Recent News and Articles on the Keywords: prevent osteoporosis + osteoporosis + prevent  Related to the article below (Last Update: 8/5/2008)

Is there a natural way to prevent osteoporosis?

 Bone is living tissue, and is constantly being renewed and replaced in the body. 0steoporosis comes about when bone tissue is broken down faster than it is formed. When this happens, the bones can become weakened and this increases the chances of fracture, especially in the hips and spine.

Osteoporosis is more common in women than men, and is usually related to hormonal changes after the time of menopause. While osteoporosis is generally regarded as a natural part of the ageing process, there is a lot that can be done to combat it using simple diet and lifestyle related changes.

One of the main factors that has a bearing on bone strength is hormonal balance. Oestrogen, one of the principle female hormones, is thought to have a bone protective effect. This is thought to explain why osteoporosis is most common after the time of menopause, when oestrogen levels are low.

Consuming foods rich in a class of substances called 'phytoestrogens' may help to maintain your bone strength. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant constituents that are found in beans, lentils, chickpeas and soy products such as soya milk and tofu, and have the ability to mimic the effect of the hormone oestrogen in the body.

There is some evidence that consuming phytoestrogens can help prevent osteoporosis in the long term. In one study, post-menopausal women treated with a synthetic phytoestrogen called ipriflavone and calcium saw a five per cent increase in bone density over two years.

Specific nutrients can be important for bone health. Perhaps the most important in this respect is calcium. However, studies suggest that the effects of calcium on bone density tend to be small, and we now know that other nutrients are important for bone-building. One nutrient that appears to play a critical role in bone health is the mineral magnesium.

Studies show the more magnesium there is in the diet, the higher bone density tends to be. In addition, supplementing with magnesium appears to have the ability to actually increase bone density. In one study, giving 250 - 750 mg of magnesium in supplement form stopped bone loss or increased bone density in 27 of 31 people over a two-year period.

Bearing in mind the relative importance of calcium and magnesium, I suggest you include plenty of foods rich in these nutrients in your diet. Green leafy vegetables, sardines, mackerel, seafood, and sesame seeds all fit the bill in this respect.

Fruit and vegetables should be emphasised in the diet, as there is good evidence consuming plenty of these is associated with better bone strength. These may provide other bone-building nutrients such as vitamin K and boron. Also, they tend to make the body less acidic, which reduces the risk of calcium being lost from the bone.

In addition to eating a diet rich in oily fish and seafood, beans, pulses, soy products, and fresh fruits and vegetables, it may help you to supplement with additional nutrients. One suitable supplement is Osteocare, made by the company Vitabiotics. This contains magnesium and calcium, along with other important nutrients including boron, and vitamins D and K. You will find this in your local health food store.

One other lifestyle factor that is important for bone health is exercise. Studies show that weight-being exercise can help maintain bone strength, and it would probably help you to walk briskly or jog for 20 - 30 minutes on most days. Combined with the dietary approaches above, regular activity is very likely to help preserve, and may even increase, the strength of your bones quite naturally.