A health article about Bone health from Your Health Online the A to Z directory of dealing with Health Problems & nutritional Self Care Strategies
Characteristics of bone the primary education fabric of the bone, fabric osseous, is a relatively hard and light composite matter, formed most of the time of calcium phosphate in chemical arrangement named calcium hydroxylapatite (it is the fabric osseous which gives bones their rigidity)
All bones are composed of the cells of life included in the mineral-bearing organic matrix which composes the fabric osseous. The bone is not a material uniformly full, but rather has some spaces between its hard elements.
The hard external layer of bone is composed of compact fabric of bone, of alleged because of its minimal gaps and spaces. This fabric gives to bones their soft, white, and full aspect, and explains 80% of all the mass of bone of a skeleton of adult.
Signs & Symptoms of Bone health
The compact bone can also indicated under the name of the dense bone or of the cortical bone. To fill interior of the body is the fabric trabecular of bone (bone cancellous or spongy of a porous network of cells also opened called) which is composed of a network of stem and dish-like the elements which makes the lighter and to allow total body the part for the blood vessels and /courgette marrow.
The bone of Trabecular explains the 20% remainder of the total mass of bone, but has almost ten times the surface of the compact bone. The outside of the bones (except where they act one on the other with other bones by joints) is covered by the périoste, which have an external fibrous layer, and a layer osteogenic intern. The périoste is richly provided with ships of blood, lymph and nerve, attaching to the bone itself by fibres of Sharpey.
Fibres of collagen of bone woven Fibres of collagen of bone woven the bone can also be woven or lamellate (posed). The woven bone is weak, with a restricted number of fibres quickly directed by chance of collagen, but forms and without preexistent structure during periods of repair or growth. The lamellate bone stronger, is made of many piled up layers and is filled of many collagen fibres parallel with other fibres in the same layer.
The fibres function in directions opposed in alternate layers, contributing to the capacity of the bone to resist forces of torsion. After a cut, bone woven form quickly and gradually are replaced by the lamellate bone of slow growth on the preexistent diaphanous cartilage calcified by a known process under the name of “osseous substitution.”
Risk Factors:
Osteoporosis affects millions of people, mostly women. It is a gradual loss of bone density, making people more susceptible to broken and fractured bones. Calcium supplements are important to avoid getting Osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease characterized by low bone mass and deteriorating bone tissue that affects tens of millions of Americans and causes 1.5 million fractures annually. The annual cost of treatment totals more than billion. While some people suffering from osteoporosis experience recurring back pain, loss of height, and spinal deformities, many don't even know they have the disease until a bone fracture occurs.
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, one in two women over the age of 50, and one in eight men, will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture.
Osteoporosis is a horrible disease, and although the evidence is strong that dairy consumption doesn't prevent it, simply eliminating dairy products does not ensure that it won't afflict you. And if, like most people who consume no meat or dairy, you are slender, you should be sure to put some thought (and effort) into keeping your bones healthy.
What the evidence does dictate as useful for strong bones is:
* Getting enough vitamin D (if you don't spend any time in the sun, be sure to take a supplement or eat fortified foods).
* Eliminating animal protein (for a variety of reasons, animal protein causes severe bone deterioration).
* Limiting alcohol consumption (alcohol is toxic to the cells that form bones and inhibits the absorption of calcium).
* Limiting salt intake (sodium leaches calcium out of the bones)
* Not smoking (studies have shown that women who smoke one pack of cigarettes a day have 5 to 10 percent less bone density at menopause than nonsmokers).
* Getting plenty of exercise. Studies have concluded that physical exercise is the key to building strong bones (more important than any other factor). For example, a study published in the British Medical Journal, which followed 1,400 men and women over a 15-year period, found that exercise may be the best protection against hip fractures and that "reduced intake of dietary calcium does not seem to be a risk factor."
And Penn State University researchers found that bone density is significantly affected by how much exercise girls get during their teen years, when 40 to 50 percent of their skeletal mass is developed.
Consistent with previous research, the Penn State study, which was published in Pediatrics (2000), the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, showed that calcium intake, which ranged from 500 to 1,500 mg per day, has no lasting effect on bone health.
"We (had) hypothesized that increased calcium intake would result in better adolescent bone gain. Needless to say, we were surprised to find our hypothesis refuted," one researcher explained.
Elbow Pain - A Funny Bone With No Laughing Matter
The elbow is the joint that connects the end of the upper arm bone, distal humerus, to the bones of the forearm, radius and ulna, with ligaments, tendons and muscles.
The elbow allows us to bend, extend and rotate the arm. The radius and ulna, the two bones of the forearm, fit into the ends of the upper arm bone like a hinge forming the elbow joint. The distal humerus, the upper arm bone, flares out to form the medial and lateral epicondyles.
The large bump of the ulna behind the elbow joint is called the olecranon. The olecranon forms the bony prominence of the elbow and connects with the triceps muscles of the upper arm.
At one time or another everyone has typically experienced a minor elbow injury. An example of this is when a person bumps their “funny bone.” The “funny bone” involves the ulnar nerve that runs down the back of the elbow. When this nerve is bumped, a feeling of pain and a tingling sensation is felt down the arm. This pain may be intense at first but is brief and will go away on its own.
Minor or serious elbow pain can include symptoms such as pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, weakness or a decrease in range of motion. Sudden or acute elbow injuries may be caused by a direct blow, a fall, or a penetrating injury. Other elbow injuries can occur by twisting, jerking, jamming or bending the elbow abnormally.
Examples of acute injuries include bruises, sprains, strains, fractures or dislocation. Overuse injures can occur when too much stress is placed on a joint or other tissue. This can be caused by overdoing an activity or through repetition of an activity. Some examples of overuse injures are bursitis, swelling behind the elbow, tendonitis, micro-tears in the connective tissue, and radial tunnel syndrome, which is the pinching of the deep radial nerve near the elbow joint.
Elbow treatment depends on several factors; the location, type and severity of the injury, how long ago the injury occurred and a persons age, health condition and activities. Elbow treatment measures include the application of a brace, splint, or cast, physical therapy, medication and in some cases surgery.
The elbow is a major joint that provides us with movements we use each and every hour. Taking care of this important joint is important in good health.
About the Author For more important information on various health topics such as joint pain, Acid Reflux, Arthritis, and more, visit www.the-health-hub.com
Let’s begin by learning some facts in order to separate truth from myth with
regards to back pain. First of all, under one percent of acute lower back pain is the
result of a serious infection or condition like cancer or a spinal injury. For those under
50, the rate is even lower.
Muscle, ligament and tendon problems are generally at the root of the pain
problems along with some weakness in the lower back. Other body parts in the region
can also be associated like bones and small joints.
When no specific cause is apparent, the term NSLBP (nonspecific low back pain) is
used. Any number of reasons for this pain can include degenerative disk disease,
psychological issues, systemic disease, facet syndrome (similar to pinched nerves
symptoms), herniated disk, spondylolisthesis or the forward displacement of one of the
lower lumbar vertebrae over the vertebra below it or on the sacrum.
Prevention:
Children should eat three to four servings of calcium-enriched foods every day to build healthy bones. As an adult, it’s best to add a calcium supplement to your diet. Xtra-Cal® is packed with calcium, in addition to vitamin C and D, which helps absorb essential calcium.*
Soy also appears to benefit bones, replacing calcium-depleting animal protein in the diet and providing a great source of bone-building isoflavones. Our Formula 1 Protein Drink Mix, HPLC Shake Mix, HPLC Bars, HPLC Soup Mix, Performance Protein Powder, and HPLC Soy Nuts with Cardia® Salt are great sources of soy protein–making soy both “heart smart” and “bone smart!”
Making bone health a priority:
Take control of your diet, increase your activity and curb such lifestyle habits as alcohol or smoking. With regular effort, you’ll give yourself the very best chance of having healthy bones–no bones about it!
Your risk for developing osteoporosis increases as you age. Is this something you just have to accept? What can you do to prevent it? This article is going to focus on three defensive actions you can take to preserve your precious bones: Calcium, Vitamin D, and Strength Training.
Calcium is important no matter what your age. Calcium is the most important mineral in regards to building strong bones thus preventing bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Unfortunately, the time in our lives when we could most affect the health of our bones (age 16 through the late twenties), we simply do not think about diseases such as osteoporosis.
Do not fret, however. It is not too late to save your bones. Eat a minimum of two to three servings of calcium rich food per day. Good choices include low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese. Some dark green, leafy vegetables, canned salmon (with edible bones), tofu made with calcium sulfate, and soy milk fortified with calcium are other good food sources to boost your calcium intake.
The National Institutes of Health recommend that adults over age 65 consume 1500 mg of calcium per day. This amount is difficult to achieve by diet alone for many people. When deciding to take a calcium supplement, you should first consider how many of the above foods (high in calcium) are in your diet every day.
If you are getting in two to three servings per day, you should consider taking 500 mg per day. If you eat less than two servings per day, consider taking 1000 to 1200 mg on a daily basis.
When is the best time to take calcium? The “best” time is when you remember it! To optimize calcium absorption, take it between meals. Calcium can bind with other nutrients in food.
Vitamin D is important to bone health because it helps deposit calcium into the bones. The body actually manufacturers vitamin D from sunlight thus it is known as the “sunshine vitamin”. To get the amount of vitamin D required by the body to maintain strong bones, you only need to spend 10 minutes per day or 20 to 30 minutes two to three times per week.
This, however, does not apply if you follow the recommendations to protect your skin from the sun with sunscreen. Additionally, as you age your body’s ability to make vitamin D decreases. And – if your skin is dark pigmented, your body does not readily make vitamin D.
What foods contain vitamin D? Fortified milk, cereals, and supplements are the best sources. You should get 200 IU per day.
Strength Training:
In the past, older adults were cautioned against lifting weights or performing weight-bearing exercises. A true shame, really. We now know that strength training and other weight-bearing exercises actually help deposit calcium back into the bone. The most important form of exercise for older adults is strength training.
Your exercise regimen should include more and more strength training exercises as you age. When you were young, the majority of your exercise regimen should have consisted of aerobic exercise. Not now. Get some dumbbells that are light in weight for home, join the YMCA, a local gym, whatever it takes to get you lifting weights.
Before beginning any exercise program, get approval from your doctor. You should then start off working with a personal trainer who can show you proper technique and form. It is not necessary to lift heavy weights. With the amount of weight you use, you should be able to lift it 10 to 12 times – feeling fatigued towards the last few repetitions.
For each exercise, do two to three sets. Walking is a good exercise to incorporate as it provides aerobic exercise (still necessary) and is weight-bearing for the lower body.
So get to lifting those weights and getting in that calcium and vitamin D. Preserve your bones and improve your quality of life!
Exercise prevents osteoporosis!
Ponder the statistics: 28 million Americans have osteoporosis and of this number, 80% are women. Only ¼ of this 80% know they have the condition and only half are being treated. The annual osteoporosis bill to the United States is $14 billion.
Studies have shown that sufficient amounts of calcium and regular exercise build strong bones. While genetics play a major role in developing the risks of osteoporosis, individuals can control some factors that will help prevent the problem.
Peak bone mass is attained in your 20’s. Starting an exercise program while still young, even if you live in the fast lane, will help you avoid this bone disease.
Exercising To Promote Bone Health
By Linda Williams contributes to several web magazines, on wellness and health and healthy living issues. www.nedod.com
Bone density is important for nutrition. In the course of aging, your bone density changes. It is vital to maintain bone density. There are certain exercises you can do to ensure your bones will remain healthy. The main problem affecting bone health is osteoporosis. Arthritis in your bones may be another problem. All of these result from age-related weakening of bones or joints.
These conditions not have negative effects on your health, but can cause pain as you age. Preventing bone loss from a younger age can help you to retain your health for a longer period of time.
Ensuring you are getting enough calcium in your daily diet is the first thing to do to maintain bone health. This will help you maintain your optimum bone density. There are a variety of foods you can eat and calcium supplements you can take each day to ensure that you are getting an adequate amount of calcium. From here, there are exercises you can do in order to retain healthy and strong bones.
The major group of exercises that will help with bone health are those that are considered strength training or weight-bearing exercises. Activities such as soccer, basketball, tennis, baseball, dancing, aerobics, and walking are good cardio vascular strength training exercises that can benefit your bone density.
Weight lifting is also proven to help maintain bone health. The first reason that these types of exercises benefit your bone health is that they provide for the stimulation of bone formation. The bones are engaged along with the movement of the rest of your body. Subsequently, the muscles that are connected to your bones will be strengthened, providing extra support for your bones.
Different exercises will also benefit other aspects of your life, all which relate to bone health. Exercising to improve your flexibility and balance is also important for healthy bones. This decreases the chance of getting broken or depleted as you age. Balance and flexibility also help prevent falls and injuries from occurring. It is very common for older people to fall or suffer injury and have difficulty recovering because of poor bone health as a result of a lack of exercise.
Your bone health is an important factor contributing to your overall health. By making sure that you are consuming enough calcium as well as getting the necessary amount of exercise, you will be able to increase your bone strength and prevent injury as you age. If you prioritize increasing bone strength and bone density now, you will be rewarded later as you age more comfortably and with less pain.
Preventing Falling Accidents in the Elderly
As one grows older, some of the common injuries that people are usually able to shrug off becomes startlingly grave and could cause long-term damage. For example, tripping and falling over would usually be something beneath your notice. However, as one loses mobility and physical capabilities, falls and spills become a major concern.
In the elderly, falls can be quite dangerous since as one ages, bones become more brittle. Bone density decreases dramatically after the age of 65 or even less, depending on one’s diet and genetic predisposition. Since falling is now a major risk for all elderly, clearly, there should be steps undertaken to prevent injuries as a result of such.
The sad facts show that the risk of falling increases with age. And those that do fall usually fall again within six months. As mentioned earlier, lessened bone density make each fall potentially hazardous, resulting in injuries that could be major or minor.
This is further exacerbated if the elderly do not exercise at all. A lack of exercise will result in decreased muscle strength and tone. Bone mass and density also suffer as a result of this lack of exercise. One’s diet also impacts how much strength and bone density is lost in the advancing years.
However, one of the biggest factors in the increase of falling accidents of all elderly people is the fact that many homes are ill-equipped to care for elders. Most homes are an environmental hazard to elderly people. Luckily, it is not that difficult or cumbersome to rearrange your home to fit elderly people and their lifestyle.
Here are a few tips to help the elderly cope with this type of problem in their environments.
1. Diet - most of the elderly beyond the age of 65 show some form of osteoporosis. This is caused by many factors, one of them is diet. To help your elderly avoid injuries of this kind, it would be best to help them with their diet. They should be able to meet their needs from calcium supplements and sufficient vitamin D.
Calcium is easily available in foods such as milk, cheese, tofu, soybeans, broccoli, and calcium supplements. Vitamin D, on the other hand, is naturally formed after exposure to sunlight. However, some adults might need vitamin D supplements instead.
These are the best ways to prevent or treat osteoporosis. In addition to this, it would be best to consult with a physician or a dietitian on the proper diet for elderly people.
2. Exercise - This is one of the best ways to make sure that elderly people are strong enough to avoid falling or injuring themselves at home. As mentioned earlier, a lack of exercise leads to a decrease in muscle strength, and bone density.
Although people lose muscle strength as they grow older, even people of advanced age can still build muscle mass and undergo strength training. This has the effect of making the person healthier, stronger, have better balance, and have a better overall countenance.
The type of exercise they are to undergo should depend on their current abilities. It would be best to consult with a physician on a proper exercise regimen to strengthen their bodies without having to expose your elder to the injuries that usually accompany such exercise.
Good posture is also important for the elderly avoid injuries. Simply teaching them how to bend over properly, how to stand properly, and how to best handle their bodies, will go a long way in the battle against falling injuries.
3. Elderly friendly environment - one of the best ways to avoid having your elderly fall and injure themselves is to make sure that their environment is conducive to people with decreased mobility. Make sure there are handrails and bars around for them to hold onto while moving around. Also make sure that steps are easy to manage. If your budget allows, installing ramps instead of stars would be the best route to take.
Also make sure that the floors are not slippery. It would be better if there were some rubber padding to help them keep their traction. Also supply them with good shoes so they don't slip as easy as before.
When to seek Medical Advice:
Everything You Need To Know About Bone Scans
This article was written to answer many of the most frequently asked questions on the subject of bone scans. If you have chronic back pain, a bone scan may be one of the scarier tests that you may undergo, but it is actually a fairly safe and relatively painless procedure.
First off, what is a bone scan?
Simply put it's a study done to show problem spots on the spine. A radioactive chemical, sometimes called a "tracer", is injected into the bloodstream. The chemical quickly attaches itself to sections of the bones that are actively making new bone. Images are taken of the skeleton, several hours after the shot.
How is a bone scan done?
An intravenous line (IV) goes in your arm or hand. The chemical tracer is injected into the bloodstream through the IV.
There is a waiting time of two to three hours, while the chemical attaches itself to any areas of bone that are undergoing quick changes. Generally, you are free to leave and come back after this time.
After that, you will be asked to lie or sit underneath a large "camera" that takes pictures of your skeleton. Because the chemical tracer is radioactive, it sends out radiation that can be captured by a unique camera. The camera is analogous to a “Geiger counter" in that it uses film to capture the radioactivity. The process takes 30-90 minutes.
Why a bone scan?
When it is uncertain precisely where the problem is in the skeleton, a bone scan is very helpful. It offers the ability to isolate any problem areas by taking a picture of the whole skeleton.
Concentrations of the chemical look like dark spots on the film. In an adult, this usually indicates there is a problem. The increased bone-making activity is an answer to the trouble. For example, bone cells will very rapidly start to make new bone to try to mend it, if there is a crack of the bone.
Once these areas are located on the bone scan, the physician may order other tests for exact information about your condition.
A bone scan can show problems such as fractures of the spine, infection, and bone tumors. It can also be used to resolve bone density and the bone-thinning condition of osteoporosis.
How risky is a bone scan?
The chemical is radioactive, but it disappears from the body very rapidly-within hours. Something injected into the bloodstream can always provoke an allergic response. Generally, an allergic reaction to the chemical is uncommon.
What are the limitations of a bone scan?
The bone scan does not show details of the bones or soft tissue. It simply shows how greatly the bone around an exact area is reacting to the problem.
Thanks for taking the time to read my article. You should continue searching for additional information to help you.
About the Author Liana Mirkin is the IT Director for Spina Systems International, Inc., a company which specializes in distributing the Accu-SPINA machine, which treats chronic back pain in 86%-94% of patients without surgery. You may find the website at http://www.spinaprogram.com
Advanced Functional Assessment of Musculoskeletal Problems
Treatment/Therapy:
Osteoporosis And The Loss Of Bone Density
Osteoporosis is a health condition suffered by many today of which the hallmark is the loss of the normal bone density and the subsequent fragility of the skeletal bones.
Because of the loss of or the reduction in the bone density in the original skeletal structure, the skeletal bones lose their strength putting the osteoporotic bones at a much higher risk for fracture.
But osteoporosis leads to bones that look like a sponge. These bones are abnormally porous and begin in the worst-case situations to look a lot like Swiss cheese. Osteoporosis weakens the entire skeletal system and puts the sufferer at great risk for bone fracture.
The morbidity associated with bone fractures in the aging population is quite high.
The anecdotal stories recalled time and time again of senior citizens failing to ever really recover from a bone fracture seem to point as clear evidence of the high morbidity of skeletal fractures.
With osteoporosis bone fracture easily.
In fact a minor fall or simple injury that in the majority of the population might only cause a bump or bruise, but in a person suffering from osteoporosis it can lead to a severe fracture.
The wrist, hips, and spine are the most common locations of osteoporosis-related bone fractures; however, osteoporosis-related fractures can also develop in almost any skeletal bone area.
Normal bone is composed of the collagen, calcium, and protein. But with osteoporosis these are no longer well represented.
Fractures associated with osteoporosis can be in the form of a collapse such as in the case with a compression fracture of the vertebrae in the spine or it can be a fracture in the form of a crack such as when you see a complete hip fracture.
While treatment options are more readily available, the key to osteoporosis is prevention. Once a break occurs the ramifications of that will be with you for life.
It seems currently that women have a higher incidence of osteoporosis. This is thought to be related to the many hormonal changes experienced by a woman during her lifetime.
Osteoporosis is a preventable disease. The morbidity and mortality associated with osteoporosis is something that must be taken seriously.
Make sure that you see your health care provider on a yearly basis in order to have a current assessment about the status of your bone density particularly if you are a woman over the age of 35.
About the Author For more important information on back pain, causes of back pain, back pain relief, and more, visit www.0-backpain.com where you'll find articles and information on what causes and relieving your back pain
Self Care strategies for Living with Bone health
It is normal for the bones to erode as we age. But for some people, the bones become so fragile that they break down under the body’s own weight. This causes hip, spine and forearm fractures. This disease is known as osteoporosis. This disease is more common amongst women then men.
This is due to the fact that the women have lighter bones and after menopause, they experience rapid bone loss due to decrease in estrogen. Also women opt for heavy dieting in order to lose weight, where they skip highly nutritious food items. This results in weaker bones in the body. Men too can suffer from this disease if they smoke, drink or take steroids.
But there is no need to worry. It is possible for you to slow, stop or reverse this bone loss. Though women have used ERT or Estrogen Replacement Therapy to overcome this problem, you can follow the tips below to overcome or prevent this problem.
• Build up your bones: It is highly recommended that you do aerobic exercises for about 20 minutes a day at least three days a week. Exercise has been shown to stimulate bones to lay down new tissues. It is advisable to do the exercise that you can continue doing over long periods of time. Walking is the best form of exercise but you can also choose biking, swimming or aerobics.
• Walk in water: If you have suffered from fracture, walking in water is the best form of exercise. You can do this exercise three times a week for up to 30 minutes a day. The water will support body weight and ease the stress off the bones and joints.
• Use a chair and the floor for exercise: Complement water walking by doing some muscle strengthening exercises like abdominal curls, shoulder blade squeezes and back extensions. You can do these exercises on a chair or on the floor.
• Eat calcium: Doctors recommend that you get about 1000 milligrams of calcium a day, even though you have not yet reached menopause. If you are not getting an ERT treatment, increase your calcium intake by another 200 to 500 milligrams a day. This means that you can drink a quart of skim milk a day or have two cups of low-fat yogurt or four cups of low-fat cottage cheese to get 1000 milligrams. You can take the remaining requirements from supplements.
• Go for maximum absorption: Spread out your calcium supplements throughout the day rather than take all at one go. Food supplements should be taken with a meal. Doctors recommend you to take calcium carbonate which is relatively inexpensive and is easily absorbed when taken in divided dosages at mealtimes.
• Increase your Vitamin D: Get the maximum protection by consuming 400 international units of Vitamin D each day, especially if you do not get enough sunlight. Milk contains about 100 international units of Vitamin D, hence it is recommended that you take four cups a day. But other dairy products like cheese, yogurt etc cannot be taken into account since they are not fortified with Vitamin D. But do not exceed the recommended dosage of 400 international units since this vitamin is highly toxic in excess.
• Eat different types of food products: Bones do not contain calcium alone but contain an amalgam of boron, zinc and copper along with other minerals. You can get these trace elements by eating variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and other unprocessed foods.
• Stop smoking: Smoking has been shown to accelerate bone loss. It accelerates the rate at which the body metabolizes estrogen and thus canceling the benefits of ERT. It has been shown to cause bone loss in men and postmenopausal women too.
• Control your medicines: Some drugs have been shown to hasten bone loss. The most common types of drugs are corticosteroids taken for variety of conditions like rheumatic, allergic and respiratory disorders, L-thyroxine a thyroid medicine and furosemide which is a diuretic used against fluid retention associated with high blood pressure and kidney problems.
• Avoid fizzy drinks: Cola and other carbonated soft drinks contain phosphoric acid, which contains phosphorus which is a mineral, when taken in excess, causes your body to excrete calcium.
• Ease salt intake: Excess intake of salt throws the calcium out of the body. Hence do not include salt more than necessary. Avoid processed and junk foods.
About the Author Sharon Hopkins has been managing a number of natural home remedies websites which gives information on Home based cure for Osteoporosis
Diet change strategies:
Osteoporosis
Few people know that high protein diets leech calcium from bone. Reduce protein intake and try this broth:
Place leftover fish bones in a large pot. Add a few quarts of water. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add a couple handfuls of finely chopped Cabbage, Dandelion Greens, Stinging Nettle greens, Parsley, Pigweed and Purslane. Season to taste with salt, pepper and any other seasonings you prefer. Remove fish bones before serving as a vegetable/herb soup or as a stock for hearty bean soup.
Some herbal supplements are available to add to the mineral intake.
• Stinging Nettle – This is a natural multi-vitamin that contains calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and proteins. Capsules are the best method of taking this herb. Take up to six 500-milligram capsules daily.
• Red Clover – This clover contains compounds that act as a mild form of estrogen, and can help with symptoms of menopause. Take up to five 500-milligram capsules daily. It can also be taken as a tea. Drink up to 3 cups of tea per day.
• Horsetail – This traditional remedy helps the body to process calcium. It also provides a natural source of silica that helps strengthen hair, nails and bones. This is readily available in capsule form. Take up to six 500-milligram capsules per day.
Basic Nutritional Needs of Elderly Individuals
Fat – This particular food group has never been good for any age group, much less for those past their prime. If, however, an individual is over 75, or is suffering from weight loss or lack of appetite, including fat in the person’s diet will actually be beneficial as it contributes to weight gain.
Fiber – A high fiber diet will prevent elderly individuals from suffering bowel problems. Cereal foods, fruits – especially bananas – and vegetables are just some examples of food containing high fiber content. As it is with anything, sticking to a diet that’s especially high in fiber is not good for the health. So make sure that your parents balance the effect of fiber to their bodies by encouraging them to drink more water than usual.
Sugar – Naturally, everything sweet is forbidden to elderly diabetic individuals. For the rest, eating a moderate amount of sugar is acceptable, more so if the person is in need of gaining weight.
Iron – As people grow older, iron deficiency becomes a more common factor. To prevent your parents from suffering from iron deficiency and consequently, anemia, make sure that they eat food high in iron like red meat, dried fruit, and green vegetables. Iron intake will also produce more benefits if it’s accompanied with an increased consumption of vitamin C.
Calcium – Many advertisements nowadays emphasize the need of preventing bones from getting brittle as you get old. You do this by increasing your intake of calcium. Calcium can be found in milk and other dairy foods. Be sure to choose a milk product that’s specially formulated for elderly individuals.
Zinc – Although not as popular as other minerals, zinc actually plays a significant role in an elderly individual’s diet. Zinc makes wounds heal faster, something that people with diabetes would especially welcome. This mineral can be found in meat, whole meal bread, and shellfish.
Maintain Proper Bone Density With Calcium And More
Bone consists predominantly of collagen and calcium phosphate. The collagen provides the connective framework for bone that is hardened by the calcium phosphate, and without healthy bones, your quality of life would be significantly reduced due to bone breakage. That is why it is essential to supplement this framework with the vitamins and minerals needed to maintain a good bone density at those periods in your life when bone density is liable to deteriorate.
This begins to happen between the ages of 30 and 35 and in women and accelerates during the menopause, when your ovaries stop producing the hormone estrogen that is necessary for the maintenance of healthy bones. Through time, your bone mass drops creating first a condition known as osteopenia, or reduced bone mass, and then osteoporosis, when your bones become brittle, porous and very prone to fractures.
Before we look at what can be done to reduce your chances of developing osteoporosis, lets have a close look at how bone develop so that it will be easier to understand the remedial action that can be taken.
Calcium is the most common mineral in the body, and the vast majority is in the bones and teeth. Phosphorus is also essential for healthy bones because as stated earlier, the bone consists of collagen that is hardened by calcium phosphate. The two main uses of phosphorus are in bone structure and animal metabolism, since phosphates are also essential for the vast majority of the energy-production chemical reactions within your body.
Calcium has other functions within the body other than bone, however, including exchange of fluids within and between cells, the maintenance of your heartbeat and in blood clotting. Vitamin D is necessary to help calcium be absorbed from your diet, through the membranes of the duodenum. More calcium is absorbed there than in the small intestine, and the calcium is also most available to the body when it is in a water-soluble form.
In fact, the reason that stones form in your kidney for example, is that the calcium is rendered insoluble through the formation of calcium oxalate from the oxalic acid in foods such as rhubarb and soy. High fat diets can also slow down the absorption of calcium.
Estrogen plays a significant part in bone physiology, and is an important factor in the maintenance of bone density in women. Bone is living tissue, and is constantly being absorbed and remodeled throughout life. The part played by estrogen is to maintain a proper balance between the osteoclasts, the cells that reabsorb bone tissue, and osteoblasts, the cells that form new bone tissue.
When estrogen is deficient, this balance is lost and rather than bone formation and resorption occurring constantly, they take place in spurts so that first an area of new bone will be formed, then resorption will occur some weeks later, resulting in a structure where there are cavities between areas of bone. With time, these cavities will increase and weaken the integrity of the bone structure.
However, that is not the whole story. The effect of estrogen is to limit the active period of osteoclasts so that the areas of bone resorbed into the body are relatively small so that the removed bone cavity can easily fill up with new bone by the osteoblasts, which are invigorated by estrogen. When estrogen is deficient, not only is the activity of the bone-forming osteoblasts reduced, but the bone-absorbing osteoclasts activity is not regulated, and they form deeper holes in the bone structure than the osteoblasts are able to fill.
The net result is bone loss, with more bone being reabsorbed than is being formed. The end result of all this is spongy bone tissue with many tiny hole and also with larger areas of missing bone. Eventually this passes a critical point and the bone fractures during normal use. A simple jump from one step to another can fracture a bone at its weakest point, such as at the hip joint where the neck of bone is thinner.
Not everybody is at the same risk, and there are certain risk factors that you should be aware of, each of which could increase the chances of you developing weak bones. The condition particular affects white or Asian women, and those who have a small frame. If you smoke and drink an excessive amount of alcohol, you will also be more prone to osteoporosis, although exercise can help you to avoid it. An inadequate intake of calcium and vitamin D will also contribute, and magnesium is an essential part of strong bone development.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has carried out surveys that indicate American women to be taking only 50% of the calcium recommended to maintain a healthy bone density. However, it is not only dietary calcium that is needed for the formation of bone, but also magnesium and boron, and vitamin D also helps with the absorption of calcium in the gut.
If you are on steroids then they can render you more prone to brittle bone disease. Unfortunately the symptoms of osteoporosis do not become evident until there has been a significant amount of bone loss, which is why post menopausal women, and those over 65, should have a bone density scan (DXA test). It is important to understand that osteoporosis is not a disease as such: you cannot ‘catch’ it, but it develops as the result of a gradual reduction in the minerals that maintain the density of your bone structure.
Your diet is important in helping you prevent bone loss and osteoporosis later in life, and your lifestyle is also important. Reducing your daily alcohol intake will certainly help, and cigarette smoking further retards the activity of the bone-creating cells. Calcium and vitamin D supplements will help, but do not restrict yourself only to these.
If you want to maintain proper bone density through and beyond the menopause stage of life, you should take a balanced supplement that contains a combination of vitamins and minerals needed to maintain a healthy balance between natural bone loss and regeneration. There is more to it that only calcium and vitamin D, and a balanced supplement takes this out of your hands. You can rest in the knowledge that you are doing the best for your body and its bone density.
About the Author More information on Bone Building supplements like bone power from natures plus is available at VitaNet ®, LLC Health Food Store. http://vitanetonline.com/
Vitamin & Nutrient Associations
Even when we try to eat well, we're disadvantaged. The nutritional content of most food has been compromised over the years, not only by deficient soils and modern production, transportation, storage and processing methods, but also by the enormous amounts of chemical and artificial substances added to promote growth, storage life, taste and appearance.
If we are not giving our bodies the nutrients we need every day then the strength and quality of our bones will diminish. If we do look after our bone health then there is no reason that a bone broken at 65 years of age will not heal as well as a bone broken by a 30 year old. We can keep our bones healthy.
It's for this reason that more and more medical authorities are advocating the use of vitamin and mineral supplements.
Good quality nutrition products make use of knowledge gained from the botanical world's 6,000 year history. They incorporate health building nutritional herbs with the best modern technology to help our bodies cleanse and detoxify so that the cells - the tiniest living units - can be as fully nourished as possible.
This allows the cells to grow, repair and to perform their functions with the best possible efficiency so that we feel and look better and are more able to prevent and fight disease. Once the body begins to clear itself of toxins it can more efficiently absorb nutrition.
The main supplement to support bones is calcium. Not just calcium but calcium in a form that the body can absorb it and use it. People are not cows and our babies are not baby cows and if you rely on cows milk for your calcium then you will not get the outcomes you are looking for. Milk is designed for baby cows, not baby people.
If you do not take vitamin D with the calcium to help you body absorb the calcium then most people will actually “get” about 20 of the available calcium in a supplement and the rest is passed out of their system. With the right vitamin and mineral factors the absorption can be lifted to around 80% so it just makes sense to use a good supplement that your body will absorb.
It may be due to difficulties with your digestive system that is causing your body to be starved of key nutrients, vitamins or minerals. In this case you may find useful answers by reviewing our article on Nutrition For Your Cells. There is also more information here about why is nutrition such an issue nowadays?
It may be that your metabolism has slowed due to pressures that have been placed on your system through life in general or through specific “challenges” you have faced in the last few months or last few years. Review this by looking at our article about balancing your Metabolic Rate.
Further reading through our articles on Bone health health issues will give you a body of information that will help you decide what options you have to deal with the underlying causes of your problem through giving your body the nutrition products that will assist you body to heal from the inside out.
We wish you well in your search for solutions to this Bone health problem and your movement towards better health in all areas.
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Children should eat three to four servings of calcium-enriched foods every day to build healthy bones. As an adult, it’s best to add a calcium supplement to your diet. Xtra-Cal® is packed with calcium, in addition to vitamin C and D, which helps absorb essential calcium.* 
