In this issue:
Meow,
Bone Health: More Than Calcium to Consider
So you’re not as agile as your feline friends anymore? You may need to take
better care of your bones. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Did you know:
- Each year, osteoporosis, the weakening of bones, leads to more than 1.5
million fractures, including 300,000 hip, 700,000 vertebral, 250,000 wrist
and 300,000 other bone fractures.
- Fifty percent of women over the age of 50 will have an
osteoporosis-related fracture in their remaining lifetime. And a woman’s
risk of hip fracture is equal to her combined risk of breast, uterine and
ovarian cancer.
- Approximately 3-6% of American men are estimated to have osteoporosis
and 28-47% are estimated to have osteopenia, which is low bone density and
if not treated, it may result in osteoporosis.
- Approximately 20% of healthcare costs due to osteoporotic fractures
arise from the treatment of men.
- One-year post-hip fracture mortality is higher in men than in women.
- Osteoarthritis, known as wear-and-tear arthritis, affects more than 15
million Americans.
- After menopause, a woman’s body begins to lose bone tissue rapidly at an
estimated rate of 3-5% a year.
- Postmenopausal women account for 80% of all cases of osteoporosis
because estrogen production declines rapidly at menopause.
So now you get the point that your bones are going to get more fragile as you
age. After age 30, several factors can help slow bone loss.
While you can’t go back in time, there are some lifestyle changes, in
addition to weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercise, that you can do
today to improve your bone density and strength.
Consume More Veggies and Less Saturated Fat
According to a recent study published in a journal for the
American Society of Nutrition, the amount and type of fat in your diet
can impact bone health. More specifically, saturated fat intake was negatively
associated with bone mineral density (BMD). And in fact, the negative relation
between saturated fats and BMD were more pronounced in men than in women. The
study went noted that men younger than 50 were at highest risk because of their
higher consumption of saturated fats in a lower-quality diet overall.
Diets high in saturated fats have long been considered bad for cardiovascular
health. It looks like there is a similar correlation with bone health.
So, what’s causal and what’s correlated?
With Americans in particular, high saturated fat intake typically correlates
to low vegetable and fiber intakes with correspondingly high sugar and refined
flour intakes.
Thus, to those of you who eat diets high in saturated fats, our
recommendation (what a shocker) is to reduce your saturated fat intake and eat
many more servings of plant-based foods!
This means eating a range of fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads and
cereals, nuts, seeds, and legumes (peas, beans, lentils, garbanzos, soy beans,
tofu, soy products).
It’s simple. Add plenty of fruits and veggies and you’ll reduce those
saturated fat bad boys – such as fatty gravies and high-fat meats like steaks,
hamburgers, bacon, and sausage.
Your bones as well as your heart will appreciate your effort!
Consume Adequate Calcium and Vitamins D & K
The National Academy of Sciences and the National Osteoporosis Foundation
recommend daily calcium intakes of 1,000 mg/day for people ages 19-50, and those
over the age of 50 should consume 1,200 mg/day.
With many studies of the efficacy of getting calcium from dairy products
suspect these days, I must remind you that calcium is also found in greener
pastures (yep that same veggie theme again). Dark, green leafy vegetables like
spinach and chard provide great sources of dietary calcium.
Other great sources of calcium include sardines (with bones), beans, soy
products like tofu, and calcium-fortified soy milk, rice milk, and orange juice.
For bone health, adequate intake of vitamins D and K are no less important
than calcium.
Vitamin D, which facilitates the absorption of calcium, is found in foods
like salmon or eggs and is also made by the skin when exposed to sunlight. A
good daily target is 1000 I.U. of vitamin D.
Vitamin K, which helps activate proteins involved in building bones, is found
mainly in green vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, dark green lettuce,
collard greens or kale. One serving per day should be enough to meet the daily
recommended goal of 120 micrograms/day for men and 90 micrograms/day for women.
Also important to bone health are magnesium -- often used to offset
constipating effects of calcium citrate – and boron, a trace mineral found in
raisins.
You may not have nine lives, but you can make your bones stronger through
smart diet choices. ^..^
Co-op Products for Bone Health
For those of you who need to supplement your diet, consider the following
products for healthy bones:
-
Calcium Citrate (plus D and boron) - Older adults have less stomach
acid to absorb calcium carbonate as efficiently. Calcium Citrate is a
popular alternative with vitamin D and boron included. Often paired with
Magnesium Citrate.
- Magnesium
Citrate – Magnesium absorption decreases and excretion of magnesium
increases in older adults, thus increasing the need for supplemental
magnesium. Often paired with Calcium Citrate.
- Liquid
Calcium with Magnesium – Popular softgel formulation with 3:1 ratio
of calcium to magnesium. Often paired with
Sam’s Antioxidant Plus D or
Multi-Vites
to get supplemental vitamin D.
Media Misconstrued Calcium and Vitamin D Study
Recently, the New England Journal of Medicine published new findings
on calcium and vitamin D supplementation and osteoporosis. While the study found
a “small but significant improvement in hip bone density”, the mainstream media
headlines stated, “Calcium, Vitamin D Supplementation a Bust for Fractures.”
Something very fishy is going on here!
Therefore, I thought it was worth looking at the response to the NEJM article
that comes from an impartial party.
Dr. Susan E. Brown, Director of the
Osteoporosis Education Project, refutes the study’s conclusion in a
press release posted on the non-profit’s website:
Calcium and Vitamin D Don't Reduce Fractures? Take A Second Look
Dr. Brown, a medical anthropologist and certified nutritionist, analyzed the
study and found that that those postmenopausal women who actually took the
calcium and vitamin D supplements on a regular basis over the seven year study
had a 29% decrease in hip fractures.
And while the study used 400 I.U. of vitamin D – a dose much lower than other
successful osteoporosis studies, which used 1000 I.U. of vitamin D – Dr. Brown
points out that almost one-third of older women who took 1000 mg calcium and 400
I.U vitamin D daily did help reduce hip fractures.
You see, you just can’t always read the headlines!^..^
Health in the News
Kat's Notes: West Virginia Vegetarian
Okay, here’s an amusing anecdote from Cindy’s house. You have to remember
that her husband, Steve, is from West Virginia, and likes nothing better than a
Southern breakfast of sausage and homemade biscuits!
Steve worked from home a couple days last week, and upon coming home Friday
evening Cindy noticed a couple of pepperoni pizza boxes in the trash.
As she was making a vegetable timbale of sorts, Steve was watching, looking a
bit under whelmed. Steve chimed in with: “Could you add some chicken sausage?”
Cindy shook her head and quipped, “I forgot, you prefer your dishes to be
‘West Virginia vegetarian,’ huh?”
You know that theme we keep returning to about “more veggies, more veggies?”
It looks to be an endless theme, even for the best-intentioned households!
So,
Still purringly yours,
Guido
Guido Housemouser
Chief Kat and Community Manager
Our Health Co-op
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