Menopause and Osteoporosis

By Michael Russell

One of the concerns of menopause is the loss of bone density, or osteoporosis. The prevailing thought for many years was that women lose bone density at menopause when there is a change in estrogen levels. Low levels of estrogen were felt to be the cause of osteoporosis. Now the results of several studies are showing that estrogen is only part of the picture in regards to bone loss. However, it still needs to be of concern to women when they start to go through menopause.

Let's discuss the role that hormones play in bone mass loss. Hormones appear to have an affect on calcium metabolism. The specific hormones are parathormone from the parathyroid gland, calcitonin from the thyroid gland and vitamin D from the skin. Yes, a vitamin is a hormone - this is because it is produced by one organ and then travels through the blood to different organs - the definition of a hormone. Vitamin D helps you absorb greater amounts of calcium, so it is very important in the process because higher levels of calcium in the bloodstream can actually increase bone loss. And too much vitamin D can also leach calcium from your bones and increase bone loss. Estrogen has less of a direct effect on bone. It does block the bone-resorbing effect of parathormone and also stimulates the release of calcitonin and vitamin D. Progesterone has been shown to possibly block the effect of the adrenal hormones, which can increase bone loss.

What does this mean to the menopausal woman? The first thing you should do in assess your risk factors. The risk factors for low bone density are thinness, caucasian ancestry, small framed, heavy alcohol use, advanced age, cigarette smoking, family history, inactive lifestyle, early menopause, use of corticosteroids and anticonvulsants, amenorrhea, low calcium diet and eating disorders.

However - low bone density does not automatically mean that your bones will fracture. Obviously, low bone density is something you need to monitor and treat if necessary, but fractures, especially the hips and spine are a higher level concern. The risk factors for for fractures that you should be concerned with are a current weight that is less than it was at age 25, having a rapid heartbeat at rest of 80 bpm or more, a maternal history of hip fracture before the age of 80, a previous fracture after age fifty, if you are tall at age 25, if your health is fair or poor, previous hyperthyroidism, poor contrast sensitivity, poor depth perception, current use of long-acting benzos, current use of anti-convulsants, the inability to rise from a chair without using both arms, spending less then 4 hours a day on your feet and high doses of caffeine.

The only way to tell if you have osteoporosis is by a bone-density screening. Osteoporosis is not painful until you suffer a fracture. Depending on your risk factors you may want to take calcium and vitamin D supplements. Exercise can also help. There are drugs like Fosamax, Raloxifene and Evista that can be used as an alternate for HRT and other drugs like Arimidex and Femara that are proving to be effective. In the future there may be drugs that help re-grow bone loss, so make sure your doctors are up on the current research. With a little prevention, osteoporosis and fractures can be dealt with easily before they become a problem.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Menopause

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Ancient Eastern Exercise Cures Osteoporosis

By Frank Lam Sheung

If you know anything about the debilitating bone disease called osteoporosis will also know that it is incurable. You would know that this disease extracts calcium from the bones making them brittle over time. No matter how much calcium you try to supplement your diet with your body cannot absorb it.

Up until the time she was diagnosed with osteoporosis Joan Foo had lost 40% of her bone density as a result of the disease. After the diagnosis and feed up with living a sedentary life, fate would have her attending a Qi gong class. This was the turning point in her life. After one year of practicing Qi gong, doctors were dumb founded and flabbergasted to see that not only had the condition stopped, it had reversed itself.

Qi gong pronounced, (chi kung) evolved from peasants who after a long hard days work in the hot sun would retire at night and enjoy the cool night air after the heat of the day

As they wound down and relaxed they became aware of an energy around them, which they could move around their bodies and was somehow related to their breathing and to the mind.

This energy exists whether you believe it or not. Chinese sages would call it life-force or chi.

You can feel this energy without knowing too much about qi gong. One way to do this would be to hold your hands directly in front of you with your palms facing down. Now visualize water flowing from the top of your shoulders to the tips of your fingers and beyond, almost like when you’re in the shower and water is flowing down your arms and out of your fingertips. If you visual water flowing out of your fingers for 20 seconds or so you will feel a tingly sensation in your hands, or they will become warm. You will feel the intensity grow in your hands by taking a deep breath for the count of 2 and then exhaling for 6.

Now that you are aware of this energy, you will find that by moving and breathing a certain way this energy can rid you of headaches, backaches, depression, hangovers, and a whole range of other aliments.

The body with millions of cells knows exactly how to heal itself. Qi gong provides the method for the body to do it.

If you have 5 or 10 minutes a day you can do Qi gong.

For additional information (or sample, copy or demo): Click Here - Qi Gong Exercise

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Magnetic Therapy Treatments for Osteoporosis Sufferers

By Debbie Shimadry

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures of the hip, spine, and wrist. Men as well as women suffer from osteoporosis, a disease that can be prevented and treated.

Osteoporosis is often called the "silent disease" because bone loss occurs without symptoms. People may not know that they have osteoporosis until their bones become so weak that a sudden strain, bump, or fall causes a hip fracture or a vertebra to collapse. Collapsed vertebra may initially be felt or seen in the form of severe back pain, loss of height, or spinal deformities such as kyphosis, or severely stooped posture.

The bones in our skeleton are made of a thick outer shell and a strong inner mesh filled with collagen (protein), calcium salts and other minerals. The inside looks like honeycomb, with blood vessels and bone marrow in the spaces between bone. Osteoporosis occurs when the holes between bone become bigger, making it fragile and liable to break easily. Osteoporosis usually affects the whole skeleton but it most commonly causes breaks (fractures) to bone in the wrist, spine and hip.

Bone is alive and constantly changing. Old, worn out bone is broken down by cells called osteoclasts and replaced by bone building cells, called osteoblasts. This process of renewal is called bone turnover

Magnetic therapy treatment for osteoporosis.

Magnetic therapy treatments for osteoporosis follow the same rules that apply to the treatment of arthritis. That is the magnets need to be applied as close to the point of pain as possible. The same devices can be used for osteoporosis: magnetic therapy straps, wraps, insoles, pads and jewellery. Because osteoporosis is predominantly found in the long bones (although all bones with low density can be affected) most major load bearing joints are affected. For this reason painful symptoms can be very severe as mobilising becomes extremely painful, to ensure the fastest possible result from magnetic therapy super strength magnets (2500-3000 gauss/ 250-300 m tesla) should preferably be used.

Fractures are very common with osteoporosis and magnets can increase the bodies ability to heal bone fractures. If you sustain a bone fracture magnets should be applied to the site of the fracture as soon as possible after the break. If the bone is in a plaster cast then it will not be possible to use magnets until it has been removed but as soon as the cast is removed magnets can be applied. They will increase the rate at which the bone knits together plus encourage new cellular growth around the fracture site.

Debbie Shimadry is as an expert guest on magnetic therapy for BBC Radios and is also the managing director of leading magnetic therapy company world of magnets. If you are interested in natural pain relief visit the magnetic article directory at magnetictherapymagnets.co.uk

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Osteoporosis - A Result of Malnutrition

By Karen MacKay

Osteoporosis is a disease of malnutrition. In a land of obesity and abundant food supplies it seems odd that anyone could be malnourished but that is the case. The development of osteoporosis begins at a young age when consumed calcium is too low and factors required for its absorption and bone development are not present. It is more important to develop bone strength in the growing years than to try to correct it later on after the body has matured in the mid-twenties.

To develop and keep a strong bone matrix a plethora of vitamins and minerals are required. Without them, the bone cannot adequately build. Those minerals come from fruits, vegetables and other calcium-rich sources such as cheese, yogurt, and milk. Calcium, antioxidants and vitamins D and K are the obvious nutrients needed from these foods. Getting enough is only one problem but it goes further than that.

To sustain life the blood needs to have the correct acid/alkaline balance. The overload of sugar, protein, fat, phosphorus/phosphoric acid*, and sulfate/sulfuric acid, not to mention stress, create too much acid or acidosis in the body. Mineral supplies that are needed to buffer the acid resulting from these excesses are supplied from the diet first, if they are there. If not, the bone has the calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and sodium to buffer and reduce the acidity. These invaluable-to-the-bone minerals are leached because it is more important to reduce the acidity than to maintain bone health. Again, diet and malnutrition play a part. Junk foods are not merely empty calories, fat and sugar, they are a detriment to health. They are not just contributors to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. They are a disruption to the intricate workings of the human body. They steal valuable vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that should be used for healing, maintenance, and for fueling the energy needs of the body.

And then there is exercise. Weight-lifting and resistance exercises build muscle and bone mass. Dancing, jogging, walking, sports, or just about any exercise on your feet contribute to maintaining strong bones. This needs to be done starting at a young age. Watching TV, playing computer games and sitting don’t count. Children must get up, play and move around. Healthy bones are made in childhood and continue with a physically active life. A sedentary lifestyle is harmful at every age.

To develop and maintain good bone health, dietary habits must be stressed. It always goes back to eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and minimizing the quantity of meat and junk food and soda-pop. Exercising regularly and releasing stress will also contribute to a healthy life-style. Malnutrition should be part of the past but it’s up to you to make the choice. Bone health depends on good eating.

*High Phosphorus Foods – soda-pop, potato chips, bacon, processed meats, liver, products with baking powder. ©2006

Dr. Karen MacKay is a chiropractor, acupuncturist, hypnotherapist and wholistic health practitioner. She has authored two books: Dear Sisters, Break Free From Domestic Violence, and The Wisest, Healthiest Buffalo. Her website www.HotFlashQueen.com and twice monthly Ezine, available at eZine@hotflashqueen.com , are about healing and feeling good. She also has Guided Imagery MP3 downloads to help the healing and awareness processes.

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Can Elliptical Trainers Prevent Osteoporosis?

By Rich Rojas

I recall looking through a large batch of photos a colleague at work had taken during a visit to China. Amongst the photos of imperial palaces and glorious temples there were also many photos of ordinary people going about their daily routines. One series of photos captured a small group of elderly women setting up for a game of Mahjong in a city square.

The women were organizing chairs and the game boards along with setting up tea and snacks. In one photo I noticed a woman who was severely hunched over with her upper back exhibiting signs of the classic “Dowager’s Hump”. It was evident that she was suffering from an advanced case of osteoporosis.

This is an extreme example of osteoporosis, but even less extreme cases can have severe consequences. The most common problem is bone factures of the spine, hip, and wrist. Osteoporosis literally means “porous bones”. As a result, bones become less dense and more prone to fractures.

Osteoporosis is known as a silent disease since it can be present for years before symptoms such as fractures become apparent. Once fractures occur, the effects can range from loss of height, disability, and sometimes, even death.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the 10 million Americans who have osteoporosis, 80% are women, but men are afflicted as well. Heredity and ethnicity are also determining factors with whites and Asians more susceptible than blacks or Hispanics. However, no group is immune to osteoporosis.

Prevention of osteoporosis ideally needs to begin in childhood and continue throughout one’s life. Children should receive adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D and also be physically active. Ninety percent of our bone mass is acquired by the age of 20.

It should go without saying, but in addition to causing heart and lung disease, smoking should be avoided since it is a risk factor for osteoporosis. Anorexia and bulimia are also known to place women at greater risk for osteoporosis.

For adults, one of the most important things they can do to prevent osteoporosis is to engage in regular weight-bearing exercise. Weight-bearing exercise is any activity where your full body weight is supported by your legs, hips, and spine. Walking, running, and skiing are examples of weight-bearing activities. Cycling, rowing, and swimming, though great cardio-vascular conditioning activities are not weight-bearing.

One of the drawbacks of running is the pounding your knees, hips, and ankles must endure. An activity that’s easy on your joints yet still weight-bearing is elliptical training. An elliptical trainer is a low impact fitness machine that can help stimulate bone cell growth while also helping you to burn fat and improve your cardio-vascular conditioning.

An elliptical trainer can be your secret weapon in the fight against osteoporosis.

Rich Rojas writes unbiased Elliptical Trainer Reviews and articles on health and fitness at http://www.ellipticalhome.com

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8 Ways to Prevent Osteoporosis and Heart Disease During Menopause

By Riana D Lance

Osteoporosis causes bones to lose mass and density. As the bones become porous and brittle, the chance of fracture is greatly increased. Often there are no symptoms and a person only discovers that they have osteoporosis when they suffer a fracture.

Heart disease includes a number of conditions affecting the structures or function of the heart. They includes coronary artery disease (including heart attack), abnormal heart rhythms or arrythmias, heart failure, heart valve disease, congenital heart disease, heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy), pericardial disease, aorta disease and Marfan syndrome, vascular disease (blood vessel disease).

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. thus, it is essential to learn how prevent heart disease. During menopause, many women are easily getting osteoporosis. Indeed, it would also be easy for them to get heart disease.

How is that?
Women, during menopause, might be lack of estrogen. This causes bones to lose calcium and become weaker, putting them at risk for severe bone loss or osteoporosis. A lack of estrogen also increases risk of heart disease.

However, there are steps you can do to prevent osteoporosis and heart disease, such as:

1. Get enough calcium to keep your bones strong. Before menopause, you need about 1,000 mg of calcium per day. After menopause, you need 1,500 mg per day. You also can talk with your physician about taking medicine to help preserve bone and slow down bone loss. Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Try weight-bearing exercises, like walking, running, or dancing.

2. Eat healthy by including plenty of whole grain products, vegetables, and fruits in your diet. Choose a diet low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.

3. Maintain a healthy weight. Ask your health care provider what a healthy weight is for you.

4. Control your blood pressure. Ask your health care provider what a healthy number is for you and how often you need it checked.

5. If you have diabetes, control and monitor your blood sugar levels.

6. Lower your cholesterol to the right level. Ask your health care provider what a healthy level is for you.

7. If you smoke, try to quit. Ask your health care provider for help or visit this special section of the NWHIC web site: www.4woman.gov/QuitSmoking

8. If you drink alcohol, limit it to no more than one drink per day.

So, if you think that your menopause has begun, it is important for you to pay attention to the eight essential ways to prevent osteoporosis and heart disease.

About the author: Riana Lance has a deep concern on health. Get her inspirational guides on How to Cure Insomnia at http://healthifica.com/guides/menopause-stress/ Also, grasp her other motivational health tips at http://www.healthifica.com, a worth-to-visit daily updated blog.
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What is Osteoporosis?

By Helen Murray

The word 'osteoporosis' literally means 'porous bone'. It is a condition where a person gradually loses bone material so that his or her bones gradually become more fragile. As a result, they are more likely to break.

Bone is made of fibres of a material called collagen filled in with minerals - mainly calcium salts - rather like reinforced concrete. The bones of the skeleton have a thick outer shell or 'cortex' inside which there is a meshwork of 'trabecular' bone.

Causes

Our bones grow during childhood and adolescence and are at their strongest around the age of 20. They remain in this state from the age 20 to 35. As middle age approaches the bones - while remaining strong - very gradually begin to lose their density. This loss or thinning of the bones continues as we get older.

The process speeds up in women in the ten years after the menopause. This is because the ovaries stop producing the female sex hormone oestrogen - and oestrogen is one of the substances that helps keep bone strong. Men suffer less from osteoporosis, because their bones are stronger in the first place, and they do not go through the menopause.

Risk

All of us are at risk of developing osteoporosis as we get older, which is why elderly people are more likely to break bones when they fall. But there are some people who are more at risk of osteoporosis than others. Several factors can make a difference:

• Oestrogen deficiency. Someone who has had an early menopause (before the age of 45), or a hysterectomy where one or both ovaries are removed, is at risk.
• Lack of exercise. Exercise keeps bones strong - both as they are developing and throughout adulthood. So anyone who does not exercise, or has an illness that makes it difficult, will be more prone to losing calcium from the bones, and so is more likely to develop osteoporosis.
• Poor diet. A diet which does not include enough calcium can encourage osteoporosis.
• Heavy smoking. Tobacco lowers the oestrogen level in women and may cause early menopause.
• Heavy drinking. A high alcohol intake reduces the ability of the body's cells to make bone.
• Steroids. If someone takes prednisolone over a long period of time, it can cause osteoporosis.
• Water tablets. Some diuretics may cause the loss of calcium in the urine which could lead to osteoporosis.
• Family history. Osteoporosis appears to run in families. This is probably because there is some inherited factor which affects the development of bone.
• Previous fractures. People who have already had a fracture are at a greater risk of having another. Men and women who become shorter due to crush fractures of the spine are also more at risk.

Detection

There are no obvious physical signs of osteoporosis. It can therefore go unnoticed for years. Quite often the first indication is when a person breaks one of their bones in what might have been normally a minor accident.

If a doctor suspects osteoporosis, he or she can order a bone scan to test the strength or density of the bones. This scan is now available at many hospitals throughout the country. The results will tell how much risk there is of fractures. It takes about fifteen minutes while the bones are X-rayed. The dose of radiation is tiny - about the same as spending a day out in the sun. The technique is called Dual Energy X-ray Apsorptiometry and is known as DEXA.

Consequences

People with osteoporosis are more likely to break a bone even after a relatively minor injury. Fractures are most likely to the hip, spine of wrist. Hip and wrist fractures are usually sudden and the result of a fall.

Spinal problems occur if - as the vertebrae become weak - they crush together. If several vertebrae are crushed, then the spine will start to curve. This may cause back pain and loss of height, and because there is now less space under the ribs, some people may find difficulty breathing.

Osteoporosis is quite common in Britain. Each year there are around 60,000 hip, 40,000 spine and 50,000 wrist fractures.

Helen Murray writes and edits content for use on numerous websites including
Osteoporosis, Stretch marks, & Acid Reflux
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