Osteoporosis and bone loss are two main menopause signs and symptoms, so learning about natural osteoporosis treatment options is very important if you are in menopause.
Post-menopausal women have a high risk of developing osteoporosis and bone loss because of their low estrogen levels. In fact, it is estimated that 50% of American women will be affected by osteoporosis!
Osteoporosis, literally meaning "porous bones," causes bones to be frail and increases your risk of getting bone fractures.
Since bones become weaker as you age, the older you are when you get a fracture, the harder it is for your bones to heal.
Your Bone Density
You want your bones to be strong and dense - not weak and porous.
To determine your bone density, you can get a test from your doctor called a dual-energy bone densitometry test (DEXA) or a bone mineral density test (BMD).
Test Scores
0 to -1 = Normal
-1 to -2.5 = Osteopenia
-2.5 to -3 = Osteoporosis
Osteopenia means that you have low bone density which could lead to osteoporosis. If you test at this level, you can reverse this trend by eating right, exercising, and taking the proper supplements.
Natural Osteoporosis Treatments
Even if you are not suffering from low bone density right now, implementing these tips into your life will promote good general health as well as good bone health.
Best of all? It makes you feel (and look) great!
Worst of all? Sometimes, it's hard to muster up the gumption to workout. Find a workout buddy, or set a specific time during the week that you devote to exercising. Honor that time for yourself just as you would honor a meeting with another person.
Get exercise at least three times a week. If you can, 30 minutes a day is best.
Walking, jogging, dancing, lifting weights, jumping rope, and yoga are all great activities because they are weight bearing exercises.
Our bodies need sun to make vitamin D, a vitamin that helps our bones absorb calcium. Vitamin D also helps us stay in a good mood.
Those are pretty good incentives to bare some skin.
Your Diet
Your diet can be a part of your natural osteoporosis treatment since the food that you eat affects your calcium levels. Certain foods can leach calcium out of your bones and other foods can help boost calcium.
The following list contains foods that will boost your calcium and make your bones stronger.
fruits, vegetables, whole grain, flax seeds, nuts, beans, fermented dairy products (yogurt), leafy greens, tofu, chickpeas, spinach, dark chocolate, orange juice, green tea
These foods will leach away the calcium in your bones.
caffeine, dairy, refined sugar, soda
(Instead of coffee, which contains a large amount of caffeine, consider switching to green tea or black tea. These teas still contain caffeine, but not as much as coffee.)
It's okay to consume these sometimes, but eating them in excess will have negative effects on your bone health.
alcohol, salt, animal protein, caffeine, cola
Supplements
Vitamins and herbs are a great natural osteoporosis treatment option. Be sure to use these along with some of the lifestyle changes listed above, and you will begin to build stronger bones and feel better!
Since your body can't absorb all 1500 mg of calcium at once, it's best to take a few doses throughout the day.
Magnesium makes up 1% of the minerals in your bones, so get your 400 mg a day!
You can take it in a supplement, or get it by eating whole-grain cereal, brown rice, almonds, peanuts, and spinach.
By taking a holistic approach to your natural osteoporosis treatment, not only will you naturally treat osteoporosis, but you will also increase your energy, your strength, and your confidence!
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