I was listening to a great talk given by Dr. Christiane Northrup this week on Growing Older Without Aging. She reminded me of some things I take for granted but they could be helpful to you, specifically on preventing osteoporosis. I hope you find it useful. Please share with others who would benefit!

Jean 

"We're all in this together."

 

Bone density scans help measure the strength and thickness of your bones. This quick, painless procedure helps diagnose osteoporosis and tells if you are at risk for fractures. Results of your scan come in the form of two scores: one is your "T Score" -  the amount of bone you have in comparison to someone your age, of the same sex, with peak bone mass. A normal score is above -1. A score between -1 and -2.5 is considered the 1st stage of bone loss. A score below -2.5 is defined as osteoporosis. The second score is known as your "Z Score" -  which shows the amount of bone you have compared to other people of the same age, size, and sex.

To maintain healthy bones throughout your life you'll want to remember 3 things: continue exercising, eat whole foods rich in calcium/magnesium and supplement as needed. I've previously explained that you need a healthy Vitamin D level to absorb calcium. For women, anti-aging experts suggest a level of 50-70 and for men 60-80. Bio Tech makes an excellent Vitamin D-3 supplement which supports healthy levels. It's important to have your blood levels checked after 3 months of supplementation. Dr. Northrup mentioned a website where you can get your own blood test kit (costing about $60) to check your Vitamin D level yourself.

Once your Vitamin D level is therapeutic then your calcium intake will be used to keep your bones strong. Be sure to include whole foods like green, leafy vegetables, broccoli, cabbage and okra (and of course dairy if you consume milk/cheese) in your diet. If you know you're not getting enough in your food you can consider a Calcium supplement like the one pictured here. Stay away from Calcium Carbonate (it's poorly absorbed). One more thing to know here is that you also need Magnesium to empower Calcium in the body. Many professionals agree that a Calcium-Magnesium 2:1 ratio is necessary. But Magnesium is so important that it deserves its own Health Tip in our future emails! For now I'll encourage you to include Magnesium-rich foods in your diet: seaweed, basil, coriander, pumpkin seeds and almond butter.

It's also important to know that osteoporosis is a disease of inflammation. Inflammation starts with your diet. Eating alkaline-forming foods (acid-binding foods) helps reduce the inflammation in your body. In previous Health Tips I've included both a reference chart for choosing foods and an Apple Cider Vinegar recipe for re-setting your pH each morning. They are both great tools!

Weight-bearing exercise is important for building stronger bones and the risk of osteoporosis and fractures decreases if you include exercise like walking, jogging, hiking, dancing, basketball and tennis. Personally I also think yoga is excellent in keeping your bones healthy. 

 

Did you know that using essential oils can also keep your bones strong and healthy? Several essential oil components have been found to help prevent bone loss. Examples are: alpha & beta pinene, bornyl acetate, borneol, camphor and delta 3 carene. You can read this study and this study to learn more. One essential oil that includes four of these components is Balsam Fir. I recently infused some jojoba oil with Balsam Fir absolute and it smells heavenly. I've been using it with clients in body work and in formulas for pain and inflammation in chronic conditions. But if you don't have it, you can use the essential oil in your recipe. 

Love Your Bones Recipe: (Safe for daily use)

Mix together:

1 ounce Jojoba oil

3 drops Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)

3 drops Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

Jean Oswald RN

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Any products mentioned, techniques, personal usage tips or other information provided here is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prescribe for, or cure any disease, ailment or injury to the body. The decision to use or not to use any of this information is the sole responsibility of the reader.

We're all in this together!