The Dangerous Bone Disease That Kills More Women Than Cancer

Would you be shocked to learn that this common bone disease kills more women than breast, cervical, and uterine cancers combined? Here’s why, and what you can do about it.

Everyone worries about the possibility of cancer as we age, and a lot of attention is paid in the media to diseases like breast cancer. While these diseases are no joke, there is another leading cause of death among aging women that gets relatively little press – which is unfortunate, as it is entirely preventable with the right information!

I’m talking, of course, about bone thinning, or osteoporosis. And contrary to what you may have been told, your risk of contracting this bone disease is quite high, and has nothing do to with how much milk you drink!

Instead, it is basically caused by a lack of knowledge about true nutrition, and what your body needs to stay healthy.

Check out this eye-opening article to learn the truth about this deadly bone disease – and how you can avoid being a victim:

It’s widely held that calcium deficiency is the cause of osteoporosis and that if you consume plenty of milk, you will get all the calcium you need and never experience osteoporosis.That’s pure bunk. A myth that sticks and sticks…

Consider that in China, where the traditional diet included NO dairy products whatsoever, osteoporosis was completely unknown until Westernization.

Next consider the USA, which has the highest consumption of dairy products in the world and yet also has the highest incidence of osteoporosis.

What does that tell you about the value of milk?

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Hip fractures and bone strength

Hip fractures are the most serious consequence of osteoporosis. About 20 percent result in death, and those who survive often have disability and loss of independence. The cost is an estimated $12.8 billion to $17.8 billion per year for medical care, extended treatment facilities, and the value of lost productivity.

Yet, this important anti-aging factor is often overlooked. Hormones and super nutrients may be more glamorous. But basic nutrition is, and always will be, the number one factor in bone health.

There is no reason to suffer this infirmity or risk a disastrous fracture.

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Bone densitometry reveals your bone health

Probably the single biggest factor in whether a woman will develop osteoporosis is whether she starts out with thin bones or not!

Those with dense bones at the age of 35 are unlikely to reach severe osteoporotic levels even during the seventh and eight decade.

Those whose bones are thin even before menopause are likely to end up with difficulties, no matter what treatment is attempted.

So it is important to find out where you stand. Bone densitometry, a simple screening, should tell you where you exactly that….

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Treating your thinning bones

The best treatment by far is prevention. That comes from wise nutrition, as I’ll explain later.

The trouble is, existing therapy is largely unsuccessful. The reason why is it’s based on the obsession to find patented and expensive “cures,” instead of correcting basic nutritional factors.

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Are hormone supplements harmful?

Hormone supplements can  have a beneficial effect, but at what price?

We all know the inherent dangers of taking estrogen replacement therapy. Most women in the Western world today are already estrogen dominant and the risks of hormone-related breast cancer etc. simply go up the more estrogen a woman takes.

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Also, salt and water retention, increase in blood clotting, promotion of fat synthesis, hypothyroidism, fibrocystic breast disease, increased risk of gallbladder disease and gallstones, liver dysfunction, increased risk of endometrial cancer of the uterus, pituitary prolactinoma tumor and probably breast cancer are also possible.

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Getting to the truth behind bisphosphonates

Marketing this class of drugs has been a triumph of marketing spin over science and common sense.

They don’t work as described and the “science” is very hazy. Not enough to justify the risk.

Yes risk. Everybody knows now about jaw necrosis and that bisphosphonates can increase the risk of certain fractures of the femur.

Other detrimental effects they wreak on a healthy metabolism will certainly come to light, as time goes by.

Brands include: Actonel, Atelvia, Boniva, and Fosamax.

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Exercise and bone density

Exercise has been shown to have a positive effect on bone density; thus, those who lead sedentary lives are more likely to develop osteoporosis.

Animal studies show that lack of use leads to rapid bone re-absorption (breakdown by cells). Therefore, it is likely regular gentle exercise will benefit all women at or beyond the menopausal years.

However, no study I know of has shown that older women are able to replace lost bone through exercise.

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Here’s what DOES work to beat bone thinning

The truth is that osteoporosis is a holistic health condition and needs treating holistically.

It’s doubtful that single nutrient supplements, even such obvious ones as calcium and vitamin D, would be effective in the absence of good whole-body nutrition.

Bone, remember, is more than just a collection of calcium apatite crystals. It’s an active living tissue, constantly remodeling itself through deposition and absorption and continually participating in a wide range of biochemical reactions — reactions that will be compromised by any degree of under nutrition.

We can consider several of these. But remember all play a part and you can’t get much benefit from just concentrating on one.

1. Magnesium:

Without doubt, the number one deficient nutrient and the KEY to this problem, is magnesium.

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Whole-body concentrations of magnesium were found to be below normal in 16 out of 19 osteoporotic women.

Take 300- 400 mg daily, in addition to rich dietary sources.

2. Vitamin D:

We all know vitamin D prevents rickets, which is softening of the bones. It does this by making calcium more available to the bones (where is should be). It must make sense to take vitamin D.

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Forget the pathetic RDA: take 4,000- 5,000 IU. It’s dirt cheap.

3. Vitamin K:

This may surprise some people. Vitamin K is known to be important primarily for its effects on blood clotting. However, it is also required for synthesizing osteocalcin, a protein found uniquely in bone and on which the calcium crystallizes.

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Take vitamin K2 (not K1): 200 mcg daily.

4. Manganese:

This is also required for bone mineralization. Rats fed on manganese-deficient diets had smaller and less dense bones. In one study of osteoporotic women, blood manganese levels were found to be only 25 per cent of those of controls!

About 5 mg daily is accepted generally as a suitable supplement.

5. Folic Acid:

The interest in this vitamin co-factor stems from the fact that homocystine metabolism seems to be at least partially folic acid-dependent, and patients with a genetic failure in the metabolism of homocystine are known to develop severe osteoporosis at an early age.

Folic acid deficiency is relatively common, particularly in those who do not follow a hunter-gatherer type diet.

Supplementation would therefore seem to be prudent. Try to get 500 mcg daily….

6. Boron:

Previously thought to be important only for plants, we now know that boron plays a role in human nutrition, particularly in relation to bone health.

Supplementing the diet with boron was shown to reduce urinary calcium excretion by 44%….

Dietary requirements are not known. I have found that 3 mg daily will produce benefits.

7. Strontium:

Strontium has been shown to prevent chemical irritations of the skin, it plays an important role in building strong bones, reduces dental cavities, and bone pain.

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According to one study, 170 mg of strontium per day, seems to be more effective than 680 mg per day for reducing fracture risk, which raises the question as to whether a lower doses might be as effective.

My colleagues and I who are in the know think more in terms of 5 mg or 10 mg daily.

Other Important Nutrients

Attention has also been focused on a number of other nutrients including

• silicon,
• vitamin B6,
• zinc,
• copper,
• and vitamin C.

In other words, we’re working towards the conclusion that ANY important nutrient could lead to as yet undiscovered deficiencies in bone metabolism.

Good holistic nutrition is vital.

Beware of these bone loss accelerators 

Some drugs accelerate bone loss….

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For more information, read the full article at HealthierTalk.com.