Archive for October, 2009

Osteoporosis, ME?

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Been taking Arimidex for 4 ½ years now and have just learned that I have osteoporosis. This is a really shocking discovery that is taking me time to digest. I have no history (except my grandmother but her eating habits were strange and she was a tiny stick insect!), I carry excess weight which is supposed to be good for something – osteoporosis. I exercise and ingest a fair amount of calcium in the form of milk and cheese. Never would I have thought this disease (?) – not sure if osteoporosis qualifies as a disease – would hit me, never.

Some time back a woman I met in London told me that she was taking Arimidex and asked if I was taking calcium. When she learned that I was not, she was adamant that I should be as she had been advised by her UK doctor to do so. Neither my Spanish or  American doctors had mentioned it. Now I am learning that it is vital and after scouring the Astra Zeneca website am seeing it more or less in passing rather than a stern warning – TAKE CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS WHEN YOU ARE TAKING ARIMIDEX!! Bone loss is to be expected. Now I am on a quest to learn more about osteoporosis and will be blogging about it on www.elizabethcampbellsite.com  as well.

My GP advised that I should get a Reclast treatment but after reading some of the unpleasant side effects I will begin searching for alternate ways to rebuild and hopefully reverse my bone loss. The side effects of Reclast and some of the other osteoporosis drugs are too drastic and after the pain associated with the first two years on Arimidex I can’t bear the thought. So now I begin my quest. I state here and now that I will have a second bone density test as soon as it is deemed feasible to see if my self-sought treatment will work.

If you are on Arimidex – Take your calcium, vitamin D, zinc and magnesium twice daily with meals. Also follow my journey here and on the osteoporosis site I am building with the intention of getting the word out.

Technorati Tags: ,

physical activity can reduce osteoporosis risk?

Thursday, October 29th, 2009


Two facts (one to dispute an answer I see)
1) Phosphorus absolutely reduces bone strength and makes them more brittle…and pop is FILLED with phosphorus. DON’T drink it.

2) LOAD bearing exercises absolutely increase bone density. Weight lifting and running are best examples. Biking is great for muscles…but NOT for bone density. There is another very recent study on this.

Does an increase in bone density guarantee a bone won’t break?? NO! An increase in bone density simple means the bones are denser than they would be otherwise.

So, keep up load bearing workouts and it will help you not only muscularly but also with bone density.

Half Hour to Health-Osteopororsis-Part 3

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

This is Part 3 of 4, of the Half Hour to Health Talk on Osteoporosis

Duration : 0:7:13

(more…)

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Prevent Osteoporosis Naturally

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

http://matthewloop.meta-ehealth.com

How to prevent Osteoporosis. Find out more natural solutions to health problems in the book “Cracking the Cancer Code.” bone loss

Duration : 0:4:25

(more…)

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , ,

How to Treat Osteoarthritis Symptoms : What Causes Osteoarthritis?

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

What causes Osteoarthritis and Osteoporosis in this free medical treatment video.

Expert: Dr. Susan Jewell
Bio: Dr. Susan Jewell is a trained doctor and scientist in clinical research medicine, as well as a stem cell scientist in oncology and AIDS/HIV.
Filmmaker: Nili Nathan

Duration : 0:1:47

(more…)

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Foods for Osteoporosis

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

Osteoporosis is a conditon that causes bones to become weak and brittle. Learn more about healthy food choices for osteoporosis from a registered dietician in this food video.

Duration : 0:2:59

(more…)

Technorati Tags: , , ,

Postmenopausal Osteoporosis – A Review of New Statistics by: Chima Njoku

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a condition in which a progressive loss of bone density causes bones to be weak and fragile and increases the risk of fracture. Postmenopausal osteoporosis typically occurs after menopause in women between the ages 51 and 75, but it can also occur earlier or later. The main cause of the disease is lack of estrogen, the primary hormone that promotes bone formation in women.

In adults, bones are continuously broken down and rebuilt in a process called remodeling. Before age 30, the body builds more bones than are broken down and as a result, bone mass progressively increases during this period. In women, estrogen regulates this bone building process. Women achieve peak bone mass in their 20s and gradual bone loss begins in their 30s. After menopause, estrogen production declines drastically, and this reduces a woman’s ability to form new bones. As a result, bone loss accelerates. It is estimated that women lose up to 2% of their bone mass each year after menopause, especially in the first 3 – 6 years after menopause.

We have known for decades that the risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis for every woman is not the same. White and Asian women are at greater risk of osteoporosis that Black and Hispanic women. Thin women are particularly susceptible to the disease because they have smaller bones than heavier women, even in their 20s when their bones are at their strongest. Secondly, they have less fat than heavier women. It is believed that fat tissue activates certain parts of estrogen. So, women with less fat have reduced ability to activate estrogen. The combined effects of these two features increase bone turnover in thin women later in life.

What the new statistics reveal is that the incidence of osteoporosis among postmenopausal women is on the rise. For example, it is estimated that the disease affects 75 million older women in U.S, Europe, and Japan. In the United States, an estimated 30 million older women have osteoporosis or low bone density. Each year, 1.5 million osteoporosis-related fractures occur in U.S, and the direct health care costs associated with these fractures are estimated at $18 billion per year. Nearly half of all women and a quarter of men age 50 and older will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture in their remaining lifetime. Furthermore, osteoporosis and low bone mass are now believed to be a major public health threat for 44 million Americans aged 50 and older. By 2010, that number is expected to increase to over 52 million.

Although postmenopausal osteoporosis is a silent disease, it exhibits classic symptoms namely fractures of the arm, vertebrate, and the hip. In U.S, osteoporosis-related hip fractures account for 300, 000 hospitalizations each year. About 20% of postmenopausal women who suffer a hip fracture die within a year, and another 20% of these patients will be in a nursing home within one year.

Without a doubt, the new statistics reveal an epidemic of osteoporosis among postmenopausal women. In the United States, 30 million women have osteoporosis or low bone mass. By 2010, the disease will become a major public health threat for 52 million Americans, most of whom are women. What worries experts is the ability of the disease to “sneak up” on its victims. This explains why millions of women with the disease are unaware that they have it and as a result, they remain untreated. This is a wake up call and women should take steps to protect themselves from this debilitating disease.

Chima Njoku is a biochemist, freelance medical writer, and publisher of free consumer friendly information on vitamins and minerals. Learn how you can reduce bone loss at http://healthsolutionsontheweb.com/Calcium.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

What is the most absorbable form of calcium? Natural vs non natural source?

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

I have osteoporosis. I have initially asked here what the best brand of coral calcium is. I got conflicting replies. Someone gave me tips about coral calcium, Intuition tells me indeed that if it’s from a once living source such as coral it’s better. But then someone said that this too is calcium carbonate. Someone suggested calcium citrate is the best.

Besides, are calcium and magnesium supplements friends or enemies?

At present I’m on calcium carbonate 2mg daily + one monthly vial of vitamin D + Fosamax, the regimen recommended by my doctor.

So what is the best among the three: coral calcium, calcium citrate or my current regimen? Any other suggestion?

Thanks for taking the time to read all this, and possibly respond! Any resources on the web?

1.Calcium Citrate –
Absorption: Calcium is best absorbed in an acidic environment, hence calcium citrate is the best absorbed supplemental form of calcium. It does not require extra stomach acid for absorption, hence we may take it anytime in a day, even on an empty stomach.

Calcium content: Calcium Citrate usually provides less elemental calcium per pill than Calcium Carbonate, therefore one may need to take a relatively more numbers of pills per day to meet the needs.

Pill Size: Calcium Citrate is usually small in capsule form.
If you suffer from acid stomach, it is best to avoid Calcium Citrate.

2.Calcium Carbonate e.g. Tums or Caltrate

Absorption: Calcium Carbonate is alkaline based, it requires extra stomach acid for better absorption, hence it is best taken right after meals or with a glass of acidic juice such as orange juice.

Calcium Content: Calcium Carbonate is the most prevalent calcium supplements in the market . It provides more elemental calcium than Calcium Citrate hence you may not need take as many pills.

Pill Size: Calcium Carbonate usually comes in a bigger tablet, some people may find it harder to swallow.

3.Coral calcium, indeed, is composed of mostly calcium carbonate, just like those you found in Tums or other calcium carbonate supplements from the stores! In addition, in June 2003, the Federal Trade Commission FTC has charged the marketers of Coral Calcium Supreme with making false and unsubstantiated claims about the product’s health benefits.

The Dietary Reference Intake DRI for calcium for adults is 1000mg -1300mg depending on age and gender.

Warning: do not consume more than 2500mg of elemental calcium daily.

NATURAL PRESCRIPTION FOR OSTEOPOROSIS

Increase foods containing calcium, including low-fat dairy products. You can add dry, powdered milk to certain recipes — puddings, meat loafs, muffins, and baked goods-to boost calcium content.

Reduce your protein intake (limit to 6 ounces daily) and your salt intake (avoid the salt shaker and use sparingly in cooking.

Eliminate caffeine, sugar, and alcohol from your diet. Stop smoking

Adopt a program of regular exercise.

TAKE –
Calcium: 1,200 mg of calcium citrate at bedtime.
Magnesium: 400 mg /day.
Boron: 2 mg/day.
Vitamin D: 400 IU /day.

Natural Treatments for Osteoporosis

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

Learn natural ways to prevent Osteoporosis from Dr. Hansen.

Duration : 0:6:12

(more…)

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Are You At Risk for Osteoporosis?

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Learn the risk factors for developing osteoporosis. Dr. Omar El-Abd, MD, from Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s Spine Center, explains what puts you at risk – some risks include smoking, diet, medicines. coffee-drinking, and gender. How much calcium should you have in your diet? For more info, please visit www.nwh.org/spine.

Duration : 0:2:25

(more…)

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,