone (spine, wrist) she'll ever lose by the age of 50, but very little of the dense (hip, hand, forearm) bone. Attention to bone formation at every stage of life is vital; there is no time when you are too old to create healthy new bone." - American MD

CALCIUM

"Osteoporosis is much less common in countries that consume the least calcium. That is an undisputed fact." -T. C. Campbell, PhD. Nutritional Biochemistry

Step 1: Collect Information

Calcium is, without a doubt, the most important mineral in your body. In fact, calcium makes up more than half of the total mineral content of your body. Calcium is crucial to the regular beating of your heart, your metabolism, the functioning of your muscles, the flow of impulses along your nerves, the regulation of your cellular membranes, the strength of your bones, the health of your teeth and gums, and your vital blood-clotting mechanisms. Calcium is so critical to your life that you have a gland (the parathyroid) that does little else than monitor blood levels of calcium and secrete hormones to ensure optimum levels of calcium at all times.

When you consume more calcium than you use, you are in a positive calcium balance: extra usable calcium is stored in the bones and you gain bone mass (insoluble or unusable calcium may be excreted, or stored in soft tissue, or deposited in the joints). When you consume less calcium than you use, you are in a negative calcium balance: the parathyroid produces a hormone that releases calcium stores from the bones, and you lose bone mass.

To ensure a positive calcium balance and create strong, flexible bones for your menopausal journey, take care to:

• Eat three or more calcium-rich foods daily.
• Avoid calcium antagonists.
• Use synergistic foods to magnify the effectiveness of calcium.
• Avoid calcium supplements.

Step 2: Engage the Energy

• The homeopathic tissue salt Silica is said to improve bone health.
• What does it mean to you to support yourself? To be supported? To stand on your own? To have a backbone in your life?

Step 3: Nourish & Tonify

• What do we need to make strong flexible bones? Like all tissues, bones need protein. They need minerals (not just calcium, but also potassium, manganese, magnesium, silica, iron, zinc, selenium, boron, phosphorus, sulphur, chromium, and dozens of others). And in order to use those minerals, high-quality fats, including oil-soluble vitamin D.
• Many menopausal women I meet believe that protein is bad for their bones. Not so. Researchers at Utah State University, looking at the diets of 32,000 postmenopausal women, found that women who ate the least protein were the most likely to fracture a hip; and that eating extra protein sped the healing of hip fractures.
• Acids created by protein digestion are buffered by calcium. Traditional diets combine calcium- and protein-rich foods (e.g. seaweed with tofu, tortillas made from corn ground on limestone with beans, and melted cheese on a hamburger). Herbs such as seaweed, stinging nettle, oatstraw, red clover, dandelion, and comfrey leaf are rich in protein and provide plenty of calcium too. Foods such as tahini, sardines, canned salmon, yogurt, cheese, oatmeal, and goats' milk offer us protein, generous amounts of calcium, and the healthy fats our bones need. If you crave more protein during menopause, follow that craving. CAUTION: Unfermented soy (e.g., tofu) is especially detrimental to bone health being protein-rich, naturally deficient in calcium, and a calcium antagonist to boot.
• Bones need lots of minerals not just calcium, which is brittle and inflexible. (Think of chalk, calcium carbonate, and how easily it breaks.) Avoid calcium supplements. Focus on getting generous amounts of calcium from herbs and foods and you will automatically get the multitude of minerals you need for flexible bones.
• Because minerals are bulky, and do not compact, we must consume generous amounts to make a difference in our health. Taking mineral-rich herbs in capsule or tincture form won't do much for your bones. (One cup of nettle tincture contains the same amount of calcium - 300 mg - as one cup of nettle infusion. Many women drink two or more cups of infusion a day; no one consumes a cup of tincture a day!) Neither will eating raw foods. I frequently come across the idea that cooking robs food of nutrition. Nothing could be further from the truth. Cooking maximizes the minerals available to your bones. Kale cooked for an hour delivers far more calcium than lightly steamed kale. Minerals are rock-like, and to extract them, we need heat, time, and generous quantities of plant material.
• Green sources of calcium are the best. Nourishing herbs and garden weeds are far richer in minerals than ordinary greens, which are already exceptional sources of nutrients.
• But calcium from green sources alone is not enough. We need calcium from white sources as well. Add a quart of yogurt a week to your diet if you want really healthy bones. Because the milk has been changed by Lactobacillus organisms, its calcium, other minerals, proteins, and sugars (no lactose) are more easily digested. This carries over, enhancing calcium and mineral absorption from other foods, too. (I have known several vegans who increased their very low bone density by as much as 6 percent in one year by eating yogurt.) Organic raw milk cheeses are another superb white source.
• Horsetail herb (Equisetum arvense) works like a charm for those premenopausal women who have periodontal bone loss or difficulty with fracture healing. Taken as tea, once or twice a day, young spring-gathered horsetail dramatically strengthens bones and promotes rapid mending of breaks. CAUTION: Mature horsetail contains substances which may irritate the kidneys.

Step 4: Stimulate/Sedate

• Beware of calcium antagonists. Certain foods interfere with calcium utilization. For better bones avoid consistent use of:
• Greens rich in oxalic acid, including chard (silver beet), beet greens, spinach, rhubarb.
• Unfermented soy products, including tofu, soy beverages, soy burgers.
• Phosphorus-rich foods, including carbonated drinks, white flour products, and many processed foods. (Teenagers who drink sodas instead of milk are four times more likely to break a bone.)
• Foods that produce acids requiring a calcium buffer when excreted in the urine, including coffee, white sugar, tobacco, alcohol, nutritional yeast, salt.
• Fluoride in water or toothpaste.
• Fiber pills, bran taken alone, bulk-producing laxatives.
• Steroid medications, including corticosteroids such as prednisone and asthma inhalers. (Daily use reduces spinal bone mass by as much as ten percent a year.)
• Restricted calorie diets. Women who weigh the least have the greatest loss of bone during menopause and "neither calcium supplements, vitamin D supplements, nor estrogen" slow the loss. Among 236 premenopausal women, all of whom consumed similar amounts of calcium, those who lost weight by reducing calories lost twice as much bone mass as women who maintained their weight.
• Although chocolate contains oxalic acid, the levels are so low as to have only a negligible effect on calcium metabolism. An ounce/3000 mg of chocolate binds 15-20 mg of calcium; an ounce of cooked spinach, 100-125 mg calcium. Bittersweet (dark) chocolate is a source of iron. Recent research has found chocolate to be very heart healthy. As with any stimulant, daily use is not advised. Chocolate is an important and helpful ally for women. Guilt about eating it and belief that it is damaging to your health interferes with your ability to hear and respond to your body wisdom. If you want to eat chocolate - do it; and get the best. But if you're doing it every day - eat more weeds.
• Excess phosphorus accelerates bone loss and demineralization. Phosphorus compounds are second only to salt as food additives. They are found in carbonated beverages, soda pop; white flour products, especially if "enriched" (bagels, cookies, cakes, donuts, pasta, bread); preserved meats (bacon, ham, sausage, lunch meat, and hot dogs); supermarket breakfast cereals; canned fruit; processed potato products such as frozen fries and instant mashed potatoes; processed cheeses; instant soups and puddings.
• To avoid phosphorus overload and improve calcium absorption:
• Drink spring water and herbal infusions; avoid soda pop and carbonated water.
• Eat only whole grain breads, noodles, cookies, and crackers.
• Buy only unpreserved meats, cheeses, potatoes.
• Avoid buying foods with ingredients; they are highly processed.
• Excess salt leaches calcium. Women eating 3900 mg of sodium a day excrete 30 percent more calcium than those eating 1600 mg. The main sources of dietary sodium are processed and canned foods. Seaweed is an excellent calcium-rich source of salt. Sea salt may be used freely as it contains trace amounts of calcium. Salt is critical for health; do not eliminate it from your diet.
• Increase hydrochloric acid production (in your stomach) and you'll make better use of the calcium you consume. Lower stomach acid (with antacids, for example) and you will receive little bone benefit from the calcium you ingest. Some ways to acidify:
• Drink lemon juice in water with or after your meal.
• Take 10-25 drops dandelion root tincture in a little water before you eat.
• Use calcium-rich herbal vinegars in your salad dressing; put some on cooked greens and beans, too.

Step 5a: Use Supplements

• I really wish you wouldn't use calcium supplements. They expose you to dangers and don't prevent fractures. A study in Australia that followed 10,000 white women over the age of 65 for six and a half years found "Use of calcium supplements was associated with increased risk of hip and vertebral fracture; use of Tums antacid tablets was associated with increased risk of fractures of the proximal humerus."
• If you insist on supplements, go for calcium-fortified orange juice or crumbly tablets of calcium citrate. Chewable calcium gluconate, calcium lactate, and calcium carbonate are acceptable sources. Dolomite, bone meal, and oyster shell are best avoided as they usually contain lead and other undesirable minerals.
• For better bones, take 500 mg magnesium (not citrate) with your calcium. Better yet, wash your calcium pill down with a glass of herbal infusion; that will provide not only magnesium but lots of other bone-strengthening minerals, too.
• Calcium supplements are more effective in divided doses. Two doses of 250 mg, taken morning and night, actually provide more usable calcium than a 1000 mg tablet.

Step 5b: Use Drugs

Even if you take hormone therapy (ERT or HRT) you must get adequate calcium to maintain bone mass, according to researchers at Columbia University. That's 1200-1500 mg a day (a cup of plain yogurt, two cups of nettle infusion, a splash of mineral-rich vinegar, plus three figs is about that). As you increase your intake of calcium-rich foods/herbs, gradually cut back on your hormone dose if you wish.

Step 6: Break & Enter

Bone density tests are frequently used to push women into taking hormones or drugs. If your bone density is low, use the remedies in this section and schedule another test (for at least six months later) before agreeing to such therapies.

Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock, NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081

Visit Susun Weed at: www.susunweed.com and www.ashtreepublishing.com

For permission to reprint this article, contact us at: susunweed@herbshealing.com

Vibrant, passionate, and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international reputation for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings, and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges conventional medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.

Susun is one of America's best-known authorities on herbal medicine and natural approaches to women's health. Her four best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists and well-known physicians and are used and cherished by millions of women around the world. Learn more at www.susunweed.com

Soy Isoflavones: A cure for post menopausal osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is one of the major age-related conditions that every woman should be conscious about by the time she reaches menopause. In osteoporosis, there is a significant reduction in bone mass and quality, making it brittle, fragile, which increases its risk of fracture. Recent studies showed that women can actually lose 5.6% bone mass with in 4 years after menopause. [1]

The existing premise of why women are especially prone to osteoporosis is not a myth. It has long been scientifically understood that the hormone estrogen, which is high in females before menopause, suppresses bone resorption. But when estrogen becomes depleted, as in menopause, bone mineral and matrix becomes rapidly lost, leading to increasing bone fragility and high risk fractures. The life-time fracture risk for any skeletal region in women older than 50 years old is 40%. [1]

There have already been many prevention and treatment options for postmenopausal osteoporosis like estrogen hormone replacement therapy, selective estrogen receptor modulators for bone (e.g. raloxifene), bisphosphonates, and calcitonin. All of these inhibit bone resorption. Estrogen replacement and raloxifene are the first-line therapies, but unfortunately, they also share the same adverse effects such as thromboembolic events and exacerbation of menopausal symptoms. Because of this, scientists are continually looking for natural products that could possibly have fewer side effects.

Recent studies suggest that plant estrogen (phytoestrogens), specifically isoflavones, could be one alternative.

• Isoflavones are natural products that could be used in the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis because they are structurally and functionally related to 17B-estradiol (a form of estrogen)

• Interestingly, soy foods are the most significant source of dietary isoflavones, followed by lentils, kidney beans, lima beans, broad beans, and chickenpeas. [1]

• Isoflavone content in soy products are altered during defatting, fermentation, and ethanol extraction. These processes yield lower isoflavone content. Low-fat and nonfat soymilk have significantly lower isoflavone content, while soy foods which do not undergo fermentation liker roasted soybeans and soy powder have 2-3 times more isoflavone content than the fermented foods. Baking, however, does not alter isoflavone content in soy flour.

• Most clinical studies showed that taking isoflavones from soy products have beneficial effects on bone mass density in postmenopausal women.

• Soy isoflavones are now available as supplements, but its efficacy on bone fractures and long-term safety still needs to be established by further clinical testing. Hence, up to this date, there is no precise estimate with regard to the dose of isoflavones needed to treat or prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Although further clinical studies are needed to assess recommendation guidelines for the use of isoflavones, it is good to know that it is a promising alternative which could possibly replace estrogen therapy. And as a natural plant estrogen, soy isoflavones are expected to bear lesser side effects than the synthetic estrogens currently used.

Reference:
1. Aysegul Atmaca, et.al. (2008). Soy Isoflavones in the Management of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/580688_1

Written by Edelita R. Jamis, M.D.

Osteoporosis natural treatments that work

If your doctor says your bone density is degenerating or that you have osteoporosis, what can you do? Most likely your doctor will want to put you on drugs. Since most drugs have real nasty side effects, after long-term use, you may want to look for a natural alternative.

First of all, you need to make sure that you are taking a good calcium and magnesium supplement, for reducing osteoporosis. For women, I recommend, up to 1200 mg to 1600 mg of calcium per day and about 600 mg to 800 mg of magnesium. For men, use around 200 mg less than women.

Since calcium is a difficult mineral to absorb, in your intestinal tract, taking magnesium improves your ability to absorb it. Using an ionic form of calcium also improves your changes of absorbing it.

Vitamin B12 reduces osteoporosis

There is one other nutrient that you should also take to increase your absorption of calcium. In a clinical study made at the University of California, they found that women who had the highest levels of vitamin B12 compared to the ones that had the lowest levels had a significant decrease in bone loss and bone fractures - reduced osteoporosis.

In another study done by Tufts University, they again found that in 2,500 men and women that high levels of vitamin B12 reduced their chances of getting osteoporosis.

Homocysteine

In previous newsletters, I had written about more benefits of Vitamin B12, B6, and folic acid. These B vitamins are essential for reducing your homocysteine levels. Remember that high homocysteine levels and unchecked homocysteine levels in your blood lead to plaque buildup in blood vessels. Plaque build up in your blood vessels is probably the most serious condition that you will have to face as you age. Plaque buildup in the blood vessels is the major cause of cardiovascular disease. Celiac Disease encourages osteoporosis

In another article, I have also written about celiac disease. More than 1.5 million people have this disease and many don't know it. It is a disease where grains (gluten) have destroyed the small intestines ability to absorb nutrients.
To make your Vitamin B12 absorption worse, you produce less intrinsic factor as you age. Intrinsic factor is created in the stomach, which helps you adsorb more Vitamin B12.

Clinical studies has been shown that those with severe celiac disease also have severe osteoporosis.

Pharmaceuticals block calcium and encourage osteoporosis
Pharmaceuticals of various kinds, especially acid blocker, can also prevent you from properly absorbing Vitamin B12. So keep this in mind as you use pharmaceuticals and look for ways to reduce their use by using natural remedies.
So now you can see that it's necessary to supplement with calcium, magnesium, B12, B6, and folic acid to prevent or even reduce osteoporosis. Not only do these supplements help you with osteoporosis, but they also reduce plaque buildup in your artery walls.

Rudy Silva, Nutritionist, gives you more tips and information on osteoporosis: http://www.preventosteoporosis-now.com or sign up for his newsletter at: http://www.natural-remedies-thatwork.com

Useful Facts About Vitamin A

Vitamin A is a grouping of organic compounds that enable important bodily functions and processes to take place. Vitamin A is used in fighting off and preventing infection, the production of white blood cells, immune system regulation, cell differentiation and division, reproduction, vision and bone growth.

Two main categorizations of vitamin A exist:

Vitamin A from animal products tends to be found as preformed vitamin A. Preformed vitamin A is absorbed into your body as retinol (a very user-friendly/ active form of vitamin structure). Whole milk, livers and various fortified foods are good preformed vitamin A sources. Once in our bodies retinol is often changed in structure, e.g. to become retinal or retinoic acid, depending upon its designated use.

Vitamin A also comes from plant products, e.g. colorful vegetables and fruits. Initially it enters the body as provitamin A carotenoids, only to get changed to retinol. Examples of commonly found vitamin A carotenoids are alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin and beta-carotene (most efficiently converted into retinol).

563 carotenoids are known, only 10% are able to be converted by us into vitamin A (retinol). Health promoting qualities can come from many uncovertable carotenoids such as lycopene, zeaxanthin and lutein.

Antioxidant effects have been attributed to vitamin A in animals other than humans, which bodes well for us. Free radicals, harmful oxygen metabolism products, can lead to various chronic forms of disease.

Recommended daily allowances (RDA) of vitamin a vary depending upon your situation. Babies should have an intake of 400 micrograms (mcg) for their first 6 months, then 500mcg to the age of 1. Children aged 1-3 require 300mcg at 4-8 they need 400mcg, at the ages 9-13 600mcg is needed. Males aged 14+ require 900mcg, females of the same ages requiring 700mcg. Pregnancy dictates that 750mcg is suitable for 14-18 year old females, 770mcg from 19+. Female lactation requires the need for 1200mcg for 14-18 years of age, and 1300mcg for women of 19 and over.

Deficiencies in vitamin A can lead to night blindness (is required in retina pigments) and a reduced ability of you body to fight infections (lung epithelial cells become poor at removing pathogens), potentially leading to pneumonia. Small deficiencies in children can promote diarrheal and respiratory infections, slowed bone/ general body growth and an decreased effectiveness of their bodies fighting strong illnesses. Alcohol lowers the vitamin A stored quantities.

Vitamin A is fat soluble, meaning it is stored in the body when not being used. Too much of this vitamin becomes toxic leading to hypervitaminosis whereby liver complications, birth defects, disorders of the central nervous system and decreased mineral density in your bones can occur.

About the Author

For further specific vitamin information, e.g. vitamin D supplement facts see http://www.vitaminsupplementguide.com/Sunshine-Strong-Bones-And-The-Vital-Role-Of-Vitamin-D.php

Osteoporosis for Senior Australians

 In osteoporosis there is a progressive loss of bone mass. The word 'osteoporosis' means bone (osteo) that is porous (porosis) or full of holes. In this condition calcium is lost from the bones, they become brittle and prone to break easily (fracture). Bone fractures occur most commonly in the hip, wrist and spine.

Osteoporosis occurs earlier in more women than men. Studies show that the incidence of fractures due to osteoporosis is increasing as the Australian population ages.

Some people are more likely to develop Osteoporosis. Risk factors for developing this condition include:

• advanced age
• family history
• small or thin build
• low levels of oestrogen (women) or testosterone (men)
• physical inactivity or excessive exercise
• low calcium and vitamin d intake
• some chronic medical conditions
• poor nutrition
• smoking.

Early detection is important  

Osteoporosis can be detected in the early stages by bone mineral densitometry, a simple, safe and effective technique. A referral from your doctor is needed for this test.

Features of advanced osteoporosis  

• Curvature of the spine

• Loss of height

• Fractures

• Pain may be present particularly if a fracture has occurred

Can osteoporosis be prevented?  

Something can be done at all stages. Although osteoporosis cannot be cured, the loss of bone mass can be reversed or slowed down. Preventing osteoporosis or slowing down the loss of bone mass requires a combination of steps which include:

• a balanced diet and a regular calcium intake
• regular weight-bearing and strengthening exercise
• stop smoking 
• limit alcohol intake.
• Discuss bone density testing and medications, if needed, with your doctor

Falls prevention  

Many falls are avoidable. A range of services are available which may include assessment of the person and home environment and recommendations aimed at reducing the likelihood of falls. This may include home modification to reduce hazards, exercise to improve balance and health education.

You can lessen the chance of having a fall by

• avoiding situations which may cause falls
• maintaining good posture
• keeping as fit and active as possible
• having regular check-ups including hearing, sight and medical
• having a regular review of all medication
• limiting alcohol consumption.

For further information on falls prevention activities in your area contact the nearest Commonwealth Carelink Centre on 1800 052 222 (free call).

Exercise  

It is advisable to consult your doctor before starting an exercise program. Regular weight bearing activities such as walking, and strengthening exercises are recommended for the prevention of osteoporosis. Hydrotherapy is helpful for people with advanced osteoporosis. Avoid bending, twisting, jarring activities, heavy lifting and sudden movements.

Nutrition  

A balanced and nourishing diet helps to maintain weight and good health. An adequate intake of calcium forms part of a balanced diet and may help prevent or manage osteoporosis. After menopause between 1000 and 1500mg of calcium is generally required each day. Examples of foods high in calcium are dairy foods, salmon, sardines and calcium enriched soy milk. Serving sizes such as a large mug of calcium enriched milk and a small tub of yoghurt contain between 250 mg and 400 mg calcium.

Medications  

Review medications with your doctor regularly. Some medications may make you more inclined to fall or even to cause osteoporosis. Your doctor can advise you about and prescribe for you medications to help in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. If your diet is not sufficient in calcium, calcium supplements may be necessary. Sometimes they are also prescribed in combination with other treatments.

A vitamin D preparation may also be prescribed to improve the absorption of calcium. A range of medications are available for pain relief.

Specialists  

Your doctor may recommend that you be referred to a medical specialist experienced in diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis SA  

This is the state office of Osteoporosis Australia, a division of the Arthritis Foundation formed in response to the growing demand for information and services relating to osteoporosis.

Services provided by Osteoporosis SA include:   

• community education e.g. courses, seminars
• health professional education
• seminars / talks / displays
• training workshops
• information service and members' library
• "Osteoblast" published quarterly for members

Osteoporosis prevention and selfmanagement courses  

This 4-week course, conducted in small groups, is offered at various locations around South Australia. Course topics include osteoporosis pathology and bone anatomy, risk factors, exercise, nutrition, medications, accident prevention and safety, posture, pain management, communication and relaxation, as well as discussion about bone density measurement. Opportunities are provided throughout the course to practice the exercises taught. Through problem solving and goal setting, participants learn how to use the information provided and be active managers in preventing or living with osteoporosis.

Who can attend the course?  

The Osteoporosis Prevention and Self-Management Course provides a range of information that is helpful to all people whether they have osteoporosis or not. People with an interest in osteoporosis, such as lay people and health professionals lead the courses. Training is provided by Osteoporosis SA, and leaders also receive regular updates about related topics.

Useful contacts and resources  

For more information about osteoporosis contact: Osteoporosis SA Tel. 8379 5345, free call 1800 242 141   www.osteoporosis.org.au  

For further information contact: Seniors Information Service Inc 45 Flinders Street ADELAIDE SA 5000 Tel. (08) 8232 1441 Country Freecall 1800 636 368.Web www.seniors.asn.au

Bursitis - Nutrition & Environmental Medicine Fact File

About the Author

Dr Greg Emerson is the Founder and Medical Director of the Emerson Health and Wellness Centre which opened in October 2005. He is a consultant in Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He is also a senior specialist in Emergency Medicine and in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. For 18 years he practiced in several large public hospitals including a period of time as an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at a major trauma hospital in Canada and as the Director of a leading Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Unit. He is a lecturer, examiner and current board member for the Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine and a past-examiner for the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. A long personal battle with illness led him on a profound exploration of healing processes and the prevention of illness. He reappraised both his medical focus and the way he approached health care delivery.

He believes in the intrinsic ability of the body to heal itself if the underlying cause of the illness is addressed. His practice revolves around three core principles, in the belief that almost all non-traumatic illnesses will respond to these principles:

• Elimination of food and chemical sensitivities
• Alkalinisation and detoxification
• Balancing of hormones

Dr Emerson regularly lectures both within Australia and internationally on Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He also runs his own successful international medical conference. His mission is to provide people with the knowledge, tools and motivation to live a life of extraordinary health, vitality and longevity.

Foods That Help You Prevent Osteoporosis

Rudy Silva

The food you eat will determine the health you have. Having good eating habits is necessary for good health and for preventing osteoporosis.

Here is a list of good eating habits that will help you maintain or improve your bone density.

* Eat less fat
* Eat more fiber
* Eat more calcium rich foods
* Use less salt and sugar

Eat less fat to prevent osteoporosis

Studies have determined that when you have high cholesterol, you have fewer cells that build bones. The building of your bones is a continual process of bone breakdown and bone buildup. If you have more bone breakdown activity than bone build up, you will end up with low bone density.

High cholesterol comes from eating to much saturated fat. So here is where you can improve your bone regeneration by eliminating or reducing these saturated fat containing foods

Eat less meat and look for more lean meats. Turkey has less saturated fat than chicken or beef.

Eat less dairy products such as milk and cheese. These products are high in saturated fat.

Eat more oils that contain omega-3 (fish oil), omega-6 (olive oil) and omega-9 (found in avocados.) Do not cook with these oils since they breakdown at high temperatures creating high levels of free radicals. Cook with coconut oil. This oil does not breakdown at high temperatures. Coconut oil is high in saturated fat but it is a short chain fatty acid, which is good for your health. But, butter has saturated fat that contains a long chain fatty acid, which is bad for you health in excess.

Eat more fiber to prevent osteoporosis

Again by lowering cholesterol, you can improve the density of your bones. Lower your cholesterol by eating more fiber. Most people do not eat enough fiber. The best fiber to eat is in bran, fruits and vegetables - oat bran, rice bran citrus fruits, apples, figs, beans, strawberries, etc.

Eat more calcium rich foods to prevent osteoporosis

Most people need to get at least 1000 mg of calcium every day. Some people need more. To get this amount of calcium, you should take a daily supplement and eat those foods that are rich in calcium - yogurt, fig, tofu, boiled collards, cottage cheese, boiled kale or spinach, broccoli, all dark green vegetables.

Eat less salt to prevent osteoporosis

Eat less salt since salt and calcium compete to get absorbed in the small intestine. If you eat too much salt, calcium will not get absorbed and will be flushed into the colon and out your body. When salt gets into your blood, it attracts water. This causes your kidney to flush this excess water out as urine. When you urinate more than normal, you will be flushing out calcium and minerals that your body needs.

There you have it, a few ideas to start using so you can prevent osteoporosis. Eat less saturated fat, eat more fiber, eat less salt, take a good calcium supplement, and eat more calcium rich food.

Rudy Silva is natural nutritionist. To get more tips and information on how to prevent osteoporosis go to:
http://www.preventosteoporosis-now.com

Calcium - Nutrition & Environmental Medicine Fact File

About the Author

Dr Greg Emerson is the Founder and Medical Director of the Emerson Health and Wellness Centre which opened in October 2005. He is a consultant in Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He is also a senior specialist in Emergency Medicine and in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. For 18 years he practiced in several large public hospitals including a period of time as an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at a major trauma hospital in Canada and as the Director of a leading Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Unit. He is a lecturer, examiner and current board member for the Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine and a past-examiner for the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. A long personal battle with illness led him on a profound exploration of healing processes and the prevention of illness. He reappraised both his medical focus and the way he approached health care delivery.

He believes in the intrinsic ability of the body to heal itself if the underlying cause of the illness is addressed. His practice revolves around three core principles, in the belief that almost all non-traumatic illnesses will respond to these principles:

• Elimination of food and chemical sensitivities
• Alkalinisation and detoxification
• Balancing of hormones

Dr Emerson regularly lectures both within Australia and internationally on Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He also runs his own successful international medical conference. His mission is to provide people with the knowledge, tools and motivation to live a life of extraordinary health, vitality and longevity.

Dairy Products - Nutrition & Environmental Medicine Fact File

About the Author

Dr Greg Emerson is the Founder and Medical Director of the Emerson Health and Wellness Centre which opened in October 2005. He is a consultant in Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He is also a senior specialist in Emergency Medicine and in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. For 18 years he practiced in several large public hospitals including a period of time as an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at a major trauma hospital in Canada and as the Director of a leading Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Unit. He is a lecturer, examiner and current board member for the Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine and a past-examiner for the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. A long personal battle with illness led him on a profound exploration of healing processes and the prevention of illness. He reappraised both his medical focus and the way he approached health care delivery.

He believes in the intrinsic ability of the body to heal itself if the underlying cause of the illness is addressed. His practice revolves around three core principles, in the belief that almost all non-traumatic illnesses will respond to these principles:

• Elimination of food and chemical sensitivities
• Alkalinisation and detoxification
• Balancing of hormones

Dr Emerson regularly lectures both within Australia and internationally on Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He also runs his own successful international medical conference. His mission is to provide people with the knowledge, tools and motivation to live a life of extraordinary health, vitality and longevity.

Osteoporosis - Nutrition & Environmental Medicine Fact File

About the Author

Dr Greg Emerson is the Founder and Medical Director of the Emerson Health and Wellness Centre which opened in October 2005. He is a consultant in Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He is also a senior specialist in Emergency Medicine and in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. For 18 years he practiced in several large public hospitals including a period of time as an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at a major trauma hospital in Canada and as the Director of a leading Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Unit. He is a lecturer, examiner and current board member for the Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine and a past-examiner for the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. A long personal battle with illness led him on a profound exploration of healing processes and the prevention of illness. He reappraised both his medical focus and the way he approached health care delivery.

He believes in the intrinsic ability of the body to heal itself if the underlying cause of the illness is addressed. His practice revolves around three core principles, in the belief that almost all non-traumatic illnesses will respond to these principles:

• Elimination of food and chemical sensitivities
• Alkalinisation and detoxification
• Balancing of hormones

Dr Emerson regularly lectures both within Australia and internationally on Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He also runs his own successful international medical conference. His mission is to provide people with the knowledge, tools and motivation to live a life of extraordinary health, vitality and longevity.

Natural Therapies for Osteoarthritis