Re: Osteoperosis
A whole book could be written on this subject. Which is why I am doing that. There are so many factors involved including lack of exercise, consumption of carbonated drinks, too much phosphorus intake, nutritional deficiencies, some medications, inadequate stomach acid, lack of intestinal flora, high stress.....
Silica is the most important nutrient for the bones and for the treatment of osteoporosis. Silica helps with the absorption of calcium, is used in the formation of the collagen matrix that gives bones their primary strength, and is responsible for the mineralization of the the collagen matrix. Without the silica in bone the bones could not mineralize with any minerals.
In order for silica to absorb it must be converted in to orthosilicic acid (OA). OA is formed from the solvent action of water on silica, but this conversion is still poor without the presence of acid. Stomach acid facilitates the conversion of silica in to OA. Again, this is why it is so important to maintain the stomach acid. Avoiding antacids, acid blockers, alkaline waters, calcium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, and magnesium oxide and carbonate will help prevent stomach acid loss. And nutrients, in particular B vitamins and zinc will help with maintaining proper stomach acidity.
Even with proper silica levels though, silica cannot mineralize bone without exercise.
Foods that adversely effect bones include dairy, sodas or other carbonated compounds such as sparkling water and fizzy drinks and supplements, over consumption of meats (particularly red meats), and over consumption of sugars. I know that many people think that dairy is bone healthy, but this is just propaganda from the dairy industry. The two highest consumers of daily in the world, the US and Finland, also have the highest osteoporosis rates in the world. There are reasons for this which include poor calcium absorption, high phosphorus content, and acid formation.
Foods that will help bones include fibrous fruits and vegetables, dark green leafy vegetables, seaweeds, and insoluble fiber sources. Phytoestrogen rich foods have also been demonstrated in studies to help with bone density. These include soy, yams, parsley, flax, peas, seaweeds, etc.
Herbs that are particularly helpful include bamboo, nettle leaf, alfalfa, and oatstraw.
Exercise is not only important for mineralization, but this also encourages us to get out in to the sun most of the time, which helps with increasing vitamin D levels, which are essential for bone health. In order to convert vitamin D in to its active form requires properly functioning liver and kidneys. So if you have problems with either the problems should be addressed. By the way vitamin D supplements, including those in milk use inactive vitamin D.
Common medications that contribute to osteoporosis include antacids, acid blockers, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and steroids.
Osteoporosis drugs like Boniva and Fosamax are EXTREMELY dangerous and actually increase the risk of bone fracture. They can also cause severe muscle pain, sometimes permanent, and can cause tissue death of the jawbone. Even more scary is that these drugs can take up to 10 years to get back out of the body.