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Osteoporosis Natural Treatment

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects your bones. Specifically, it refers to a loss of bone mass. With osteoporosis, your bones become brittle. You'll have a higher risk of broken bones from even simple activities, such as lifting an object. According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common fractures as a result of osteoporosis occur in the wrist, hip or spine. Some simple lifestyle changes, such as an improved diet and sticking to an exercise regimen, can help you prevent osteoporosis from developing. It can also help you treat your osteoporosis if you've already been diagnosed.

  1. Prevention

    • Knowing your possible risk factors is important for warding off osteoporosis. If you are at a high risk of developing it, you can take steps now to lower your risk and increase your bone mass. According to the Mayo Clinic, women, particularly those who are petite, are more likely to have osteoporosis than men. Caucasians and people of Southeast Asian descent are also at a higher risk, as are those who are older, those with a family history of osteoporosis, people with severe depression, those who smoke or drink alcohol to excess and people with an eating disorder such as anorexia. Women who have a lower lifetime exposure to estrogen are also at a higher risk, as are people taking certain medications (such as corticosteroids and some cancer drugs), people with a low calcium intake, a sedentary lifestyle and an excessive consumption of soda. If you have any of these risk factors, discuss prevention and early detection of osteoporosis with your doctor. Make some simple changes, such as quitting smoking and drinking alcohol and soda only in moderation.

    Diet

    • The simplest natural remedy you can employ for osteoporosis treatment is to include adequate amounts of vitamins C and D in your diet. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (see reference 1), adults who are between 51 to 70 years old need 1,200 to 1,500 mg of calcium per day. Premenopausal women need 1,000 mg daily, adolescent girls should get 1,200 to 1,500 mg per day, and children should have 800 to 1,200 mg of calcium per day. Calcium is naturally found in almonds, tofu, salmon, broccoli, spinach and dairy products, as well as calcium supplements. Vitamin D is also necessary for strengthening your bones. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Adults older than 50 should take 800 to 1,000 international units (IU) per day, and adults 50 years old and younger should take between 400 and 800 IU of vitamin D daily. You can acquire vitamin D from natural sunlight or from dietary sources such as tuna, sardines, egg yolks and some fortified dairy products.

    Exercise

    • Regular exercise will help you maintain strong bones. It will also help prevent or slow the progression of bone loss. Aerobic exercises such as swimming or using the elliptical are good for your heart. However, you need strength-training and weight-bearing exercises to benefit your bones. Try skipping rope, stair-climbing, jogging and other impact sports to strengthen the bones in your lower body. Strength-training exercises such as lifting dumbbells will help the bones in your upper body.

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