Osteoporosis

[styersky]

As we age many are concerned about osteoporosis. And whether to take fosomax or try to deal with osteoporosis nutritionally.

I have been diagnosed osteoporosis in the past year. I hope to learn that there is hope to reverse the osteoporosis with diet and exercise. What do you think?

[styersky]

http://drklaper.com/answers05.html

This is an article regarding osteoporosis.

[alicemagooey]

Thank you for this article..

i found it really helpful..

i have been looking into this..and was wondering about excercise.

dr klaper said

To keep your bones healthy and to prevent osteoporosis, the most important thing you can do is to stay as physically active as you can throughout your life. Since calcium is always being laid down in the skeleton, it is never to late to begin to strengthen the bones. Medical studies by Dr. Aloia and others have shown that, even in elderly people, osteoporotic bones can be made stronger by gentle but steady exercise, like walking up stairs or squeezing rubber balls.3 Such is the power of using our muscles - it actually helps pull calcium into the bones and keep it there, keeping our skeleton strong.

Any exercise that places a mild, repeated stress on the bones, causes the bones to become thicker, stronger, and more calcified. Never miss a chance to walk up stairs or to carry packages. Never stop walking - try to take a brisk, 30 to 60-minute walk at least every other day - and more frequently is even better.

Although exercises against gravity are especially potent in helping bones stay strong, muscle contraction of any kind will help generate electrical currents that help pull calcium into the bones. Elastic, stretchable bands that can be used in resistance training, even while a person is sitting, are also excellent tools to provide muscular exercise that will help keep bones strong.

THAT ANSWERED SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE BEEN POSTING HERE AT THIS FORUM.. I WAS WONDERING ABOUT WHICH ARE THE BEST EXCERCISES TO KEEP THE 'O' at bay..

thanks
alice

[sport]

[QUOTE=styersky;322737] And whether to take fosomax or try to deal with osteoporosis nutritionally.
QUOTE]

There is a lot of bad info on fosomax out there so I would avoid it.

[styersky]

Ok, Sport. I hear you that you would stay off. I am really new at Raw and all of this. If you were in the situation with fosomax, tell me what you would do . . . food, exercise, etc. I really need encouragement and information.

I am now learning about acid and alkaline, testing, etc., and doing pretty good at staying around 7. I walk at least 30 minutes at least 5 days a week.

I need information and encouragement ! ! !

[alicemagooey]

styersky,,, i am not the one to offer help in this case, as i am after the same things as you are..

i am about to order a book..i hesitate to mention it.,as i have not yet ordered it..but it looks really good.. i suppose i could give you a report after i read it..

the title of the book is "Senior fitness."

The author is a raw vegan lady who is 74 i believe, and who has run some marathons and things, and did much of the fitness and diet changes late in life, after having been diagnosed with cancer..

So it sounds like she has been through many medical issues..And it seems that she is stil fit as a fiddle. So i imagine there are some real nuggets to be learned from what she has to say.

I did a Google about the lady.. all i can remember is that her name is Ruth. and some people call her, chuckling, the Dr Ruth of Hawaii.
so you could google Dr Ruth of Hawaii, like i did..

Sorry, i do not have all the info at my fingertips for this post, but thought you may be interested.

cheerio
alice

[JenniferMooreFuller]

Styersky, Yoga is supposed to be a good weight bearing exercise system that works gently on all parts of the body and helps the bones. I've seen some new books lately on yoga for bone health at the library and bookstores, but haven't read or bought any. Might be worth some research as yoga feels so good and is fun!

Jennifer

[styersky]

Styersky, Yoga is supposed to be a good weight bearing exercise system that works gently on all parts of the body and helps the bones. I've seen some new books lately on yoga for bone health at the library and bookstores, but haven't read or bought any. Might be worth some research as yoga feels so good and is fun!

Jennifer

I have been thinking about Yoga, especially now since I seem to have a torn cartilage problem and wondering about continuing the walking. I think I will get a trampoline because of that.

Can you tell me a good beginner's Yoga DVD or video?


Alice, please let me know what you think about the book when you receive it. I really want to do everything I can do.

Actually, I have stopped taking the Fosomax so really have to try everything I can to be sure I am building bone.

Thank all of you so much for hanging in here with me!

[JenniferMooreFuller]

I have used a yoga program book by Richard Hittleman for years. He is well known and the books and illustrations are easy to follow. Also a lot of additional information on the benefits of yoga and each particular posture. A friend is working with a beginner's yoga dvd - will check on that.

Jennifer

[alicemagooey]

I USED to do yoga many years ago.. Something called Iyengar Yoga.. It tells also which poses are good for which things ( like helps digestion, etc)

i used to be really flexible but ..

was thinking also of trying to remember some of the old things i used to do..i have lost about 80 percent of my limber ness.

ugh..

well, i have read in some parts of this forum that going RAW helps with flexibility, so i guess we are all guinea pigs..

I have looked around in the shops and things .. saw even some videos
entitled: "Yoga for seniors.."
would that address our particular issues better?
Or Pilates for Seniors..( pilates is similar to yoga, i am finding)
i am pretty sure such like teaching series would cover posture and spinal health
which we need, as well as bone health..

just a thought

All i know is that Iyengar Yoga Method was really really really good and covered everything.

lots to learn.. so little time.
thanks to all for support and help
alice

[sport]

Ok, Sport. I hear you that you would stay off. I am really new at Raw and all of this. If you were in the situation with fosomax, tell me what you would do . . . food, exercise, etc. I really need encouragement and information.

I am now learning about acid and alkaline, testing, etc., and doing pretty good at staying around 7. I walk at least 30 minutes at least 5 days a week.

I need information and encouragement ! ! !

I probably am in your situation. I am 55 and have been vegan for 6 years. I had a bone density check done about 8 years ago but not since then.
One of my sisters began to take fosomax about 2 years ago and I talked her out of it. I noticed an ad running on tv in Florida recently looking for people to join a class action suit against fosomax so I am glad that I had the knowledge at the time to talk her out of using it.
There may be info in some of these links.
Shortcut to: http://www.google.ie/search?hl=en&q=...uild+bone&meta
Do you do any rebounding. These links will tell you how good it is and you can do it while watching the tv
Shortcut to: http://www.google.ie/search?hl=en&q=...ebounder&meta=

[alicemagooey]

Please,
everyone..

TELL ME if you think i am nothing but a big blabbermouth.. because sometimes i feel like i am one.
I will shut up if you want me to..
honest..
sometimes i just feel like i should say something..especially as we become friends..more on the group..
MY QUESTION
Styersky..( and anyone else with osteoporosis who is looking to help the body help itself)
1. did you ever find a nutrtition oriented doctor???
Anywhere somewhat near you or perhaps one recommended to you who lives at a distance.??

**I think phosamax is not good , also..** the reports are not that good on it, and it does not even build bone as is advertised..but that is a whole other deal..
**BUT the fact remains that,especially as you have been tested and found to have ostoeporosis, that you have suffered some bone loss.

I am not one of those people at this forum who say that we raw vegans simply do not need supplements.!! Quite the opposite.
I think over time, our digestive systems may not be as good as they once were, even to extract essential vitamins and minerals that we need from the foods to eat.. and that would be if the foods themselves were garden of eden variety..

I think we ought to be taking some supplements.
(please, don't shoot.. i will leave quietly if you don't like what i have to say)

preferably vegan supplements.
I know i do..
and a nutrition oriented doctor might be able to help you.
I know 1500 mg of calcium is recommended, and that it is not that easy for the body to even assimilate the calcium in the chalky vitamins they give us..but it is all we have, unless we shart chewing on some bones.
(hopefully not our own.)

jjust some things. I do not want to see any of us getting sick.
we gotta do WELL on this raw vegan thing.
alice

[alicemagooey]

more blab here.

i just went to the website of the International Vegan society in England..

they say this about calcium and supplements:

( we need to be balanced in what we read, and we need to read as much as we can..)(this is only one point of view)but a good one to think about..

Calcium is a very good thing, but increasing calcium intake from 500 mg per day to 1500 mg per day by taking supplements will add less than 90 mg per day to the calcium retained by most adults, and less than 50 mg per day for the 10 per cent with the lowest calcium absorption, who
are at particular risk of osteoporosis.

..

so i guess that this means that if we do take supplements, that not as much will be absorbed by our bodies as we might think ( i still think that some supplements may be a good idea, though )(personal feeling)
The article goes on:

Other aspects of diet are equally significant: 10 g of SALT per day will SUBTRACT about 70 mg per day from retained calcium by increasing calcium losses in urine

whereas 4000 mg of extra POTASSIUM from a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and other unrefined plant foods will ADD 60 mg per
day to retained calcium by reducing calcium losses.

isn't this good information !!!

RELYING ON CALCIUM ALONE TO PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS IS LIKE FIELDING A FOOTBALL TEAM WITH ONLY
STRIKERS AND NO DEFENDERS.

( caps theirs)

,( comparing dairy products and their inferior absorbability as a source of calcium,)....In contrast, [low oxalate] green leafy vegetables such as kale and spring greens provide plenty of well absorbed calcium while at the same time reducing calcium losses. Calcium supplements lie in between in terms of their effect on retained calcium.

more good news..

the article continues

Retinol added to low fat dairy products in Sweden and the USA is strongly
linked with increased risk of hip fracture, subverting the benefit of
calcium. In terms of bone health, dairy products fortified with retinol
are thus a poisoned offering. In contrast, vitamin K from green leafy
vegetables and broccoli will promote stronger bones, dramatically reducing
fracture risk.
Human use of dairy products is a recent and unnecessary development.
A DIET RICH IN VEGETABLES, FRUITS AND ROOT CROPS AND LOW IN SALT PROVIDES
THE BEST PATH BACK TO HEALTHY BONES.
A comprehensive and up to date review of research on diet and bone health
can be found at:

http://www.vegansociety.com/downloads/dietandbone.pdf

For further information on diet and bone health, contact
Stephen Walsh <stephenwalsh@vegans.fsnet.co.uk>
tel. 07967 361510) or
The Vegan Society <info@vegansociety.com>
tel. 0845 4588244

thought y'all would find that article as interesting as i did.
alice

[styersky]

http://www.vegansociety.com/downloads/dietandbone.pdf

Alice just posted this website . . . and it is so interesting that I just want to call it to your attention again. It is lengthy but very informative. Covers a lot of health issues.

[styersky]

No, Alice, I have not found a nutrition oriented doctor and probably will not in this rural area. When living in Southern Ca. we had so much more health related advantages. But there are also many advantages from living here also.

In another post and in another thread . . . I mentioned that for many years I was totally into nutrition (supplements, etc.) and owned a HFS. I learned while owning the HFS that industry is so full of snake oil. It is difficult for me to make decisions now on supplements. Please do not take this personally. I just have to make my own decisions based on my experiences and personal knowledge and education. RAW is new to me and I am learning as much as I can as fast as I can. Supplements are simply not my priority at the present time. Here at this Forum we can support each other while we each learn and adjust at our own pace. Even if I am not into supplements that does not mean that I do not appreciate your support and sharing of your knowledge.

My priority today is trying to get into some exercises that do not involve my knees. I will be having outpatient surgery next Wednesday for miniscus repair and will not be joining my walking buddies for a while. It was time that I venture out into more and different exercises, so now I will be forced to do so. I am anxious to begin that search and get into something I will enjoy