Strong, Healthy Bones & Solutions to Prevent Osteoporosis

Bone health is vital for optimal health, preventing osteopenia and reducing risk of osteoporosis. It’s tragic that bisphosphonate drugs including Fosamax, Actonel and Boniva continue to be touted as the answer to osteoporosis. A study found that long-term users of these drugs had a two-fold increased risk of esophageal cancer, suppression of bone remodeling, bone pain, muscle aches and muscle cramps. Did you know that osteoporosis drugs actually cause more harm, producing weaker bones and causing higher incidence of fractures? The good news is there’s plenty you can do to prevent osteoporosis, increase bone health and maintain bone strength.

Related post → Osteoporosis Risk Factors

Solutions to Increase Bone Density and Maintain Bone Strength

Food as Medicine for Strong Bones

Avoid pasteurized dairy. Yep, you read that correctly. Calcium is the main nutrient that comes to most minds for improving bone health. Many people believe milk is the best source of calcium and that it’s necessary for strong bones. Did you know that fracture rates are significantly higher for those that drink 3 or more cups of milk daily? (Harvard Nurses Study). Over an 18 year period, 190,000 men & women were evaluated, and studies concluded, “Neither milk nor a high-calcium diet reduces osteoporosis.”
Consume nutrient-dense leafy greens and vegetables. Leafy greens such as kale, dandelion, mustard greens and other leafy greens contain much higher calcium values than milk. Just one cup of kale has 350mg of calcium! If you find it difficult to meet the intake of 10-15 servings of vegetables daily, consider green smoothies.
Reduce intake of foods high in oxalates (soy, wheat, strawberries, beer, nuts, sweet potatoes, walnuts, beets, spinach) since they bind to calcium in your digestive tract, prevent absorption of important minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron and cause kidney stones. Steaming, soaking or boiling reduces oxalic acid in food.
Reduce intake of foods high in phytates (soy, nuts, seeds, wheat, grains, legumes), which not only cause digestive distress, but also cause mineral deficiencies and inhibit absorption of minerals. Soaking helps reduce phytic acids.
Homemade bone broth, gelatin, wild-caught fish and sardines with the bones.
Consume adequate amounts of protein. Protein makes up 20-30 percent of bone mass. Studies have shown that bone density improves by increasing protein consumption (from grass-fed and pastured-raised animals) as long as the intake of calcium, vitamin D and vitamin D are at optimal levels.
Consume boron-rich foods (apples, pears).
Avoid processed, inflammatory foods. A SAD (standard American Diet) diet of fast, fake and processed foods produce inflammation, an acidic environment that depletes minerals, and biochemical and metabolic conditions in your body that decrease bone density.
Avoid HFCS. A study by the USDA, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, found that fructose alters the body's balance of magnesium, leading to increased bone loss.
Avoid processed grains, wheat and gluten, which cause mineral deficiencies, digestive distress, prevent mineral absorption, and reduce bone density.
Consume a healthy balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fats. A study published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage found that omega-3 fatty acids reduce risk of osteoporosis by 50 percent!
Eliminate processed vegetables oils such as corn, canola, cottonseed, safflower and soybean oil. Instead, include healthy saturated fats such as coconut oil, pastured butter, egg yolks and plenty of EPA, DHA and GLA.
Hydrate. Drink a sufficient amount of water daily and add some unprocessed salt for additional minerals.
Tea. Red clover tea can be beneficial for post-menopausal women. Dandelion tea is not only nourishing for the liver, it also helps build bone density.
Fermented soy in small amounts can be beneficial for post-menopausal women. Never consume processed, GMO soy in any form.
Ditch all soda, including diet. Consumption of carbonated soft drinks are associated with an increase in bone fractures, osteoporosis and decreased hip bone mineral density.
Maintain a normal pH, a sign of how your body is managing mineral reserves.

Lifestyle Tips for Strong Bones

Address digestion and gut function. More often than not, those diagnosed with osteoporosis tend to have malabsorption issues and gut dysfunction. A healthy function gut is crucial for bone health.
Sunlight. Spend time outdoors in the sun daily for at least 15 or 20 minutes without sunscreen. Your skin makes vitamin D from sun exposure and one of the primary reasons why people including kids are deficient in vitamin D is because they're not spending enough time outdoors or are wearing sunscreen (which blocks vitamin D production). Calcium is best absorbed with synergists, vitamin D and magnesium. (Am, J, Clin. Nutr. Oct 94;573-578)
Avoid fluoride found in toothpaste, some brands of tea and processed foods, unfiltered water and many OTC and Rx drugs. Instead use non-flouride toothpaste.
Reduce sources of inflammation. Underlying infections, gum disease, imbalanced gut flora, and other sources of inflammation.
Test for and monitor homocysteine. Elevated homocysteine levels result in increased risk of bone loss, fractures and greater inflammation.
Balance hormones. Endocrine dysfunction, specifically thyroid, cortisol and parathyroid dysfunction is common with osteoporosis.
Rule out toxic metal body burdens: aluminum, lead, mercury, cadmium and tin. Increased exposure to aluminum is commonly found in who are osteoporotic.
If you smoke, Quit!
Reduce Stress. Stress increases cortisol, which increases osteoclast (bone breakdown) activity. Whether the stress is emotional, the result of a processed, demineralized diet, underlying infections or a sedentary lifestyle, cortisol is increased, which results in greater bone loss.
NTx is a simple, inexpensive urine test that measures bone breakdown and can monitor bone loss on a daily basis. On the other hand, bone density tests reveal if you’ve lost or gained bone which only show changes over a prolonged period of time (9-12 months). A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) revealed that bone mineral density scans are often performed too often on people, and in many cases may not even be necessary.

Exercise for Strong Bones

Weight-bearing exercises such as walking, sprinting, running stairs and bleachers, rebounding, hiking, jump rope, tennis, dancing, or a resistance strength training program with weights heavy enough to provide a stimulus to the bone, muscle and connective tissue performed consistently.
According to studies, yoga is the number one activity that increases spine density in women. Consistency is the key!

Supplements & Nutrients for Strong Bones

HCL/Digestive Enzymes --- Hypochlorohydria or low stomach acid is an extremely common condition in those with osteoporosis and osteopenia.
Beware of drugs associated with bone loss (Steroids, calcium channel blockers, PPIs, antacids, synthetic thyroid, antidepressants and SSRIs). OTC drugs such as Tums are mostly calcium carbonate, the least well-absorbed form of calcium, and contain toxic aluminum! Long-term proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy is associated with an increased risk of hip fractures. SSRIs can impact bone health and SSRI use is associated with an increased loss of bone.

Bisphosphonates such as Fosomax, Boniva and Didronel. Side effects from these drugs include skin rashes, muscle aches, inflammation, musculosketal and bone pain, electrolyte disturbance, osteomalacia, seizures, esophagitis and esophageal cancer.

Minerals especially zinc for osteoblast/osteoclast formation and magnesium to increase bone mineralization, along with a mineral-rich blend of manganese, boron, copper, strontium, silica (Osteo B II)
- A deficiency in manganese may accelerate bone loss as well as result in defective bone formation.
- Strontium may be a more effect and less expensive alternative to Bisphosphonates such as fosamax, actonel, etc. It helps reverse osteoposoris and helps prevent recurrence of fractures in those who have suffered a fracture due to osteoporosis.
Vitamin D serves in the body’s ability to absorb calcium. Optimize vitamin D levels. According to a study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, the best supplements may not be what you think. Consider vitamin D, magnesium and potassium. In fact, the article didn't even mention calcium. Instead, the researchers focused entirely on the importance of magnesium. Ninety percent of individuals in the U.S. are deficient in magnesium. As much as 50% of magnesium is found in the bones.
Vitamin K2 at a dose of 185 mcg/day serves as the biological "glue" that helps plug the calcium into your bone matrix.

Vitamin K prevents and treats osteoporosis by reducing the risk of fractures. Seventy-five percent of vitamin K in the body is made in the gastrointestinal tract, and 25% comes from the diet. Vitamin K requirements increase with age. Neither calcium or vitamin D can produce healthy bone mineralization without adequate vitamin K. Vitamin K comes in two natural forms: K1 found in green leafy vegetables, and K2 is found in meat and eggs. Fermented foods such as natto, typically have the highest concentration of vitamin K found in the human diet. Note: Do not take vitamin K if you’re taking Coumadin. Only in this setting will is cause a problem because it interferes with Coumadin’s drug actions.

Essential fatty acids. Fish oil. EFA Sirt Supreme, a blend of EPA, DHA and GLA reduces inflammatory mediators that stimulate osteoclasts and is not only beneficial for bone health, but also your skin, brain, heart, mood and hormones. EFA Sirt Supreme has been screened for peroxides, PCBs, mercury and other toxic metals.
B12 and folate.
Antioxidants In a study involving 34 postmenopausal women, supplementation with a combination of antioxidant vitamins (600 mg/d vitamin E, 1000 mg/d vitamin C) for a period of 6 months was found to protect against bone loss as effectively as resistance training (3 times/week
Probiotics facilitate mineral absorption, support a healthy microbiome and the growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon.
AS extract. A study involving postmenopausal women with osteopenia and osteoporosis found supplementation with an oriental herb, the extract of Acanthopanax senticosus was found to be beneficial for bone turnover.
Natural progesterone can increase bone strength by serving as a growth promoter to the osteoblasts (cells that build bone).

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