You and I are very dependent on our bones to hold us up and to keep us going. Your muscles are important too, but those muscles are only helpful if they have a bone that they can move. We can take our bones for granted. The bones have held you up for decades, so why should you be concerned? Osteoporosis is a weakening of the bones from the inside out. In the same way that you might think about termites in the framework of the house, your bone framework could be slowly “eaten” way and you don’t even know it.
Bone is made of protein fibers called collagen which are coated with mineral deposits of calcium, magnesium, boron, strontium, and other trace minerals. These protein fibers and mineral deposits will change and adapt to the stress and work that you go through each working day. The more stress and work that you put on the bones, the more the bones will reshape and strengthen to be able to handle the stress being applied. Your bones are constantly being remodeled. Just as a building contractor can go through a house and remodel the structure by taking down some walls and building up other walls, your bones are constantly being remodeled to adapt to your living conditions. This constant remodeling of bone means that you have an entirely different bone about every seven years.
This remodeling is not easy work. There are specific cells (osteoclasts) that break down old bone material and other cells (osteoblasts) that put on the new bone material. So if the bones are constantly being remodeled then why does Osteoporosis happen? Great question.
Osteoporosis happens when the cells that break down bone material are doing more work than the bones that build up bone material. When everything is working in balance, the old bone material is being recycled as fast as the new bone material is being built in. But there are conditions that can increase break down of bone and slow down the build up of new bone material. Here are some lifestyle practices that contribute to a decrease in new bone material:
Acidosis – a condition of eating foods that promote an acid reaction in the body without eating foods that cancel the acid reaction. If you have ever taken TUMS or Rolaids for heartburn you are familiar with using this calcium tablet to reduce the acid in the stomach. Some of the foods we eat produce an acid reaction and your body will call on the calcium reserves in the bone to help neutralize the acid reaction. Soda pop, white sugar, bread, beef, chicken, and hard cheeses are examples of foods that create an acid reaction. Some of these are healthy sources of nutrients, but we need to balance these foods with other foods that will neutralize the acid. Spinach, cucumbers, green beans, carrots, lettuce, green tea, and avocados are examples of foods that will neutralize the acid reaction. In other words, every plate at mealtime should have some vegetables to help balance the digestion so your body does not need to take more calcium from the bones.
Vegetable Oils – Corn oil and soybean oil are very high in omega 6 fatty acids. While your body does need some Omega 6, Americans tend to get five times as much as they need. Most of this excess comes from deep fried foods, chips, and commercial salad dressings. Make an intentional shift to extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil, butter, and coconut oil to reduce your intake of Omega 6 fatty acids.
Vitamin D deficiency – Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that stimulates the body to absorb more calcium. Living in the northern states, obtaining Vitamin D through sun tanning is not an option. To check for a deficiency, you can ask for a simple blood test to evaluate how much Vitamin D your body has. For building bone tissue, the recommendation is a measure of 60 – 80 ng / ml of Vitamin D. This level of Vitamin D will help to ensure your body is absorbing the calcium you are getting in your food.
Vitamin K2 deficiency – Vitamin K2 is an important nutrient that activates the transport of calcium to the bone tissue. Frequently, someone may start taking a calcium supplement for their bones but the calcium will not get to their bones if Vitamin K2 is not present. Calcification of arteries and muscle tissue can happen when calcium is not delivered to the bone. You can find Vitamin D and K2 together in some supplements.
For more information on preventing or reversing Osteoporosis, you can check out the book. “Healthy Bones, Healthy You” by Lara Pizzorno. This book is a great resource to address the causes and remedies for osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Join me on Saturday, May 10, 2025 for the Northfield Holistic Health Summit. The theme this year is “Healthy Nerves, Healthy Brain.” Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Jeff Kotulski presenting “Mind Games” – addressing cognitive health as we age. Nine additional speakers and multiple vendors will be part of the day. Tickets are $45, which includes a healthy lunch catered by Café Shawn. More information is available at https://www.nutritionproportion.net/healthsummit2025
Contact me to discuss your health goals for the coming year. I can help you establish a food plan that will strengthen your bones and increase your energy allowing you to realize greater health freedom in 2025. You can contact me at nutritionproportion@gmail.com, or check out my website at www.nutritionproportion.net
