Osteoporosis, with consequent fractures and bony structure deformities, harms and kills more women over age 73 than cancer itself. 

The skeleton is a forever remodeling structure. During childhood and adolescence and again in perimenopause and menopause, the remodeling activity reaches a very high level. There are two major type of cells in the bones:

While in childhood the osteoblastic (reconstructive) activity supercedes the breaking down activity, in menopause the opposite occurs. The consequences of accelerated bone remodeling with osteoclastic preponderance is bone thinning. This increases the risk of fractures and deformity of the bony structure. Kyphosis, or increased curvature of the back with diminution in a person’s height, is one of the visible signs of osteoporosis.

What is the role of diet? /  Diet has a fundamental role, since foods that are high in phosphorus such as meat and soda, tend to displace calcium from the bones. A high intake of sugar and simple carbohydrates also creates an acidic pH in the blood and tends to leach calcium from the bones.

Cigarettes, alcohol and stress also promote osteoporosis. Diabetics tend to have blood acidosis which promotes the leaching of calcium from the bones. Carbohydrate metabolism dysfunction with inability to utilize sugar to produce energy is a major factor in osteoporosis. The sugar that remains in the blood lowers the pH. The acidosis leads to osteoporosis. Diabetics who have a disorderly lifestyle have a higher risk for osteoporosis. This is as true for men as it is for women. Conversely, diets rich in fish, soy and vegetables, are beneficial.

People with food allergies might be eating what appears to be a good diet and yet any food to which they have a delayed sensitivity will increase blood acidosis and lead to osteoporosis. The detection of this problem requires appropriate blood testing.

The role of hormones / While estrogen diminishes the breaking down of the bones, it is testosterone and progesterone that helps rebuild them. Estrogen binds to the osteoclast, while progesterone and testosterone binds and stimulates the osteoblasts (the bone building cells). Most women in our society have a propensity to more breaking down (osteoclastic) than rebuilding (osteoblastic activity of bones).

Women with PMS, amenorrhea, those under lifelong stress, all tend to have low progesterone and testosterone. Menopause, itself, causes a decrease in progesterone before it creates a diminution in estrogen. A proper balance of these two hormones is, therefore, necessary. Estrogen without progesterone not only causes a risk for endometrial and breast cancer, but increases the potential for osteoporosis. Bursts of estrogen are also responsible for Type II diabetes, one of the major contributors to osteoporosis.

Determining the level of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone and bringing it to a good premenopausal level is an essential component in the management and reversal of osteoporosis.

Calcium Supplementation / Calcium alone is no longer sufficient. We also need:

Lifestyle modification and proper exercise is necessary to halt the march of bone destruction.

Yoga is one of the best exercises for prevention of osteoporosis. Good yoga breathing and stretching stimulates the rebuilding of the bones by improving calcium re-uptake.

Walking is also very good. Excessive obsessive exercise, however, especially anaerobic exercise, which tends to create blood acidosis is not that advantageous. People who are accustomed to anaerobic exercise (tennis and jogging) ought to be reminded of this and at least combine them with aerobic exercise, yoga, stretching, walking, and small weights.

Mind Over Matter / Stress is one of the major threats to wellness. In relation to osteoporosis, stress increases blood acidosis and produces tremendous amounts of free radicals that damage all tissues, including the bone collagen which is the basic structure of the bone, the glue that holds the cells together.

Dealing with stress is, therefore, necessary for postmenopausal women. Meditation or biofeedback (a short course in learning how to balance one’s physiology), are very beneficial. At our Center we found that acupuncture, craniosacral therapy and Jin Shin Jyutsu are extremely beneficial not only to reduce stress, but to fuel the energy to rebuild bones. An attitude of optimism is an essential ingredient. A positive attitude does wonders for the immune system and to reduce blood acidity.

In summary, osteoporosis is not a simple linear process, but is due to many factors that include hormonal imbalances, disorderly lifestyles, poor eating habits, poor exercise and stress. Knowing this, it is necessary for one to look at the whole "map of factors" as a puzzle whose pieces need to be put together to create a harmonious picture.