HOW TO BUILD STRONG BONES ????

How to build strong bones…don’t wait for that dreaded bone- weakening disease to strike. The good news: you can reverse bone losses with diet, exercise and medication.

People neglect the back pain…Even after rubbing balm when it didn’t help you, then you visit to doctor. After lot of investigation you get your diagnosis..That’s what is shocking for you. It is always believed that osteoporosis – a disease where bones weaken and porous & brittle –afflicted only elderly. If all of you remembered that when we’re young our bones get longer & denser until we reach full height. Even as we grow our bones tissue is constantly being broken down and rebuilt. Then (in your early 30s if you’re women and at about 40 if you are man), your skeleton naturally begins to slowly lose bone faster than your body can replace it and very gradually your bones thin and becomes less dense as you age.
 Osteoporosis is usually not detected until you suffer a nasty fracture of the wrist or hip, often in very minor accident, or in some cases, even spontaneously. By the time you’re diagnosed with osteoporosis, your bones will already have lost significant density making them fragile.


An overwhelming majority of sufferers will be women, because hormone oestrogen play crucial role in a women’s ability to use dietary calcium to build new bone. So when women approaches menopause, the reduction in the body’s oestrogen production deprives her bones of vital calcium. Some 20 to 30 % of bone loss in women occurs in the first five years after menopause, when precondition osteopenia often develops. So women in the age 46 to 50 age group are at the greatest risk of developing osteopenia. Patients with this, usally have pain in back, and in severe cases may suffer from fractures after trivial injury.


Men too are at risk. A decline in testosterone, which occurs naturally after age 60, result in reduced ability to use dietary calcium to build new bone.(Men also produce small amounts of oestrogen and fluctuation in this also play a role.

A sedentary lifestyle too can contribute to osteoporosis in men as can the long term use of medications such as anticonvulsants or corticosteroids by asthmatic or those suffering from skin disorders. Younger Indians, too especially those who work regular night shifts, or have adopted a sedentary indoor life style, or smoke, or drink excessively are more likely to develop osteoporosis. Bone loss can also occur in women whose oestrogen levels have dropped due to the removal of their ovaries, and in athletes whose ability to produce oestrogen may be inhibited by low levels of body fat.


SYMPTOMS AND INDICATORS
• Constant back pain and, less commonly, pain in the chest, hip, wrist and pelvic area.
• Developing hunched back, or loss of height (due to compression of spinal column)
• Tendency to suffer fractures after relatively minor falls.
• Amenorrhea (absence of menstrual periods) is associated with reduced oestrogen levels and, possibly, osteoporosis.


TREATMENTS: Is focus on to slow bone loss and to reduce the risk of fractures. Also some lifestyle changes. For severe cases of fractures surgery could be option. Keep your diet with calcium supplements; include lots of banans, sesame seeds, exposure to sunlight. Indeed adults up to age 50 require 1000mg of calcium daily, post menopausal women (and men over age 65) should get 1200 to 1500mg a day. You will find variety of calcium compounds at the chemist; the two with highest level are calcium carbonate & calcium citrate. For the best absorption calcium supplements should be taken an hour before or after meals in doses of 500 to 600mg at a time. Calcium needs a partner in its bone-protection work: Vitamin D. Most adults need 400IU.

PREVENTION: WHAT YOU CAN DO…Lifestyle changes can make big difference, even if you’ve already been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Keep these bones building and safety tips in mind…


SUPPLY CALCIUM: Calcium rich foods include soyabeans, sesame seeds, nuts, broccoli, turnip greens, sardines, clams, shrimp, and dairy products like milk cheese, paneer, curd. Reduce your salt intake.


AVOID INACTIVITY: Walk regularly or work out. “When it comes to bones, function determines form, exercise develops bone. Inactivity causes bone loss. So you can choose to use it or to lose it.”


GET SOME SUN: Try to get 30 min of exposure to gentle sunlight every day. Avoid the harsh sunlight.

WATCH WHAT YOU DRINK: Limit beverages, especially soft drinks. Drink water instead. Restrict alcoholic drinks to a day. Stop at two cups of tea or coffee per day. Tobacco use contributes to osteoporosis.


HERBAL HELPERS: Ayurveda prescribes supplements in combination with various ingredients like, Godanti bhasma, Kukutandtwak bhasma, a natural form of calcium help in healthy bone formation, improves bone mineral density and relieving bone and joint pains. Using some condiments in right quantities also beneficial also like Ashwagandha. Before starting any medication consult a health professional.