age-proof
             your bones

NEW RESEARCH INTO BUILDING BONE HEALTH CHALLENGES TRADITIONAL BELIEFS.  Osteoporosis, or brittle bone disease is a silent condition that often goes undetected until a bone is broken. 
Extensive studies have revealed that although Western countries consume the most dairy products, the highest rates of osteoporosis also occur in Western nations.  This poses a provocative question : is a higher intake of dairy food really the solution ?
When it comes to building bone health, the nutrient that obviously springs to mind is calcium – an abundant mineral that is indeed critical in safeguarding bone.  However, preventing and reversing osteoporosis may involve much more than simply taking a calcium supplement or consuming dairy foods.
There is a fundamental nutritional factor that may provide great benefits and rival conventional dietary advice, and that is the acid-alkaline balance of the body.  Some bone experts now argue that osteoporosis is strongly linked to an acid-forming diet – and the typical Western diet is very high in acid-forming foods such as meat, sugar and white flour products.
The Acid-Alkaline Issue
In recent times overseas researchers have proposed that low-acid eating is the most important strategy in  building bone vitality.  This thinking is based on the fact that industrially-advanced countries (including Australia) that consume the most milk and dairy products tend to have the highest fracture rates, while  Asian and African nations experience 50-70% lower rates of fracture despite consuming little or no milk and next to no calcium supplementation.
It seems that the way we eat, our lifestyle choices and stress levels, contribute significantly to bone depletion no matter how many calcium supplements we take or how many glasses of milk we drink. 

B o n e    F a c t s
Bone is a dynamic, living tissue, made of protein, collagen and calcium, all of which give bone its strength.  The basic functions of bone include:

·        Stores much needed minerals, especially calcium and phosphorus

·         Helps manage the crucial acid:alkaline balance of your blood

·        Provides a framework for the body to keep you upright and moving

·        Protects important internal organs, such as spine, brain, heart

·        Blood cell production starts in the bone, with bone marrow producing platelets, red & white cells

Strange as it sounds, good bone health begins in the bloodstream – for the body to function effectively the blood maintains an acid:alkaline balance or a slightly alkaline pH.

As the body digests high protein foods, amino acids flood the bloodstream and must be neutralised to avoid life-threatening problems, including osteoporosis.   To do this the body draws from its own reservoir of alkaline material, such as calcium compounds stored in bone.  Calcium released into the bloodstream buffers excess acidity and is excreted via the urine.  Unfortunately the more protein we consume, the more acidic the blood becomes and so the more calcium is leached from bone in an attempt to swing the pH back into optimal balance.  Low-acid eating may therefore be the cornerstone to building healthier bones and reducing osteoporosis risk.
In addition to improving bone health, low-acid eating may also lower your chances of developing heart disease, cancer, dementia and other chronic health issues.  It’s a safe, effective, low-cost prescription for health, vitality and longevity.

Reducing Your Risk
While some risk factors, such as being thin, or genetic predisposition, are not able to be totally controlled, most individuals hold the power to minimise the impact of lifestyle habits.  According to Osteoporosis Australia, the top five factors that put you at greatest risk include : smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, low dietary calcium intake, a sedentary lifestyle and a lack of exposure to sunlight.

While dairy contains calcium, it is also highly acidic.   Ironically, a high-dairy diet may, along
with other dietary and lifestyle factors, deplete more calcium than it provides

Other factors that can harm your bones include : malabsorption of important minerals due to poor digestion; bone-weakening prescription medications such as corticosteriods, hormonal imbalances, taking diuretics such as tea, coffee, soft drinks, energy drinks and alcohol (regularly consuming cola drinks is strongly associated with adverse effects on bone density because they contain phosphoric acid which leaches calcium from bone. This ingredient is added to cola drinks to provide a tangy, or refreshing taste.
 

Another potential cause is an underactive thyroid because it impairs the body’s ability to produce calcitonin, a hormone that protects against calcium loss. 

S y m p t o m   C h e c k l i s t
While osteoporosis is often thought of as an older person's disease, it can strike at any age.  The common symptoms can include:

·        Increased susceptibility to fractures

·        Cramping at night in the lower extremities

·        Noticeable bone pain and tenderness, including ribs, neck and lower back

·        Loss of height or curving of the spine

·        Brittle fingernails

·        Gum disease and tooth decay

HRT Alternatives
There is no doubt that declining bone density is a relatively normal consequence of ageing, and combating bone loss is a constant challenge after the transition into menopause.  Women usually achieve peak bone mass between the ages of 25-30 and are susceptible to significant bone loss after having reached their maximum bone density, because the oestrogenic and progesterone hormones play a dual role in maintaining bone density.
bone-building nutrients
Magnesium is important for building bone framework and is involved in calcium absorption and synthesis of vit.D.  It is a mineral that is part of chlorophyl, the green pigment in plants, so green leafy veges are a rich source as are almonds unrefined grains and legumes.
Vitamin D acts as the 'gatekeeper' that facilitates calcium absorption in the digestive tract.  Most of this vitamin is created during a chemical reaction with sunlight exposure on the skin.  Vegetarians confined to the indoors require a
supplement.  A blood test can check your levels.
Vitamin K is necessary for production of osteocalcin, a protein that attracts calcium to bone.  This vitamin is also found in green, leafy vegetables and certain oils.
Manganese found in pecans, brown rice, green leafy veges, green tea and pineapple, is vital for building bone matrix to reinforce bone strength and helps activate superoxide dismutase (SOD)an important antioxidant enzyme.
3 Steps to low-acid eating
1. one serve of protein from meat, poultry or fish is about the size of a deck of cards and should only take up about one quarter of your dinner plate, the other 3/4 being for veges.
2.  bear in mind that it takes 3 serves of fruit & veg to neutralise the acid in one serving of protein, and 2 serves of fruit & veg will neutralise one serving of grain.
3.  if you eat the recommended 5 serves of fruit & veges daily, you can safely eat one serve of protein but it is still wise to plan at least one day each week without animal protein if you are not vegetarian.  The riches plant sources include legumes, nuts, seeds and soy products.