How to prevent osteoporosis naturally

Índice Show

Keep Bones Healthy Through Your Diet
Get the Right Amount of Calcium
Don’t Forget Vitamin D
Protein Is Important for Bone Health, Too
Build Healthy Life Habits

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Did you know that that 50 percent of women in the U.S. age 50 or older will break a bone due to osteoporosis?

Overall, about 54 million Americans have osteoporosis—a gradual thinning out of the bones—or low bone density, which may lead to fracture.

Women typically start out with lower bone density than men, and loss of estrogen over time can increase the risk for osteoporosis.

But there is good news: In some cases, osteoporosis can be preventable. The sooner you start keeping your bones healthy, the better off you will be in your 50s and beyond.

Kendall F. Moseley, M.D. , endocrinologist and osteoporosis specialist at the Johns Hopkins Metabolic Bone Center , shares a few tips to keep your bones healthy and strong.

Keep Bones Healthy Through Your Diet

Get the Right Amount of Calcium

When it comes to calcium, more is not always better. You should strive to hit the daily intake recommendation:

1,000 mg for women 50 and younger
1,200 mg for women 51 and older

With well-balanced nutrition, you may be able to get most of the necessary calcium from your diet and fill in the rest with supplements. As a matter of fact, you could be eating more calcium than you think!

Try calculating your daily intake by reading nutritional labels. Remember, these labels are based on a daily allowance of 1000 mg, so if the label says, “25% of daily calcium,” that means you’re getting 250 mg of calcium per serving, just add a zero.

Don’t Forget Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and use it to strengthen your bones. When your skin is exposed to sunlight, your liver and kidneys are responsible for making vitamin D. However, most of us can’t rely solely on the sun to get our daily dosage for many reasons: indoor living, sunscreen, skin tone, seasonal changes, etc. Non-fortified foods are also limited in vitamin D.

Your goal should be:

600 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day if you are 70 or younger
800 IU if you are 71 or older

Because many women don’t hit the recommended dosage of vitamin D through sun exposure and diet, supplements may be needed to meet this goal.

Protein Is Important for Bone Health, Too

Protein is in every cell in your body, including your bones. Studies have shown that eating protein increases bone mineral density. The recommended daily protein intake is 0.4 grams per pound of body weight. So, if you’re a 140-lb. woman, you need about 60 grams of protein per day. Protein can be found in animal or nonanimal food sources.

Learn how your diet can help your bone health. View our infographic.

Exercise

Most of us know that exercise is good for fitness, but did you know it’s great for bone health, too? Exercise helps stimulate the cells responsible for building bones.

But not just any exercise will do. To promote bone health, try doing weight-bearing and resistance exercises 3 or 4 days a week.

Weight-bearing exercises focus on carrying the weight of your body against gravity. Walking is a great weight-bearing activity, as are running, dancing, aerobics, hiking and tennis.
Resistance exercises use an opposing force, such as weights, an elastic band, or water, to strengthen your muscles and build bone. Having strong muscles and good balance may also help you avoid falls or minimize injury.

Build Healthy Life Habits

The choices you make, beginning as early as childhood, can affect your bone health in the future. To protect it, consider making the following adjustments to your lifestyle:

Quit smoking.
Limit alcohol consumption.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Eat a well-balanced diet.
Stay active.

Think you may not be hitting all the recommended daily nutritional values for optimal bone health? Worried about other factors in your life that might contribute to bone loss? Talk to your doctor about what you can do now to help prevent osteoporosis and bone fractures in the future.

Alternative treatments for osteoporosis

The goal of any alternative treatment is to manage or heal the condition without the use of medication. Some alternative therapies can be used for osteoporosis. While there’s little scientific or clinical evidence to suggest that they’re truly effective, many people report success.

Always inform your doctor before beginning any alternative medicine or therapy. There may be interactions between herbs and the medications you’re currently taking. Your doctor can help coordinate an overall treatment plan that best suits your needs.

While more scientific research is needed on the subject, some herbs and supplements are believed to reduce or potentially stop the bone loss caused by osteoporosis.

Red clover is thought to contain estrogen-like compounds. Since natural estrogen can help protect bone, some alternative care practitioners may recommend its use to treat osteoporosis.

However, there’s no scientific evidence to show that red clover is effective in slowing down bone loss.

The estrogen-like compounds in red clover may interfere with other medications and may not be suitable for some people. Be sure to discuss red clover with your doctor, if you’re considering taking it. There are significant possible drug interactions and side effects.

The soybeans used to make products like tofu and soy milk contain isoflavones. Isoflavones are estrogen-like compounds that may help protect bones and stop bone loss.

It’s generally recommended that you talk to your doctor before using soy for osteoporosis, especially if you have an increased risk of estrogen-dependent breast cancer.

Black cohosh is an herb that’s been used in Native American medicine for years. It also has been used as an insect repellant. It contains phytoestrogens (estrogen-like substances) that may help prevent bone loss.

A 2008 study found that black cohosh promoted bone formation in mice. More scientific research is needed to determine if these results can be extended to treatment in humans with osteoporosis.

Be sure to discuss black cohosh with your doctor before using it, due to potential side effects.

Horsetail is a plant with possible medicinal properties. The silicon in horsetail is believed to help with bone loss by stimulating bone regeneration. Although clinical trials to support this assertion are lacking, horsetail is still recommended by some holistic doctors as an osteoporosis treatment.

Horsetail can be taken as a tea, tincture, or herbal compress. It can interact negatively with alcohol, nicotine patches, and diuretics, and it’s important to stay properly hydrated when you’re using it.

Acupuncture is a therapy used in traditional Chinese medicine. The practice involves placing very thin needles in strategic points on the body. This method is believed to stimulate various organ and body functions and promote healing.

Acupuncture is often combined with herbal therapies. While anecdotal evidence supports these as complementary osteoporosis treatments, more studies are needed before we know if they truly work.

Tai chi is an ancient Chinese practice that uses a series of body postures that flow smoothly and gently from one to the next.

Studies by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health suggest that tai chi might promote increased immune function and overall well-being for older adults.

It may also improve muscle strength, coordination, and reduce muscle or joint pain and stiffness. A regular, supervised routine can help improve balance and physical stability. It may also prevent falls.

Melatonin is a hormone that’s made by the pineal gland in your body. Melatonin has been touted for years as a natural sleep aid as well as an anti-inflammatory agent. Researchers are now coming to believe that melatonin promotes healthy bone cell growth.

Melatonin can be found in capsules, tablets, and liquid form almost anywhere, and is considered extremely safe to take. But it can cause drowsiness and interact with antidepressants, blood pressure medications, and beta-blockers, so talk with your doctor first.

When a person is diagnosed with osteoporosis, they’re advised to change their diet to incorporate more calcium. Though bone mass can’t be instantly corrected, dietary changes may stop you from losing more bone mass.

Hormone replacement drugs, particularly ones that contain estrogen, are often prescribed. But all hormone therapy drugs carry side effects that can interfere with other parts of your life.

Medications from the bisphosphonate family are also a common treatment option, as they stop bone loss and reduce the risk of fractures. Side effects from this class of medication include nausea and heartburn.

Because of the side effects of these synthetic medications, some people choose to try alternative methods to stop bone loss and treat their osteoporosis. Before you start taking any medication, always discuss it with your doctor.

Osteoporosis can be prevented. Exercise, especially lifting weights, helps to maintain healthy bone mass. Healthy lifestyle choices, such as not smoking or misusing substances, also decrease your risk for developing osteoporosis.

Vitamin supplements that contribute to bone health, such as vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin K, should also be a staple in your diet to avoid bone weakness later in life.

Read this article in Spanish.