Osteoporosis: milk or vegetables?
Last month we talked about glycaemia, insulin, diabetes, in this article dedicated to osteoporosis, it will seem strange, but even if the name of the disease changes, the advice to prevent it and in the less fortunate cases to live with it, they remain very similar to those given for non-insulin dependent diabetes.
But let's proceed in order, by definition osteoporosis is a modification of the microarchitecture of the bones, these also show a marked decrease in mass. Osteoporosis is subdivided into primary (type I and type II) or secondary, or achieved by a related event (from hyperparathyroidism, osteotoxic drugs, etc.). The primary form constitutes the almost exclusive form (95% of cases). In the primary form one can immediately notice how the reduced contribution of fundamental minerals such as, calcium, magnesium, vit D, incorrect life habits, poor movement and even less exposure to sunlight, are determining factors for the onset of osteoporosis. Of course, even the post-menopausal period (due to the drop in hormonal production) speeds up the pathology.
In menopause, there is a greater production of osteoclasts (cells that contribute to bone resorption, erode the bone to contribute to calcium homeostasis) caused by the loss of estrogen which leads to a possible elevation of cytokines, this group of cells can initiate a form of inflammatory response that leads to the destruction of the bone matrix. In the second form (type II), with age, osteoblast activity decreases. If we have been leading an unfair lifestyle for years, we will leave disadvantaged to deal with this imbalance.
Data of concern
Among the various bone diseases it is the most widespread, affecting both sexes, mostly the female one after menopause, which considerably increases the risk up to 4 times, for the reasons mentioned above. In Italy over five million people suffer from osteoporosis, 4 million are women . But among them there is also a high proportion of young women. On average, 17% of women aged 57 suffer from osteoporosis. And there is an additional 31% of women under the age of 60 who are suffering from severe osteopenia, the antechamber of osteoporosis. As for ethnicity, even if it is found in all, the white race and the Asian race are the most affected.
Its incidence is increasing, in South America it is reaching the European one, while in the USA the majority of adults who are over 50 have osteoporosis or at least a low bone density. In risk factors, very little is said about "genetic factors" because they do not constitute an important and direct correlation. While the onset is attributable to improper diet, alcohol abuse, cigarettes, physical inactivity, use of drugs (heparin, glycocorticoids, ethanol ...).
Prevent at the table
It is recommended to take foods rich in calcium and nutrients necessary to assimilate this mineral and to act in the direction of an acid-base balance. Excellent sources are edible marine algae (Wakame-Agar-Nori- Kombu ), green leafy vegetables (except spinach), organic soybean, dried fruit, molasses, broccoli, black and curly kale, tempeh, black beans and lentils. And the famous milk with its derivatives?
You can provide all the properties and contraindications of kombu seaweed
Milk intake is advertised for osteoporosis prevention, although clinical research reaches different conclusions. The study examined a group of 77, 761 women who, in 1980 - the year in which the research began - were between 34 and 59 years of age, and followed them for the next 12 years. Those who had drunk from the three or more glasses of milk a day (as it is often recommended to do) had not presented less risk of fractures to the hips or arms of women who had not consumed any dairy product, even after any interventions on weight, on the status of menopause, on alcohol and tobacco consumption and on physical exercise. Not only : the average of fractures was even higher than those who had not drunk milk
Furthermore, other studies have shown no protective effect on bone by calcium from milk derivatives. To reduce the risk of osteoporosis, therefore, the dietary intake of sodium and animal protein should be reduced and the consumption of fruit and vegetables increased.
Discover also all natural remedies for osteoporosis
Physical activity: it is never too late
It is the key to preventing and managing osteoporosis. Around the age of 30 our bone stock reaches its maximum. After this date the destructive processes exceed the constructive ones (osteoblasts-osteoclasts) and inexorably our skeleton progressively tends to weaken. Everything we do in the first decades of our lives, in terms of food or lifestyle, is very important to ensure a good bone stock for the future.
A sedentary lifestyle is a decisive negative factor and must be fought from a young age, while a good attitude to sports should be maintained throughout life. Although we are elderly and have never been sportsmen, a physical activity program is extremely beneficial for osteoporosis, as several studies show. In fact, it increases muscle strength, joint looseness, balance and therefore reduces the risk of accidental falls. Furthermore, it directly affects the degree of bone mineral density. There are also other positive effects, such as weight loss (obesity is associated with a greater risk of accidental falls) and the improvement of depressed mood and cognitive abilities. Not all physical activities are good.
To be robust, the bone must be stressed by adequate forces that are impressed on it, stimulating the osteoblasts to form new tissue. Not for nothing, after a prolonged stay in a gravity-free environment, the astronauts returned with rarefied and weakened bones. Walking, running, climbing up and down stairs, dancing, pedaling and aerobic gymnastics are fine, but the exercises with light weights that aim to stimulate all the muscle areas are ideal. The same cannot be said of swimming.
The natural way
There are at least 18 essential nutrients that contribute to good bone health. If the diet lacks any of these elements, the bones will suffer. What are they? Phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, boron, silica, vitamins A, C, D, B6, B12, K, folic acid, essential fatty acids and proteins. Magnesium, for example, may be more important than calcium in countering bone loss in postmenopausal women. Recent research has argued that the onset of osteoporosis in menopause can largely represent "a skeletal manifestation of chronic magnesium deficiency".
Food supplementation occurs with selenium, zinc, copper, wheat germ, clay and silicon. Among the most used herbs we find the equisetum, the weed, the altea, the ash. The administration of minerals in infinitesimal doses (oligotherapy), combined with proper nutrition often proves to be very effective, both in the prevention phase but also as a support.