The older we get, the weaker our bones get. It is natural when we have more bone breakdown cells than bone making cells. However, we can slow that process down with a few steps. Whether you do or don’t have Osteoporosis, you can benefit from these 5 steps.
1. Have your doctor rule out any other cause of bone weakness. Check the blood: did the cell count point to any malignancy? Did the calcium level point to hyperparathyroid? Is the thyroid normal? Do I have celiac disease? Ruling out secondary causes is crucial.
2. Exercise daily. Weight bearing exercise such as walking gets the bone thinking that it needs to build more bone. My patients know my motto, “walk til you drop.” It doesn’t mean to walk until you fall over. It just means have a daily routine that includes walking for exercise. The more you sit on a chair, or lay in bed, the weaker you get. The weaker you get, the bones get weaker and weaker. It is a vicious cycle that ends up with a fall to the floor.
3. Get adequate Vitamin D supplementation. Vitamin D RDA is 600 IU which is absurd. The studies point out that a much higher dose is needed to get the adequate levels of 50 and above on the lab test. I take a MVI and Vitamin D3 2000 IU daily. In adults, it is safe to take up to 10,000 IU daily. Some patients need a prescription for up to 50,000 IU daily.
4. Get adequate Calcium supplementation of 1000mg daily. Some specialists say that might be too much, and 600 to 800 is adequate. In some situations a person might be prone to develop kidney stones—that person should consult with their doctor for further management.
5. Eliminate vices such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Leaching the bone of its nutrients, these vices do not segregate. Not only does smoking cessation help your bones, it does your whole body a favor too.
Until next week, enjoy the wonderful weather and the changing season.
