Osteoporosis -- The Silent Thief

By Dr. Bill Stillwell

A day doesn't go by that I don't see Valerie Bertinelli or Sally Fields on TV advertising Boniva® or some other treatment for osteoporosis. This condition is a major health problem in older people, especially women, who often sustain fractures as a result of falls. There are over 1.5 million fractures a year attributed to osteoporosis in the US each year.¹

Normally, the bony skeleton is maintained by continual renewal called remodeling, removing old bone and replacing it with new bone.¹ The entire skeleton is replaced every seven years. To do this, our cells require calcium, and to absorb calcium from our diet, we also require vitamin D, which our bodies can manufacture in the skin, with exposure to sunlight.

In osteoporosis which means "porous bone," bones are peppered with millions of microscopic holes, or pores, the result of continual bone resorption over time. (Resorption is the process in which bone is broken down and calcium is released into the blood.) The normal balance between bone resorption and new bone creation is lost, with bone loss overwhelming the formation of new bone.¹ This results in a net loss of bone volume and strength and bones that are brittle.

The bone that remains is normal bone; there's just less of it. Think of Swiss cheese: the cheese itself is normal, but it's shot throughout with lots of holes. Really advanced osteoporosis would be analogous to lacy Swiss cheese.

Osteoporosis is often confused with osteomalacia which looks similar on x-rays. However, in this disease, the volume of bone is normal, but its calcium content is reduced, causing the bone to soften.

The reasons for osteoporosis are many, but most often, it results from long-term inadequate calcium intake in the diet, inadequate vitamin D intake, or both. In youth, the metabolic balance of bone turnover favors the creation of new bone. The young are also more active and weight bearing exercise helps to stimulate new bone formation. Activities in the sun promote synthesis of vitamin D in the skin and high levels of sex hormones help to maintain a positive bone turnover, favoring bone creation. These factors result in the strong, resilient skeleton of youth.

After early middle age however, we gradually begin to lose bone. After menopause, as estrogen levels fall, many Western women develop osteoporosis. This bone loss is worse if the woman has borne children, unless she has deliberately supplemented her diet with calcium throughout her life. All these factors together make osteoporosis a "silent thief," which slowly and silently steals bone over the years, resulting in a porous, weakened skeleton. To protect yourself, you need to replace all the missing factors that promote bone renewal: calcium, vitamin D, weight-bearing (preferably impact) exercise, and hormonal balance.

Calcium requirements vary throughout life. Through 50 years of age, both the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommend 1000 mg per day. Over 50, the recommendation is 1200 mg per day.^1-4Good dietary sources include dairy products (like milk, yogurt or cheese), Chinese cabbage, kale, broccoli, spinach, soy, tofu, fish, and almonds (which are especially high in calcium).⁴

To absorb calcium, we require vitamin D. About 20 minutes a day of unfiltered sunlight on the skin will fill this requirement, but oral supplementation is often needed. The NOF recommends at least 400 to 800 IU per day for those under 50; for those 50 and above, 800 to 1000 IU is recommended.^1-4 Too much vitamin D however, can result in kidney stones.

Regular weight-bearing exercise like walking, jogging, dancing, hiking, weight lifting and other resistance exercise, stair climbing, or racquet sports also help to stimulate bone formation provided there is adequate calcium and vitamin D. Those activities that involve impact, like jogging, are more effective than those without, like swimming, or an elliptical trainer.

Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol intake, both of which increase bone loss. Talk to your doctor early about osteoporosis, and ask about your options. If osteoporosis is suspected, your doctor may order a Bone Mineral Density test to see if you have the disease, and if so, to quantify how bad it is.

Unfortunately, it takes as long to replenish calcium as it took to lose it. So in advanced cases of osteoporosis where the patient is at risk of fracture, medications may be prescribed by your doctor. These include bisphosphonates like Reclast® (zoledronic acid) and Boniva® (ibandronate) which increase bone density; hormones like calcitonin, parathormone, and estrogen (HRT or hormone replacement therapy); Evista® (raloxifene); or minerals like sodium fluoride (which replaces calcium in the mineral lattice structure of bone).

Prevention is far better than treatment, and there is no cure, at present. Think of your skeleton as a bank. If you make regular "deposits" of calcium and vitamin D in your younger years, you have an "account" you can draw from in old age to prevent osteoporosis and its resulting problems.

References

1. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Osteoporosis Prevention; October 2007;AAOS.org.
2. National Osteoporosis Foundation: Five Steps to Bone health and Osteoporosis Prevention; 2002;NOF.org.
3. 2004 Surgeon General's Report on Osteoporosis.
4. National Institutes of Health -- Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Calcium; Dec. 4, 2008.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Bill is William Thomas Stillwell, MD, FACS, FICS, FAAOS, FAANAOS, FAAPGS, orthopaedic surgeon and President of Dr. Bill's Clinic, Inc.]

Health & Immunity:
Mother Nature's Natural Germ Fighters
By Lisa Forgione, MD

Part 1 of a 2-part article

The real truth is that unless you live in a bubble, it is impossible to avoid germs. And, germs, bacteria, viruses, fungi, are EVERYWHERE.

Remember your morning train ride into work? That guy sitting next to you just kept coughing and didn't cover his mouth. You were unfortunately exposed to any number of common cold viruses or worse, bacterial pneumonia.

Prescription antibiotics have been around since the 1940s. Antivirals and antifungals came later. All of these medications have been greatly overused, allowing germs to "outsmart" modern science and become resistant. The medical establishment is currently running out of ways to treat many types of infections.

Since you are constantly being exposed to all kinds of bacteria, viruses and fungi, you are at risk to get all kinds of internal infections including colds, bronchitis, pneumonia, stomach bugs, gum disease and the flu. Skin infections such as ringworm, athlete's foot, dandruff, oral herpes, and nail fungus are also very common.

Many people do not want to take the traditional anti-infectives. As stated above, many infections are resistant, and there are other serious concerns about side effects, cost, and reactions to these drugs. So, what can you do?

Mother Nature to the Rescue...

Look no further than your kitchen counter for a100% natural antibiotic -- garlic! Garlic has a long proven history in treating bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections. Its active compound is allicin, which is similar to penicillin.

Garlic helps staph and strep infections, germs that are resistant to traditional antibiotics. It also covers a broad spectrum of bacteria. You can add one clove of chopped raw garlic to food two to three times a day. Garlic oil can be used for ear infections, 10-20 drops three times per day in the ear, and can be applied topically to the skin for scrapes, burns and abrasions.

Garlic capsules can be taken if you don't like the taste and smell of the oil or raw preparation. Aged garlic supplements have been shown to be particularly effective.

Echinacea works in a similar fashion to garlic, fighting bacteria, fungi and viruses. It stimulates the immune system by increasing production of the cells that attack infection. It can be taken in a liquid (3-4 mL), tablet (300 mg) or capsule (300 mg) form every 2 hours for the first day of an illness. It is then taken three times per day for 7-10 days. Echinacea should not be taken for more than 10 days.

You'll probably find both cinnamon and honey in your kitchen cabinet. These can be combined to help a number of infections and illnesses. The daily use of honey and cinnamon powder powers the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viruses by strengthening the white blood cells. Make sure you use pure, unpastuerized honey (raw honey) because pasteurization kills some of its active ingredients.

One teaspoon of lukewarm honey and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon once a day for 3 days will help your cough and cold and clear your sinuses. For a toothache, make a paste with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 5 teaspoons of honey. Apply to the painful area three times per day. Bladder germs are killed by 2 tablespoons of cinnamon and 5 teaspoons of honey in 8 ounces of water.

For skin infections, eczema, ringworm, insect bites, and burns, use equal parts of cinnamon and honey to make a paste and apply as needed.

Acne can be helped with 3 tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon applied overnight and washed off of the next day. Do this daily for 2 weeks and to get deep inside the skin where acne starts.

It's phenomenal that olive leaf can fight almost any type of infection -- bacterial, viral, fungi and parasites. Use olive leaf extract capsules, 250 mg, three times per day with meals to treat the flu, colds, sinusitis, herpes, psoriasis and allergies.

Wild Indigo is a powerful natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory herb. It will help your sore throat, swollen glands, tonsillitis, bronchitis and mouth sores. Take 30-40 drops of the liquid, 3-4 times per day for up to 6 weeks. It also can be combined with echinacea.

In Part 2 of this article, I'll tell you about some natural substances that have amazing healing properties when applied to the skin or mouth area.

[Ed. Note: Lisa Forgione, MD, is an Emergency Medicine Physician practicing in Wadesboro, North Carolina. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine and a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Forgione participated in the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and has received several Physicians Recognition Awards for teaching from the AMA and AAFP.]

Healthy Recipes:
Kung Pao Chicken over Zucchini "Noodles"
By Kelley Herring

The next time you crave Chinese, put the phone down and get out a wok! In just 20 minutes you can serve an authentic Asian meal without the risk of unknown ingredients -- like the preservative MSG, blood-sugar spiking starches, and genetically modified soy. Best of all you get superior nutrition and bright, fresh flavor from high-quality ingredients.

Time To Table: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Benefits:
Excellent Source of: Magnesium, Potassium, Protein, Selenium, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Folate, Niacin, Riboflavin
Good Source of: Fiber, Iron, Zinc
Preferences: Gluten-Free

Ingredients:
2 tsp. fresh organic ginger
1/4 cup spring water
16 ounces organic boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/4" strips
1/2 cup organic chicken broth
2 Tbsp. organic hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp. organic tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
1/4 tsp. organic arrowroot
4 cloves organic garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. organic extra virgin coconut oil
4 cups organic broccoli florets
2 Tbsp. organic rice wine vinegar
4 medium organic zucchini, julienned
1 ounce organic roasted peanuts, chopped

Preparation
First, lightly steam julienned zucchini to crisp tender. Keep warm in a covered dish. Next, cut chicken breast into 1/4 inch strips. Set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and 1 teaspoon ginger to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add water. Cover; cook 1 minute until broccoli is crisp-tender. Remove broccoli from pan; keep warm.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in pan; add remaining 1 teaspoon ginger, crushed red pepper, and chicken. Cook 4 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, stirring frequently. Combine broth, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, tamari, arrowroot and garlic in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan with chicken; cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Return broccoli mixture to pan; toss to coat. Pour chicken broccoli mixture over zucchini noodles and sprinkle with peanuts. Serve.

Nutrition Information
285 calories, 10 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 2 g monounsaturated fat, 2 polyunsaturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 66 mg cholesterol, 827 mg sodium, 18 g carbohydrate, 6 g sugar, 3 grams fiber, 34 g protein

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 03-06-09] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/