Changing Lifestyle for Better Bone Health

March 21, 2015

Changing Lifestyle for Better Bone Health: What will work for you?

Changing Lifestyle for Better Bone Health begins with an active life and health diet

Who doesn’t want to live a good life? Certainly no one yet most of our choice activities point to the opposite. I mentioned previously that the beauty of any individual is from the inside. When you have healthy bones which forms the body structure, then you will externalize that beauty. All of us are vulnerable to the effects of osteoporosis by virtue of growth and more so when we get to old age. To reduce this vulnerability we want to discuss how changing lifestyle for better bone health can be effective. And start you off, you may need to maximize bone health and reduce the effects of osteoporosis with these simple guidelines. It is wise that for you to succeed in this journey, you will need to consult frequently with your doctor for direction. And if your doctor says that you have thinning bones, osteopenia or osteoporosis, it’s critical to take steps to slow the progression of this disease. Remember that calcium, exercise, no smoking, no excess drinking and bone density tests are very necessary says doctor Akoury, MD, and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center where it all begins.

Doctor Akoury adds that because women are the most vulnerable, it would be very important that they take these basic things seriously. However, the basics are especially important for women with low bone density. It is worth appreciating that while we may not be able to fully regain the bone density we once had in our youthful life, we can help prevent rapid thinning of our bones, even after diagnosis is confirmed. The following are therefore some of the positive lifestyle changes which will help you on the road to better bone health:

Calcium and Vitamin D
Bone density testing
Weight bearing exercise
No smoking and moderate Alcohol drinking
Doctor’s consultation

We want to discuss the first tow and progress with the remaining three in our next article so don’t be in a hurry to leave there is more for you with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of Doctor Akoury’s care.

Changing Lifestyle for Better Bone Health: Calcium and Vitamin D

The two pieces of nutrients work hand in hand to help in the restoration of the bone health. Calcium act primarily in building strong bones and it efforts are complimented with vitamin D which facilitates the body’s absorption of calcium. That explains why postmenopausal women need 1,200 milligrams calcium and at least 400 IU to 600 IU vitamin D daily for better bone health. Doctor Akoury advices that patients undergoing treatment of osteoporosis should have both calcium and vitamin D levels checked in blood tests. Most women across the globe and particularly in the US get less than 500 milligrams of calcium in their daily diet. Being exposed in the sun also helps in the production of vitamin D, however as we get older, our skin its efficiency in making vitamin D. Nevertheless if we’re only careful in using sunscreen, we may be at risk of having low vitamin D level. The following can be helpful in boosting both calcium and vitamin D in your body”

Calcium in food – We know that dairy has calcium, but other foods do, too.

Low-fat milk or soy milk (8 ounces) – 300 milligrams calcium
Cottage cheese (16 ounces) – 300 milligrams calcium
Low-fat yogurt (8 ounces) – 250-400 milligrams calcium
Canned salmon (3 ounces) – 180 milligrams calcium
Calcium-fortified orange juice (6 ounces): 200 milligrams-260 milligrams calcium
Cooked spinach, turnip greens, collard greens (1/2 cup) – 100 milligrams calcium
Cooked broccoli (1/2 cup) 40 milligrams calcium

Just to be sure of the sufficiency of calcium supplement may be necessary to compliment the food stuff.

Calcium supplements – be keen so that the many calcium bottles on the stores do not confuse you. We are actually having two types of calcium that is to say the calcium carbonate and calcium citrate that can be purchased over the counter.

Calcium carbonate must be taken with food for the body to absorb it. Many women have side effects from calcium carbonate like gastrointestinal upset, gassiness, and constipation. If you take calcium carbonate with magnesium, however, you are likely not to have the constipation. It acts just like Milk of Magnesia and seems to help move things through.

Calcium citrate is generally well tolerated, and can be taken without food. However, you might need to take more than one pill to get the recommended dosage it is therefore advisable that you take them at different time intervals to help your body absorb the calcium. If you take more than about 500 milligrams of calcium at one time your body will simply pass it as waste.

Check the supplement’s label before buying – Look for either pharmaceutical grade or USP (United States Pharmacopeia) standards. This will ensure high-quality pills that will dissolve in your system. And don’t underrate the generic brands because they are equally fine if they have that information.

Don’t forget vitamin D – Most calcium pills and multivitamins contain vitamin D. However, you can get vitamin D in food (fortified dairy products, egg yolks, saltwater fish like tuna, and liver). Research suggests that vitamin D3 supplements may be a little bit better absorbed and retained than Vitamin D2.

If you’re taking osteoporosis medications, take calcium, too – Many patients tend to think that when they start treatment they don’t need calcium. That is not true, and physicians often don’t emphasize the point.

Take prescription calcium if necessary – If it becomes necessary in isolated cases, doctors may prescribe higher-strength calcium and vitamin D tablets.

Changing Lifestyle for Better Bone Health: Bone Density Testing

Many people may tell you otherwise but the truth is that it is only a bone mineral density test (BMD) that is used to determine the extent of your bone loss. The gold-standard bone density test is dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). This is a low-radiation test which is considered to be the most accurate bone test available. Remember that this test must be guided and you can’t just chose to do it. Therefore your doctor will determine how frequently you should have a bone density test. And remember that if you’re on osteoporosis medications or have certain risk factors, you may need a test every six months. Finally we have only looked at the first tow and we are yet to finish with the last three. Join us in the next article to get the insight and together we can keep our bones healthy.

Changing Lifestyle for Better Bone Health: What will work for you?

The body structure and Osteoporosis

March 19, 2015

The body structure and Osteoporosis: The Stability of your Bones

The body structure and Osteoporosis. For a healthy body and well composed body shape, osteoporosis must be eliminated

The body of anything must have some structures for it to be seen as a body. Before you can see the coverings of the body, there is always the framework of that body. In human beings and other animals, the framework is made up of bones. It therefore means that without the framework there will be no body to admire. It is becoming a general concern that this framework is losing its abilities to function as it should with time as we get older. This stability loss is what we want to discuss in this article under the topic of the body structure and osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a health condition which affects the body and particularly the framework of the body which is the bones. Therefore if you have osteoporosis the understanding is that you have lost some bone material. And your bones have become less dense creating some spaces in between. The creation of the spaces on the bones makes them weak and more vulnerable to breaking at very negligible forces (fracture). Doctor Dalal Akoury says that even though osteoporosis mainly affects older people but it can also be very indiscriminative by affecting people of all ages. Yes it is true that the risk of osteoporosis is high as we approach our sunset days, but we can take certain measures to reduce this. There are a number of preventive measures we can adapt to slow down bone loss. Medication may be one of the suggestions professionals will recommend in restoring the bones, but this will be done up on evaluation of individual patient. If you are experiencing certain pain or weakness in your bones then you need to act first and consult with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center for speedy correctional measures to be taken.

The body structure and Osteoporosis: What is osteoporosis?

Therefore osteoporosis is a condition that affects bone strength and the word osteoporosis literally means “porous bones”. Remember that the bone is made of collagen fibers (tough, elastic fibers) and minerals (gritty, hard material). This is a living tissue rich in cells that make, mold and resorb (take back up) bone. Initially, as you grow, bone formation exceeds bone resorption. But, as you get older, this reverses and, after about the age of 35, you start to lose a certain amount of bone material. This would then means that your bones will become less dense and loses stability by becoming less strong. This process of bone loss will not be the same in all people but the amount of bone loss will vary from person to person. Therefore if you have lost a lot more of your bone mass, then you have osteoporosis. Meaning that if you have osteoporosis, then your bones becomes bristle and can break more easily than normal, especially if you have an injury such as a fall. If you have a milder degree of bone loss, this is known as osteopenia.

Just to help you understand further what osteoporosis is, I want to further illustrate this porous situation differently. Taking a closer observation of the bone under a microscope, you will notice that sections of the bone take the shape of a honey comb. It means that those suffering from osteoporosis will have wider and much bigger holes and spaces in the honeycomb like structure. This is an illustration that they are having bones which are not healthy and therefore the understanding is that they have lost their bone density and the structure of their bone is not normal. Doctor Akoury recommends that people should have bone density test especially those who are aging and have broken their bones in the past.

The body structure and Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is Common

Because osteoporosis risk is high in old age, an assumption could be made that the world is generally at greater risk as we approach old age. Nonetheless it is estimated from various statistics that in America alone about 54 million people have osteoporosis and low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis. Studies further suggest that approximately one in two women and up to one in four men age 50 and older will break a bone due to osteoporosis subsequently.

The body structure and Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is Serious

Besides the pain that comes with a broken bone, one could also have a permanent deformity. Therefore the breaking of a bone is a serious complication of osteoporosis, especially when you’re older. In many cases broken bones due to osteoporosis normally occur in very sensitive sections of the body like the hip, spine and wrist thereby adding to the complications more pain and fatality. Nonetheless it must not be assumed that these are the only sections that will suffer osteoporosis because the other bones can also break. The other consequences of osteoporosis may include:

Broken bones can cause severe pain that may not go away
Osteoporosis also causes some people to lose height. When osteoporosis causes the bones of the spine, called vertebrae, to break or collapse, it affects your posture and causes you to become stooped or hunched.
Osteoporosis may even keep you from getting around easily and doing the things you enjoy, which may bring feelings of isolation or depression.
It can also lead to other health problems. Twenty percent of seniors who break a hip die within one year from problems related to the broken bone itself or surgery to repair it. Many of those who survive need long-term nursing home care.

The body structure and Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is Costly

The estimated cost of the effects of osteoporosis will surprise you greatly if these statistics is anything to go by. It is estimated that Osteoporosis is responsible for two million broken bones and $19 billion in related costs every year. By 2025, experts predict that osteoporosis will be responsible for approximately three million fractures and $25.3 billion in costs each year. What does this communicates to you? It means that you and I are being called up on to pool together and prevent this in the future generation.

The body structure and Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis can sneak up on you

Finally this is not something to look at from afar. Doctor Akoury refers to osteoporosis as a silent disease because you can’t feel your bones getting weaker. The very first time you may realize this is when you break a bone or when it done on you that you are getting shorter or your upper back is curving forward. Therefore if this description suits you and you are experiencing height loss or your spine is curving, help is closer to you that you can imagine. Schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury today as the disease may be already be advanced.

The body structure and Osteoporosis: The Stability of your Bones

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