OSTEOPOROSIS - EXERCISES AND REMEDIES

OSTEOPOROSIS - EXERCISES AND REMEDIES

Bone is a complex, living tissue that is constantly replacing and repairing itself. When one is young, more bone cells are added than removed. But as you age, this process reverses itself and your bones slowly start eroding. That's normal. But in certain cases more bone is lost and the total bone mass gradually decreases. The bones that are left are eroded, riddled with weak spots and become porous i.e. are full of little holes that weaken the structure. That's 'osteoporosis', the gradual thinning and wasting away of bone tissue, which causes a lot of hip, spine and forearm fractures . Osteoporotic limb fractures are usually precipitated by falls, whereas in vertebral fractures the precipitating factor is either being lifted or lifting heavy weight. In severe cases, the bones become so delicate that they crack and break under one's own weight.

Women more than men, the underweight more than the overweight, those who smoke, those who are alcoholics and those who are sedentary are at a high risk of developing this illness. In women the process of losing bone usually increases after menopause since the body produces less estrogen. In men, it is especially seen in those who drink heavily, smoke or take steroids. Some of the causes of osteoporosis are genetic, smoking, alcohol, low dietary calcium, immobility, malabsorption, chronic liver disease, early menopause, endocrinal (thyrotoxicosis, hyperparathyroidism), rheumatoid arthritis, drugs (like corticosteroids, L-thyroxine and frusemide), anorexia nervosa, etc.

Osteoporosis can be reversed and also prevented by taking care of the following measures. First of all if you are a smoker, stop smoking completely since it accelerates bone loss. Also stop taking alcohol and coffee altogether.

SOME EXERCISES
1. Running, brisk walking (for 45 minutes daily), cycling and lifting  are the best sort of exercise for your bones.

2. Swimming can serve as a gentle way for elderly osteoporotic people to add bone density.

3. Place a chair with its back against the wall. Kneel in front of the chair, grip the seat and do a push-up against the chair. Repeat this atleast five times daily.

4. If one has already had a fracture or two, the best kind of exercise would be to walk in chest-deep water for atleast half an hour thrice a week. The water will help support the body weight and take the stress off the bones and joints, thus helping to prevent any further fractures.

5. Extension exercises like arching the back and straightening it, helps a lot.

6. Biceps curl - hold a hand-weight in front of your body and curl it to your chest, keeping your elbow at your hip and repeat it a few times daily.

7. Doing easy muscle-strengthening exercises; like abdominal curls, shoulder blade squeezes and back extensions; in a chair or on the floor helps a lot. To do back extensions, lie on the floor on your stomach, with a pillow  under your hips and your arms at your side. Using only your back muscles, not your arms, raise your upper body a few inches off the floor. Hold for as long as comfortable and then relax downward. Do this six to ten times daily.

8. Bone growth is a fairly slow process and needs about a year to make significant improvement in bone density and so consistency is an important factor in a successful exercise program.

SOME HOME REMEDIES
1. Decrease the intake of sugar since it increases calcium excretion.

2. Too much of salt causes the body to excrete calcium, so avoid taking products with more than 300 milligrams of salt per serving and also stop adding extra salt over anything.

3. Aerated (carbonated) drinks and sodas contain phosphorus; a mineral that in excess amounts causes the body to excrete calcium and so should be avoided as far as possible.

4. Take at least 1000 milligrams a day of calcium daily in cases of women before menopause and in cases of post-menopausal women, who are not getting ERT (estrogen replacement therapy), take 1,200 - 1,500 milligrams daily. It is seen that calcium absorption is improved in those taking their calcium supplements with meals. Also it is important that one should take it with a full glass of water.

5. Foods items that are rich in calcium are almonds (unblanched), asparagus, beans, brewer's yeast, Brazil nuts, cereals fortified with calcium, citrus fruits, figs (anjeer), fish (like mackerel, salmon, sardines and shellfish), green leafy vegetables (like blackstrap molasses, broccoli, cabbage, chick-peas, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, etc.;  except  spinach), lime,  low-fat milk and milk products especially cheese, whey, cottage cheese  (paneer) and yogurt, oats, peanuts, peas, prunes (dried plums), sesame seeds, soybean, sunflower seeds, tofu, wheat and whole-grain cereals.

6. Spinach (palak) and rhubarb (revandchini) contains oxalic acid, a chemical substance that interferes with calcium absorption and so should be taken in small amounts only.

7. Taking 400 international units of vitamin D daily also helps, especially in cases where one is not getting enough sunlight. The other sources of vitamin D are alfalfa, apples, breakfast cereal, bread, butter, cabbage, carrots, cod liver oil, egg yolk, fatty salt-water fish (tuna and salmon), fish and animal liver, milk, oatmeal, parsley, pasta, rice, salmon, sardines, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tuna, vegetable oils and whole cereals.

8. Trace elements like boron, copper, magnesium, silica and zinc are necessary for proper absorption of the calcium into the bones. These are best gotten through a varied and broad-based diet that includes mostly unprocessed foods, such as whole grains, beans, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and shellfish and lean meats.

9. Manganese is another important trace mineral for building bones. Rich sources of manganese are avocados, beans (pinto, lima, navy), beef, blueberries, dried peas, eggs, green leafy vegetables, honey, legumes, milk, nuts, oatmeal, pineapple, raisin bran, rice, seaweed, shredded wheat, spinach (palak), sweet potatoes, whole-wheat bread, tuna and yogurt.

10. Vitamin K is needed to make a framework upon which all the bones are built. Vitamin K is synthesized naturally by the bacteria in our intestines.

11. Thus if one takes some antibiotics to correct some GIT disturbance, the bacteria in the intestine is destroyed leading to deficiency of this vitamin in our body. It is also  found in abundance in cabbage, cauliflower, egg yolk, fish oils, grape fruit (chakotra), green leafy vegetables, husk of grains, lemons, liver, oranges, plums, potatoes, prunes (dried plums), sprouts, strawberries, etc.

12. Vitamin K supplements of 100-500 micrograms per day are perfectly safe and may be beneficial for those who do not eat leafy greens or for those who undergo long-term antibiotic therapy.

13. Fluoride contained in fluoridated water may displace calcium from the body and cause the bones to become more brittle and likely to fracture.

14. So one should use more of filtered water.

15. Avoid using aluminum baking powder and cooking in aluminum pots and pans since that will increase the exposure to this toxic metal, which besides increasing the risk of

16. Alzheimer's disease may increase the risk of osteoporosis as well.