1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Osteoporosis and Osteopenia

How much can we do naturally to help our bones?

Posted , 6 users are following.

kathleen65757
kathleen65757

the more I read the more I find there is actually quite a lot we can do to help our bones without resorting to biphosphonates or Prolia or any of the other drugs offered.

Stress is on the list of things that can affect our bones which makes sense as stress affects everything. So, setting out to relieve stress is beneficial for our overall health.

Exercise, especially weight bearing exercise, is now being listed of something positive to do for your bones. Walking is probably the easiesr way to achieve this. My new resolution is to do something everyday either a few short walks or using some weights or other simple weight bearing exercises that I can manage.

Eating healthily is common sense but actually including the recommended items into our diets is deliberate. Prunes, believe it or not, are on the list of things to help our bones. Avocados are also good. Leafy greens, yoghurt and cheese are also recommended.

Then there are the vitamin supplements like vitamin D3, magnesium, vitamin K2 and calcium if your diet does not cover four serves a day need.

What is everyone else doing for their bones?  What have I missed?

 

1 like, 37 replies

37 Replies

Prev
  • allison72169
    allison72169 kathleen65757

    Posted

    Has anyone ever considered that it may just be pure dumb luck -- whether bad or good -- that osteoporosis does or does not make an appearance in one's life? And that none of the myriad proposed countermeasures, e.g., eating healthily -- whatever that might mean (alkaline diet, prunes, vegetables, etc.), taking supplements, exercising, wearing weighted vests, avoiding stress (and so on and so forth) make a scintilla of difference? I realize that others seem to take reassurance in the idea of all of these possibilities. However, I find them all to be improbable. It just reminds me, so much, of how people wrack their brains to try and figure out where they might have "gone wrong" because they've contracted cancer and, conversely, what they *could* or *should* be doing to achieve a cure. Seems to me it's all just a crapshoot. Otherwise, how to explain folks who smoke like chimneys and drink like fish yet live into their 90s?
    • kathleen65757
      kathleen65757 allison72169

      Posted

      The very last comment is easy to answer. Most people do not get away with it. My sister died at 69 because she smoked. Maybe our genes have a lot to do with it as well. Smoking is bad for you but some people escape unscathed because of their genes.

      The rest I agree with you wholeheartedly. It is still worth a try just in case we can help our bones by doing everything we can naturally.

      That is why there needs to be studies. 

      My husband has the bones of a 30 year old. He has also escaped diabetes whereas two of his siblings have not. 

      To do nothing is not an option for some of us. We need to feel empowered. We have to try.

      Stress has a powerful effect on health. If I allow myself to get too anxious I  feel unwell and then I make myself relax in order to stop symptoms of other diseases building. I know I can control that.

      We can do no harm by taking vitamins and adding foods that could possibly help our bones and then wait and see the results. At least it is a plan.

      Good to hear from you Allison. I always enjoy your input. You are probably right as usual but let us give it a go anyway!

    • Aristotle13
      Aristotle13 allison72169

      Posted

      Hello Allison (with 2 ells)

      I actually believe that if you make a genuine effort with some diseases, if it's poissible, you can influence the course and outcome of those diseases. I bought books and found a lot of common sense in them which when combined with what I've learned from forums and presentations, suggested that OP is beatable but it needs some dedication and effort. Acid pills with myriads of horrible side effects do not seem a sensible way to go, especially when ultimately your chances of brittle bones have sky-rocketed as have the chances of more broken bones.

      I didn't used to be an optimist but I'm heading that way!

      Regards.

    • allison72169
      allison72169 kathleen65757

      Posted

      You're kind to say I'm usually right. Certainly I'm often opinionated!

      I do, of course, understand the impulse to try and exert power over one's individual health outcome. Bone structure and quality just strike me as  rather elusive entities to try and influence with everyday measures ... which isn't to say it's impossible to do so. Still, the list of possibilities is so exhaustive as to seem exhausting.

      I agree about the need for more (and better) studies. I find the U.S. efforts in research to be pitifully inadequate ... but that's predictable, given Big Pharma's stifling dominance.

      Stress is certainly unpleasant on an experiential level and can be debilitating, as you suggest. That it would play any role in osteoporosis, however, strikes me as extremely far-fetched (and wishful thinking).

      Vitamin- and supplement-taking aren't always benign. I have a cousin who, despite being basically healthy, recently ended up in the hospital after taking some herbal remedy that she considered harmless. Turns out the formulation had triggered atrial fibrillation.

      Best,

      Allison

    • allison72169
      allison72169 Aristotle13

      Posted

      I'm in complete agreement about the perils of the current osteoporosis meds. I've bought a few of the non-mainstream practitioners' books as well -- I believe that Dr. Susan may be among them, or at least I've visited her website. Yes, some common-sense observations are to be found there. But I am very suspicious that the highly restrictive, idiosyncratic diets they all seem to tout are more than fads at best or profit-driven panaceas at worst.

      Personally, I think the best hope lies in stem-cell research and implementation ... which is moving along at a glacial pace, thanks to all of the roadblocks that certain political factions have raised.

      Best,

      Allison

    • kathleen65757
      kathleen65757 allison72169

      Posted

      I am well aware that so called natural vitamins and concoctions can be harmful either because of their quantity or their interactions and that is why I run them past the chemist or the doctor.

      I do believe stress is a factor which can impact on anything and we need to lighten up and relax.

      Some things cannot be explained and each one of us is unique which also makes generalising impossible.

      I still think it is worth a try to see if any of us can change our t score results by vitamins, minerals and exercise.

      If our environment was not so compromised we could get all our nutrients easily but I think we lack many. Vitamin D 3 is a good example. You can live in a sunny place and still be short of this important vitamin.

      Some medications have caused issues with bones as many on here have mentioned. 

      People need hope and that is what taking the vitamins and minerals does.

      Let us wait and see if people manage to make any difference to their bone health. Time will tell.

      Stemcell is definitely going to make a difference in the future.

      Topping up our vitamins cannot hurt especially if we are not getting enough in our food.

      Most people do this anyway now even those without osteoporosis.

    • Aristotle13
      Aristotle13 allison72169

      Posted

      I'm afraid that Big Pharma is one of my trigger points which is regularly pulled by Rachel Linkie's blog. I don't think that the moderators would think much of my potential diatribe on this subject. I do so agree with the idea of stem cell research into many of our modern maladies and I also believe that our off-spring, both sexes should be made much more aware of the life facing them if they don't make some effort to mitigate the effects of our bodily abuse. It does seem that Osteo-whatevers are really a symptom of years of sailing along without a care for the reefs ahead. I do include myself in this group - I was warned in 2008 and only really paid lip-service to the future until the last scan. Back-pedalling is not an option but I'll certainly apply my sort of logic etc, with help, to come up with the best (maybe not ideal) solution available. AA is no longer a viable option; too dangerous.

      Waffled on enough, sorry Allison

      Aristotle

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga allison72169

      Posted

      Stress could lead indirectly to bone thinning as stress definitely causes other diseases which may require medications which in turn lead to bone thinning.  As for "natural" strategies, like everything else a dab of commonsense doesn't hurt. Same with diet.  It has been shown that plants can't give us minerals that aren't in the soil they grow in, and as many of our crops are now being grown in depleted soil we have to find another source for some of these minerals.  Same with vitamins, including those which used to be made for us by our farm animals but because their diets are also deficient, we are being shortchanged as well.  Hence the need for supplements.  
    • kathleen65757
      kathleen65757 Anhaga

      Posted

      Yes, we have been hard on the environment. By the time we realised we were doing damage much of the damage had already been done, unfortunately!

      Even in my lifetime much has changed. Population explosion all over the world has had a massive impact. 

      Hope we can begin to help or lessen the damge!

  • Vee2
    Vee2 kathleen65757

    Posted

    What I did differently from one dexa scan to the recent one where I had improvement are:

    1) I increased my D3 intake through the winter by an additional 1000IU on what I was already taking in previous year.

    2) I tried to eat oily fish 3 times a week

    3) I tried to eat an egg 3 times a week (for the K2 and other valuable nutrients) as I rarely supplement with K2.

    I increased my cheese intake, mainly goats chees or Edam for the taste and calcium content and the goats cheese from the goats that graze on grass (also for natural occurring vitamin K2)

    I did try and reduce my steroid inhaler through the summer months past 2 years.

    My exercise training always includes weight bearing and resistance training.

    Always make sure eat plenty of leafy green vegetables, I grow my own but when the crop is looking shabby through the winter as it sometimes does I then buy shop bought greens.

    A balanced diet is important I think in order to achieve the many nutrients the body requires.

    If I use salt at all its himalayan pink salt, sometimes I take the sole which is packed with mineral content.

    Almond butter packed with bone nutrients also as is other nuts and seeds.

    Diet is very important, its worth research the nutritional value of foods you are consuming to be sure you are getting as many goodies as possible.

    Always have fruit daily, always have live natural yoghurt daily, always have fresh leafy green vegetabls etc.

    A Bowen, Emmet practitioner can help realign the skeleton and address muscle imbalance, then its just a question of keeping the balance, maintenance check every few months to be sure not picking up any bad posture habits again.  I figure with skeletal and muscle strength in balance the body can better achieve balanced hopefully improved bone density.

    Just a few things that have worked for me during the past couple of years.

    • Aristotle13
      Aristotle13 Vee2

      Posted

      Hi Vee2

      Read your 'What I did differently' and would like to use some of your ideas in my own procedure which is currently under development but has a lot of similarities with yours. I intend to publish this on this site and if you agree I would include you in the list of contributers. I usually hang out on the 'Strong Bones Support Group' discussion and others but if you reply my email system will pick it up anyway.

      Thanks in advance

      Aristotle13

       

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Vee2

      Posted

      That's really interesting and good to know that these actions can help.
    • kathleen65757
      kathleen65757 Vee2

      Posted

      Vee, have you had more than one bone density scan to see if your approach is helping to improve your bones?

      It would be good to know it is working. Are you due for another scan soon!

    • Vee2
      Vee2 Aristotle13

      Posted

      Personally I don't agree with copy pasting other's information from one forum to another, I personally report posts myself when this has been the case as I feel its easy enough to link to another website without duplicating what has been written on it. Or when links to other site are not permitted its easy enough to name the website forum concerned.  Then people if they wish will go check out that information for themselves.

      V

    • Vee2
      Vee2 Anhaga

      Posted

      Hi Anhaga,

      What I posted are the things that I did differently and appear to have helped me achieve an improvement in bone density.  They could help others but its not guaranteed that what I did will be helpful to others purely because we each have different health needs and even different causes / deficiencies that has lead to having thinning bones.

      However, some of these things that have helped me could well be helpful to another as well.

      As for the inhaler I try to avoid using so much during summer months, this in fact could be detrimental to another as their breathing / lung condition may not be able to cope with a reduction in the inhaler medication.

      We each have to be responsible for our own decisions concerning our health.

       But for sure these

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Vee2

      Posted

      I could be wrong but I think Aristotle would be happy to communicate via private message?  This may be what he meant?

       

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Vee2

      Posted

      Thanks - as you can see my other comment crossed your reply....  I've already got the date for my next DXA scan but it's early October!  I do many of the things you do, or similar (actual nuts as aoppsed to nut butter for example, an physio instead of Bowen).  Feeling quite healthy although still have to deal with the fact that I've got to take prednisone for polymyalgia.  Sigh.  rolleyeswink
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga

      Posted

      Obviously I need a proofreader!
    • Vee2
      Vee2 kathleen65757

      Posted

      Hi Kathleen, yes I've had 3 Dexa scans to date.

      The first one just tipping over into OP on right hip, spine and left hip at that time both still in the osteopenic stage.

      2nd Dexa scan no bone medication in 4 years from the 1st dexa scan, a worsening of right hip and spine both moving further into OP T scores at -2.6 and -2.8, left hip still osteopenic.

       Because there was quite a jump in the spine bone thinning between first and 2nd dexa scan was the reason I was seriously considering doing the prolia injection since I was not able to tolerate other meds tried previously.

      3rd Dexa scan, left hip went from osteopenic to osteoporosis by - 0.1

      right hip went back to osteopenic from osteoporosis an improvement of t score -0.3 and spine improved by T score -0.2

      I've just had my 3rd dexa scan, what I posted above was what I did differently between 2nd and 3rd dexa scan which I wasn't doing between my 1st and 2nd dexa scan.

      I don't expect to have another dexa scan for 2-4 years, hopefully the rheumatologist will recommend a rescan in another 2 years.

       

    • Vee2
      Vee2

      Posted

      The strong bones support group is another patient uk group so you will be able to link to this post from there if you wish,  but it looks like its the same people who post there as they do here.
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Vee2

      Posted

      That was a post I made, with consultation with a couple of the others, to try to get some of the conversations gathered into one place.  It is obviously not going to work and I'm rather regretting having made the suggestion that we form the group.  It seemed sensible at the time, but really it isn't going to work.  Mea culpa!
Back to top
Prev

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.