Osteopenia and osteoporosis are bone diseases that cause bones to go brittle and fracture at the slightest accident. It doesn’t show any premature signs, so the victim doesn’t know she is suffering from it until she very easily breaks a bone and discovers that her bones will never be strong like they should be again. The way to prevent osteoporosis from happening is to take the preventive measures for the same. However, that may not always work because it could be hormonal or hereditary and you will find yourself with it in the postmenopausal stage. Still, here are a few natural remedies to try and prevent osteopenia and osteoporosis from taking over your life.
Exercise: One of the best ways to prevent osteoporosis is to get regular exercise. Muscle building is a whole different ball game and you do it for other reasons. In order to prevent osteopenia, you need to work on building bone mass and one of the best ways is to take brisk walks or to participate in active sports. But make sure it is done regularly with just a day or two to rest in the week.
Calcium: Calcium is essential for strong bone density. In fact almost all your calcium intake is stored up to strengthen bone mass. So don’t hesitate to eat foods that are rich in calcium. These days there are calcium supplements you can take, but consult with your doctor regarding the quantity that needs to be consumed. Other foods rich in calcium are milk and milk products and other vegetables.
Vitamin D & Vitamin K: These two vitamins are great when it comes to bone health and preventing the onslaught of osteopenia and osteoporosis. The way to source them is to consume tablets that have them as their main ingredients. But for a natural source, vitamin K is got from Brussels sprouts and kale. Vitamin D is obtained mainly from the rays of the sun, so get some sunshine but not when it is too bright and hot outside.
Estrogen: This female hormone is essential for bone health and the reason why women who are in the postmenopausal stage attract osteopenia and osteoporosis is because they do not have sufficient supply of estrogen in their system during this phase. So another way to naturally get estrogen into your system is to eat lentils, beans, soy, chickpeas, etc. These will help keep the balance and allow good estrogen flow.
Avoid: For good bone health, there are things you need to avoid. Smoking affects the bones because of the nicotine content in it. Drinking too much alcohol will also slough off bone mass because of the amount of sugars contained in it. Caffeine and carbonated drinks are also a bad idea because they erode bone mass and aid in the onset of osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Less Stress: A whole lot of diseases and sicknesses are related to stress and osteopenia and osteoporosis are no exception. Take time to meditate, practise yoga and tai chi and get regular massages so that they aid in calming you down and beating stress.
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