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Salt is very bad for the health of bones

August 23, 2016
Salt

Salt is very bad for the health of bones and engaging in physical activities will help in reducing the salt content in the body

Salt is very bad for the health of bones: Osteoporosis

Ordinarily salt is needed to add taste to the food we consume. And to many people food without salt is not anything to consider. However it can pose a great obstacle to a study skeleton. According to some studies, it has been established that postmenopausal women with a high salty diet lose more bone minerals than their counterparts of the same age. The saltines of the typical American diet is one of the reasons why calcium requirements are so high. The experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury MD, are in agreement that regular table salt and simply sodium causes calcium loss and with time weakens the bones

Statistics on salt consumption

According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans advise limiting sodium to 2,300 milligrams a day which is an equivalent of a teaspoon of salt. Despite this advice many people are still consuming up to least 4,000 milligrams daily. Generally speaking, for every 2,300 milligrams of sodium you take in, about 40 milligrams of calcium is lost in the urine. For stability it is important for people to get the right units of calcium and vitamin D daily to help in offsetting bone loss from the consumption of salt. The following are the recommended units of calcium and vitamin D:

  • Adults up to age 50 require 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily — the equivalent of three 8-ounce glasses of milk.
  • Older adults need 1,200 milligrams of daily calcium – about half a glass more of milk.
  • People need 200 International Units (IU) of vitamin D a day until age 50.
  • Adults need 400 IU of vitamin D from the ages of 51 to 70 years.
  • Seniors need 600 IU of vitamin D a day after age 70.

The best sources of vitamin D should be from natural origins like natural sunlight and from fortified milk, egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver, and supplements.

We may succeed in eliminating salt shakers from our tables and even prepare meals without salt. But this is just a reduction of very negligible portion. It is no wonder that of all the dangers to the bone, salt is one which may be the hardest to eliminate. This is so because all the processed foods including whole grain breads, breakfast cereals, and fast foods are very rich in salt. As a matter of fact these constitute up to 75% of salt we consume. Therefore if you want to reduce the diet danger, take note of some of the highest-salty foods to limit or avoid. Choose no-added salt versions whenever possible.

  • Processed meats, such as deli turkey and ham, and hot dogs
  • Fast food, such as pizza, burgers, tacos, and fries
  • Processed foods, including regular and reduced-calorie frozen meals
  • Regular canned soups and vegetables and vegetable juices
  • Baked products, including breads and breakfast cereals

Finally doctor Akoury advices that you need to scan food labels for sodium content to ensure that you only go for those with the lowest units of sodium for better bones. We appreciate that this may not be very easy which is why going for plenty of potassium-rich foods like bananas, tomatoes, and orange juice can work for you. Potassium may be helpful in decreasing the loss of calcium and for more information you can contact doctor Akoury now.

Osteoporosis

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Identifying the Right Osteoporosis Medication

March 23, 2015

Identifying the Right Osteoporosis Medication: The best medicine for Osteoporosis to consider

Identifying the Right Osteoporosis Medication

Identifying the Right Osteoporosis Medication and taking then appropriately

A lot of discoveries have been done over the past few decades in making effort to finding lasting solutions for osteoporosis complications. These have led to the market being rich in several of options for medications which can be confusing sometimes. It is because of these that we want to discourse the best modalities of identifying the right osteoporosis medications for patients. Even as you consider settling for certain medications, doctor Akoury advices that in that medication, you must ensure that you are getting enough supply of calcium and vitamin D. Remember that vitamin D is now officially being reorganize as key player in  osteoporosis. It must be appreciated that the supply of these two elements must not be compromised and that would mean that for guaranteed sufficiency a prescription for vitamin D may become necessary. These supplements must be taken continually even when you are on osteoporosis medicines. Like for instance a postmenopausal woman will require 1,500 milligrams calcium daily, plus 1,000 units of vitamin D. Some need prescription-strength vitamin D (Calcitriol). This deficiency is a serious problem.

Besides that weight bearing exercise would be very important with total elimination of smoking and alcohol nevertheless, if you have to drink, then it must be moderate. Doctor Akoury further advices that you must be in constant consultation with your doctor about getting a bone re-sorption marker test that is either blood or urine test. This will actually help you identify whether your osteoporosis medicine is having an effect on bone loss or not. The first test should target your baseline and it should be done before you start the medication. Then get it checked after you’ve taken the drug for a few months to see the change. There are about six main types of osteoporosis medicine which we want to discuss their merits and in the merits. However for the purpose of this article, we are going to discuss only one (bisphosphonates) and the remaining in the next article. We want to therefore invite you to keep on the link for more information about osteoporosis medications.

Identifying the Right Osteoporosis Medication: Bisphosphonates, Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, Zoledronic Acid (Reclast or Zometa)

Bisphosphonates are the backbones family of osteoporosis medicines today. They’re the workhorses of osteoporosis treatment. They are often the favorite because they offer a number of options for patients under treatment. However Fosamax was the first FDA-approved osteoporosis medicine just a decade ago and consequently the approval of followed by Actonel three years later. Boniva and Reclast are the most recent FDA approvals.

Identifying the Right Osteoporosis Medication: What They Do

All these drugs have been shown to increase bone density and Fosamax and Actonel lower the risk of spine and hips fractures. Actonel has been shown to work quickly, reducing fracture risk within the first six months. Boniva has not yet been shown to reduce hip fractures, and that’s a concern. On the other hand, Reclast or Zometa increases bone mineral density. Besides this its effectiveness in reducing spine and hip fractures with the reduced spine fracture risk sustained over three years has been confirmed. According to the manufacturer, Reclast also reduces fractures of the wrist, arm, leg, and rib. Reclast has been shown to reduce mortality in people who have already had hip fractures.

Identifying the Right Osteoporosis Medication: The Dosing Options

The good thing about osteoporosis medication is that of flexibility. Upon consultation with your doctor, you can settle for taking the medication daily, weekly, monthly or get a once-a-year intravenous (IV) treatment in your doctor’s office. The choice is yours and below is a simple guideline for you:

  • Fosamax can be taken daily or weekly in pill form.
  • Liquid Fosamax can be taken weekly.
  • Actonel can be taken daily, weekly, or monthly.
  • Boniva can be taken once a day or monthly in pill form.
  • An intravenous (IV) form of Boniva can be given once yearly.
  • Reclast or Zometa is a once-yearly IV infusion treatment.

An IV infusion involves a needle in your arm and a drip bag just like you get in a hospital. While it may sound like a slightly extreme way to get a medication, it has its advantages. The IV drug goes directly to the bone, bypassing the GI tract entirely.

If you are worried of time it may take because of your busy schedule then you need not to be worried because the procedure is friendly and timely. To be precise the whole process would take about five minutes for Boniva and 15 minutes for Reclast and you’re done for the year. In a record of 15minutes you are done meaning that this is very ideal even to those people who may be concerned about time.

Identifying the Right Osteoporosis Medication: The Pill Regimen

When dealing with osteoporosis, it is not just about identifying the right osteoporosis medication but it also put the patient to task on the usage of such medications. Taking osteoporosis medicine in pill form for instance is serious business. You don’t just pop the pill and swallow. The patient must follow specific guidelines which may include:

  • Taking the drugs first thing in the morning and on an empty stomach.
  • You cannot sit or lie down after taking it.
  • You cannot eat or drink anything before or after the medication.
  • You must starve yourself for sometimes like 30 to 60 minutes to allow for the absorption of the medicine into the body.
  • When that time period is over, you can take other medications.

The longer the starvation, the better chances that the osteoporosis medicine will be absorbed. Your stomach has to be empty. You have to make sure there is no competition in the GI tract for the drug. You can take other medications later that morning but not before taking the osteoporosis medicine. This intense regimen is important because very little of the drug is actually absorbed by the body. The body absorbs only about 1% of the drug so you have to make sure you get the most from every dose.

Identifying the Right Osteoporosis Medication: Weighing the Options

When deciding about bisphosphonates, ask yourself these eight questions:

  • How frequently do you want to take an osteoporosis medicine?
  • Will you really remember to take it?
  • Will you follow the morning regimen for taking the pills?
  • Are you taking other medications regularly?
  • Do you have any GI problems?
  • Do you have difficulty swallowing?
  • Would you rather have a once-yearly treatment?

Doctor Dalal Akoury advices that pill-form bisphosphonates are not ideal for people with GI problems like gastritis or ulcers or individuals with serious esophageal problems like stricture. She emphasizes health facilities AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are in business of ensuring that patients absorb the drug. But if anyone has the conditions described above, they such may opt for an IV. Finally treatment is just the last resort. The best option would have been prevention. This is an area where doctor Akoury specializes on and you can schedule for an appointment with her for professional advice on the preventive approach today.

Identifying the Right Osteoporosis Medication: The best medicine for Osteoporosis to consider

 

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The Weight Bearing Exercise for Osteoporosis

March 20, 2015

The Weight Bearing Exercise for Osteoporosis: Workouts for Strong Bones

The Weight Bearing Exercise for Osteoporosis

The Weight Bearing Exercise for Osteoporosis. Good sporting exercise are very useful in restoration of healthy bones

Gradually osteoporosis is killing our bones and we may not notice it until it is very late. Having discovered that, the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are working round the clock to ensure that this trend is changed and that people are able to regain the mass of their bones. This is a facility which was founded by doctor Dalal Akoury primarily to create health awareness in various medical disciplines. Doctor Akoury is on a mission to help the helpless find their own natural inner healing power to help them take charge of their lives and destiny. At this facility individual patients are empowered to adopt doctor Akoury’s style which is focusing on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. Therefore in our topic today, we want to look at the weight bearing exercise for osteoporosis and how people can be empowered to naturally get rid of this situation from their healthy. Now the best approach would be to venture into meaningful exercise which is able to turn the tables round from osteoporosis to healthy bones. We can therefore try weight bearing workouts that stresses bones and muscles slightly more than your everyday life. We are going to be discussing some in this article, but it would be advisable that you consult with your doctor first to be sure that the workout you choose is safe for you. It is only then that you may want to consider from the following trends.

The Weight Bearing Exercise for Osteoporosis: Tai Chi

Tai chi a form of relaxed, smooth and flowing moves that builds both coordination and strong bones. According to a study reported in Physician and Sports medicine it was found that tai chi could slow bone loss in postmenopausal women. During the study the women who did 45 minutes of tai chi a day, five days a week for a year, enjoyed a rate of bone loss up to three-and-a-half times slower than the non-tai-chi group. Their bone health gains showed up on bone mineral density tests.

The Weight Bearing Exercise for Osteoporosis: Yoga

According to a study reported in Yoga Journal it was established that there was an increase in bone mineral density in the spine for women who did yoga regularly. From the slow, precise Iyengar style to the athletic, vigorous ashtanga, yoga can build bone health in your hips, spine, and wrists the bones most vulnerable to fracture.

Standing poses like Warrior I and II work the large bones of the hips and legs, while poses like Downward Dog work the wrists, arms, and shoulders. Both the Cobra and Locust poses, which work the back muscles, may preserve the health of the spine. Yoga also sharpens your balance, coordination, concentration, and body awareness and thus helps prevent falls.

The Weight Bearing Exercise for Osteoporosis: Brisk Walking

One fitness trend that never goes away, walking is still hugely popular among women and a great way to revamp your bone health. A study of nurses found that walking four hours a week gave them a 41% lower risk of hip fractures, compared to walking less than an hour a week. Brisk walking is best, but you can adapt your speed to your current fitness level. Walking is free, and you can do it anywhere, anytime, even when you’re traveling.

The Weight Bearing Exercise for Osteoporosis: Golf

Maybe you’ve always thought golf was for old folks people who could no longer do “real” sports. If this thought ever crossed your mind, then you need to think again. Just carrying that golf bag around 18 holes, and swinging the big clubs to drive the ball long, add up to a lot of upper-body work. And all that walking, and chasing balls lost in the rough, means plenty of work for your hips and spine. It is therefore obvious that golf gives weight bearing exercise a whole new name.

The Weight Bearing Exercise for Osteoporosis: Dancing

The current dances like the hottest trends in salsa, samba, Lindy hop, rhumba, East coast swing, foxtrot, and tango. They can enable your heart pumping in more ways than one, and build strong bones while you’re at it. Besides, you may want to try other activities like aerobics, kickboxing, or step class at your health club or local Y. New classes emerge every few months to keep members motivated. A lot of them now combine strength training with dance or step moves and will perk up your balance as well.

The Weight Bearing Exercise for Osteoporosis: Hiking

The work of weight-bearing and the impact as your feet hit the ground can increase bone density, especially in your hips. It’s just like walking, and then some. You’ll get even more impact on those bones if you’re going uphill or downhill, and that can improve bone health even more. More impact on your feet and legs translates into more bone density.

And with hiking, boredom is never an issue because you will be constantly meeting and socializing with new people, as well as expanding your horizons as you experience new landscapes.

The Weight Bearing Exercise for Osteoporosis: Strength Training

Lifting weights, using the weight machines at your health club, or doing calisthenics, are forms of strength or resistance training. You’re working against some form of resistance whether it’s a set of “free” weights, your own body weight, or weight machines to stress a sequence of muscles and bones. Strength training at least twice a week is needed to stimulate bone growth.

Every gym has a trainer who can design a workout for your legs, back, shoulders, and arms one that’s right for your fitness level and can rally your bone health. Finally it is always said that patient pays. The bone-building phase in young adults at its speediest takes three to four months, and it may take a lot longer if you have osteoporosis or are older. So you won’t be seeing big changes on any bone density tests after your first week of working out. Bones change slowly and this should not worry you because they do change.

The Weight Bearing Exercise for Osteoporosis: Workouts for Strong Bones

 

 

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Weight Training for Women with Osteoporosis

March 20, 2015

Weight Training for Women with Osteoporosis: Understanding Strength Training

Weight Training for Women with Osteoporosis

Weight Training for Women with Osteoporosis is very essential for the health of our bones.

The bigger percentage of the general body weight is in the bones. It is the bones that forms the structure which when covered by the flesh then we can say that this is the body. Therefore the stability of the bones is very important if life is to be enjoyable. It is also important to appreciate that it is the bones that bears the greatest burden in carrying the body weight and that is why we want to look into details weight training for women with osteoporosis. If you have been with us through the past articles, we did mention that women are most vulnerable to be attacked by osteoporosis than men. It is because of this vulnerability that we want to offer solutions to women through creating awareness and an elaborate and professional weight training programs tailored to meet your individual needs. We spoke to doctor Dalal Akoury the MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center about this problem and she is going to be taking us through some of the things we need to do to be safe from the attacks of osteoporosis.

Weight Training for Women with Osteoporosis: Weight Training for Osteoporosis

To bring this to perspective, doctor Akoury raises these questions, did you know that weight training for osteoporosis is not just about walking or doing aerobics? Are you aware that even weight lifting too can help protect your bones and prevent osteoporosis-related fractures? I asked these because ordinarily when one is suffering from osteoporosis, it is believed that their bones are weak and may not need such exercises, nonetheless studies has shown that strength training over a period of time can help prevent bone loss and may even help build new bone.

According to one of the studies, postmenopausal women who participated in a strength training program for a year registered a significant increase in their bone density and particularly in the most vulnerable places like the spine and hips. These are the areas mostly affected by osteoporosis in older women. It goes therefore without saying that it is important to maintain strong muscles during weight training as this will help the patients in keeping up their balance and coordination. These two are very critical elements in preventing falls, which can lead to osteoporosis-related fractures. Osteoporosis is eating on our bones and coupled with the rate at which we lose muscles as we grow annually such that by the time we are very old in late 60 and above we only have just about 55% or even less of our muscles left. If you have been wondering why people get weak as they get older then this can explain your concerns. We are now in the know of the consequences of osteoporosis in our growth and development; therefore if we want to keep fit and age in strong muscles, then we must chose to prevent this by taking weight training seriously.

Weight Training for Women with Osteoporosis: Getting Started on Weight Training for Osteoporosis

Now that we have made a decision to start the trainings, the question would be how should you start weight training for osteoporosis? Focus on the back and the hip, says doctor Dalal Akoury who is also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. It is in order to start from there because those are the areas mostly damaged by bone loss, and the area’s most at risk from osteoporosis-related fractures. And owing to the delicate nature of this problem, engaging a weight loss professional would be very ideal. Doctor Akoury recommends that a good exercise should include hip extension, abduction, adduction and hip flexion. In other words the exercise should largely concentrate around the hips. The following are some of the exercises you may opt for:

  • Backward bending is also good.
  • Sit on a bench or chair with 5-pound weights strapped to each ankle.
  • Then “march” in place, lifting the knees alternately.

You’re working the hip flexor muscles, which are attached to both the back and hip, which leads to improved bone and muscle mass in both areas. The following are some of the very important weight training tips you can chose from:

  • Work under the supervision of a qualified, certified personal trainer, especially at first and particularly if you have any medical issues.
  • Do strength training two to three times a week, with at least one day of rest between each session (especially if you’re working the same muscles at each session).
  • Do one exercise for each major muscle group, for a total of eight to 12 different exercises. Do one or two sets of eight to 10 repetitions for each exercise.
  • Lift the weight slowly; lift to a count of four and lower to a count of four, says Lein. “This decreases the likelihood of injury while helping to recruit the muscle better.”
  • Don’t use other muscles to compensate. You should only be moving the muscle you’re supposed to be moving!
  • Tighten abdominal muscles to help protect your spine.
  • Periodically consult with a trainer about increasing the amount of weight you lift as you become stronger.

If you already have osteoporosis, seek out a personal trainer experienced in working with people who have osteoporosis. You may have to find one, like doctor Akoury, at a medical center with an osteoporosis program. And besides, ensure that in your exercise be sure to take these two precautions seriously:

  • If you have osteoporosis in your spine, don’t lift more than 20 to 25 pounds with your arms or against your trunk, and avoid movements that have you twisting your trunk or bending forward extensively.
  • If you have osteoporosis in the hips, there is no specific restriction on the amount of weight lifted or types of movement. But people with osteoporosis in any area should ensure that their activities don’t increase the risk of falling.

Finally the result on the bone density may not be realized immediately nonetheless this will become clear as you progress with the exercise and taking the weight measurement from time to time during the training duration. Just to avoid unnecessary discouragement about the outcome, it may be wise that the patients are given a longer period like one year to get the actual result of their bone density. Remember that this should be a process and may not yield to your expectation as in the normal body weight loss. You may be training for the whole year and only realize 1% change in bone density. Doctor Akoury says that this should not discourage you because you are on the right track. If you were to be persistent with that 1% for ten years, then you will achieve 10% which is a lot of bones added.

Weight Training for Women with Osteoporosis: Understanding Strength Training

 

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