How to Prevent Bone Loss

How to Prevent Bone Loss

Did you know that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men will experience osteoporotic fractures in their lifetime?
And did you know the number one culprit for developing osteoporosis?

Eating foods high in sugar, salt, and caffeine, which basically compose the modern American diet, was proven to increase the excretion of calcium from the body and contribute to osteoporosis.
Calcium is a common mineral found mainly in your bones and teeth. Calcium is necessary to maintain bone mass to support the skeleton, so without it being deposited in your bones, you’ll eventually lose bone mass, making your bones weak and brittle so that you will easily get fractures even with a little tension.
Too often, though, the focus of preventing bone loss is to just take in more calcium, take supplements. This strategy misses the boat AND can lead to other health conditions that are more life threatening such as heart attacks and stroke.

So let’s instead look at this issue a bit more holistically. Here are 3 tips I’d like for you to consider:

1. Slow your calcium loss by focusing on fresh, unprocessed foods. Replace sugar-rich and high-salt foods, as well as caffeinated drinks with other options like monk-fruit sweetened treats, herb & spice seasoned dishes that use sea salt versus processed salt in moderation, and choose non-caffeinated or limited caffeinated beverages.
2. Supplement wisely
Most of us don’t get enough calcium in our diets. Yes, food is the best source of calcium and all other nutrients your body needs, but the truth of the matter is there is a steady decline in the quality of nutrition we get from our food. Not to mention our hectic lifestyles which increase your stress hormone cortisol…which increases nutrient loss!
So if you are not getting the right amount of calcium from your meals, it’s better to take calcium supplements to get 1000-1200 mg of calcium daily.
However, calcium is not the only mineral that is important for bone health. You have to take other vitamins and minerals for calcium to do its work.
These vitamins and minerals include:
Vitamin D–helps absorb calcium and balances calcium and phosphorus levels. Your skin produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight and there are also dietary sources of vitamin D such as egg yolks, liver, and oily fish. However, if you aren’t getting outdoors regularly, you likely aren’t going to get the production of Vit D you need. Vitamin D deficiency can be a problem (easy to have it tested by your doctor, and I recommend yearly testing). If your Vit D levels are low, it will inhibit healthy bones. You may need to increase your dietary intake, outdoor sun time or consider supplementation.

Vitamin K supplementation increases bone mass and mineralization of the bone matrix. A long-chain vitamin K2 molecule known as menaquinone-7 (MK7) decreases the risk of bone breakage and protects against osteoporosis. When combined with vitamin D, MK7 promotes bone health by increasing the production of osteocalcin in osteoblasts while decreasing the production of osteoclasts. Osteoblasts build bones while osteoclasts break down bones.
Natto, egg yolks, liver, fermented foods, and dark leafy greens are food sources of MK7. I also recommend Microbiome Labs’ MegaQuinone K2-7 supplements which have natural vitamin K2 as well as K1 and minerals to help its absorption.

Boron is a mineral that prevents calcium loss and promotes calcium absorption.

Phosphorus is the other mineral needed for bone mass. It has to be in balance with calcium levels because too much of it would cause calcium to leave the bones and bind with it to remove it from the blood.

Magnesium helps absorb calcium and affects the parathyroid hormone to regulate calcium metabolism.

Daidzein is an isoflavonoid found in soy that maintains bone health. Always opt for organic, non-GMO soy.
3. Do Weight-Bearing Exercises
Supplementation alone is no good without you moving. Weight-bearing exercises are essential for bone formation and in strengthening the muscles surrounding your bones. When these muscles, which are pulling and tugging on your bones, are strong, your bones get stronger too.
In addition, weight-bearing exercises improve your balance, strength, and coordination which will help you to avoid falls and injuries.

Until next time, I’m wishing you unstoppable health!

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