Osteoporosis Alternative Treatments
Harmonious Healing: Osteoporosis
Alternative Treatments
The dairy industry heavily promotes the idea that one needs to drink 2-3 (or more) servings of milk or dairy products every day for strong bones and teeth. The supplement industry heavily promotes the idea that we need to ensure our calcium intake by taking a daily supplement, which will help our bones stay strong and healthy. We are warned by the modern medical system that if we do not take care of our bones by getting enough calcium, we (especially women) will be at risk for developing osteoporosis, a disease characterized by low bone mass and the deterioration of bone tissue.
One in four women and one in eight men over the age of 50 is said to have osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, or porous bone, usually occurs with structural deterioration of bone tissue, which leads to bone fragility and an increased incidence of fractures, especially in the hip, spine, and wrist. The modern medical system estimates that more than 1.3 million osteoporosis-associated fractures occur every year in the USA alone.
Medical doctors explain osteoporosis as the result of accelerated bone loss due to an imbalance between the normal breakdown and replacement of bone. As bone mass naturally declines as people age, it is commonly seen in older adults. Women are particularly at risk after menopause due to a declining production of estrogen, which is said to help maintain bone mass.
SYMPTOMS AND RISK FACTORS
Osteoporosis is often dubbed the "silent disease" because bone loss can occur without any symptoms. Many people do not know they have this condition until a sudden strain, bump, or fall causes a fracture. If the vertebrae are involved, severe back pain, height loss, and spinal deformities can also be a sign of the condition.
Risk factors for developing osteoporosis include the following:
• History of fracture in an immediate relative
• Being female
• Being thin or having a small frame
• Advanced age
• Family history of osteoporosis
• Personal fracture history (after age 50)
• Estrogen or testosterone deficiency
• Amenorrhea
• Anorexia nervosa
• Low lifetime calcium intake
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Medication use
• Chronic medical conditions
• Inactive lifestyle
• Excessive use of alcohol or caffeine
• Being Caucasian or Asian
PHARMACEUTICAL
MEDICATIONS
The medical system has many medications to treat osteoporosis, but there is no medical cure for this condition. Most of these prescriptions inhibit osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone, to prevent bone loss, but one (teriparatide) stimulates new bone growth. These medications have not been on the market very long, so their long-term effects are not known. All of the drugs have serious risk factors associated with them.
Teriparatide - a synthetic form of human parathyroid hormone (PTH) that is injected daily for no longer than two years.
Alendronate - a pill that reduces the risk of fractures in postmenopausal women.
Risedronate - another pill that reduces the risk of fractures in postmenopausal women.
Raloxifene - a drug that mimics estrogen's positive effects on bone, preventing bone loss.
Calcitonin - a synthetic protein similar to a hormone made by the thyroid used in women at least five years beyond menopause, taken as a nasal spray of injection.
OSTEOPOROSIS AND CALCIUM
Modern medicine insists that calcium is needed for bone health. Many investigations have supported the importance of adequate calcium intake, Showing that getting enough calcium reduces bone loss in adults (and that increased calcium intake in childhood is associated with higher bone mass in adulthood). One study showed that calcium supplementation in postmenopausal women was associated with a very small increase in bone density, and others have shown a decreased incidence of additional vertebral fractures.
Most doctors recommend calcium supplementation for patients who do not get adequate levels through their diet. The general guidelines for calcium include 1000 mg in premenopausal women and men per day and 1500 mg in postmenopausal women who do not take estrogen, not to exceed 2000 mg. Most people associate calcium with dairy products such as cheese, milk, and yogurt, but calcium is also readily available in green vegetables such as spinach or broccoli.
PREVENTION
Measures of prevention can be utilized to help ward off osteoporosis. The medical system recommends, of course, that every individual gets adequate calcium and vitamin D (which is said to help the absorption of calcium). Exercise is also important, as it helps make the bones stronger by forcing them to hold our weight during movements.
AYURVEDA
Ayurveda practitioners often recommend eating a handful of sesame seeds every morning to help prevent osteoporosis.
Drinking calcium-rich almond milk twice a day (once before breakfast and again before bedtime) will also help.
Make your own almond milk by soaking about ten almonds in a cup of warm water for about ten minutes. Peel them and mix them in a blender with one cup of milk (cow, goat, or soy), adding a pinch of cardamom, ginger powder, and saffron (for flavor).
FOOD THERAPY
Eating foods high in calcium while avoiding things that cause the body to excrete excess calcium is another way to fight off osteoporosis. Foods that contribute to calcium loss are meat (beef, poultry, and fish), refined sugars, alcohol, tobacco, salt, and caffeine. Choosing foods that are rich in calcium (green leafy vegetables and dairy products) while you reduce calcium-stripping foods will help stop the calcium loss.
One way to ensure your daily dose of calcium is by juicing. Three kale leaves, two collard leaves, and a handful of parsley, followed by three carrots, half of a green pepper, and one apple will aid in building bone mass when taken regularly.
A large study of older women found that those who consume diets higher in animal protein than vegetable protein experienced more bone loss and hip fractures than those who consume greater amounts of vegetable protein. This study supports the idea that meats contribute to stripping the body of calcium. Interestingly, this study was not largely publicized.
HERBS
Many professional herbalists have been using herbal remedies with success. While the modern medical system has not studied these herbs at length, herbalists and professionals know that they are very effective.
Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) relieves menopausal symptoms; contains estrogen-like substances that protect against bone loss; used by Native Americans for musculoskeletal disorders
Kelp (Fucus vesiculosus L.) - used for musculoskeletal disorders; rich in minerals
Chaste tree (Vitex agnus castus) - used for menstrual and menopausal symptoms
Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa) - used for menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis
Oat Straw (Avena sativa) - boosts hormones that stimulate cell growth
Red clover (Trifolium pratense) - slows bone loss in women
Other herbs - Angelica, Cypress, Hops, Pomegranate husk, Sage, Ginseng, Licorice, Horsetail, Stinging nettle, Knotweed, Hemp nettle, Maerl
TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (ICM), osteoporosis is caused by the deficiency of energy (qi) in the kidneys and a disharmony between the functions of the spleen and stomach. The deficiency of qi in the kidneys is the most important precondition for developing the condition and is manifested as an overall weakness/fatigue, pain in the lower back, wrist, and knees, dizziness, insomnia, frequent urination, dry mouth, asthma, night sweats, cold extremities, and sensitivity to cold. TCM tells us that the kidneys are used for the formation of bone marrow, which nourishes the bones and keeps them healthy and strong. If the qi in the kidneys is insufficient, the bone system will then suffer. When the spleen and stomach functions are not in harmony, the body cannot extract nutrients from food, leading to an insufficiency of minerals and other important components. The cause of this disharmony can be improper eating, anxiety/stress, prolonged illness, fire in the liver, cold in the stomach due to intake of cold foods and drinks, and dampness and heat in the spleen.
Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in TCM involves foods and herbs that tone and warm the kidney qi, regulate the spleen and stomach, restore the body fluids, and stimulate the formation of bone marrow. Qigong meditation is also recommended to help increase inner energy.
Foods: soy, green beans, avocado, black ear mushrooms, tremella, shitake mushrooms, corn, yams, carp, cuttlefish, clams, eel, trigonella, grapefruit, pomelo, tangerines, jojoba, grapes, cherry, chestnuts, walnuts, ganoderma (spiritual mushroom or ling zhi), schizanda berries.
Herbs: chives, nettle, cumin, rosemary, cinnamon, clove, anise seed, fennel, lotus root/seeds, ginseng, Chinese angelica dong quai, and drinaria (gu sui bu).
TRADITIONAL AFRICAN HEALING
According to Traditional African Healing, osteoporosis is a symptom of a greater body dysfunction that is very similar to a hormonal issue. Osteoporosis begins when a person develops an attitude of projecting themselves toward "thinking" rather than "being", in other words, when a person lives their life based on what they believe rather than based on the realities of the body and physical existence. When this happens, people tend to become absorbed in their mental activities, and the body becomes drained in the mental aspect of life. The physical aspect of life then becomes only a part of the background of existence rather than a normal part of active life, and the person becomes more and more distant from his physical nature while becoming more involved with his mental activities and beliefs. These mental activities (intellectualism and beliefs) then become an obsession for the person, and the entire body begins to change itself to accommodate the activities of the brain.
One example of this is seen in the everyday life of most people in industrial countries - we stay away from pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and strong chemicals so that we can protect our health. We wouldn't dream of putting weed killer on our skin, yet we bathe ourselves in perfumes (which are included in most skin, hair, and body products), which are essentially chemicals just like pesticides! We are willing to spend a lot of money on perfumes and put them directly on our skin because we imagine this will make us more desirable, but what we are really doing is putting strong chemicals on our skin that just happen to smell nice. The body will adjust to this virtual reality that the brain has created, and osteoporosis follows as a symptom of this condition, which is really a mental illness. A person must either come back to the body and live within the body's physical realities, or the body will try to come back to the brain and adjust itself to try to fit what the brain believes the body should be. Studies show that children who watch a lot of basketball and aspire to be basketball stars tend to be taller than those who do not - this is an example of the body's attempt to be what the brain thinks it should be.
When this underlying mental condition is coupled with an inactive lifestyle, osteoporosis is the result. The bones need to be used, and if they are not used, they will begin to weaken. It's a situation of "use it or lose it" - if the bones are not used, and thus not needed, the connections within the bones will weaken and eventually disappear, and the bones will begin to be absorbed by the body. The body will absorb the bones, and the calcium crystals from the bones will establish themselves in different parts of the body, causing other health problems such as kidney stones. It is rare to have osteoporosis without accompanying conditions, especially of the liver and heart, which are caused by the reabsorption of the bones.
To begin the healing process, one must fix the organs where the limestone (from the bones) has formed. Fixing these other organs will help reset the harmony of the body. One must also attack the nerve issues that are caused by this condition; one loses nerve connections when one is inactive, and this plays an important role in the progression of osteoporosis.
Prevention of osteoporosis is important and can be accomplished by lifestyle and mental adjustments. One must be active in order to preserve and strengthen the bones. African healing recommends walking (in traditional Africa where there are no cars and only a handful of bikes, walking is a routine part of every day it puts pressure on bones, which will strengthen them, while trying the muscles and the heart. Putting this pressure on the bones stimulates the sensors in the bones, and they will begin to solidify themselves and become very strong.
It is especially important for women to maintain an active lifestyle, as their bodies are more prone to osteoporosis and body dysfunction than a man because the female body is much more fragile. Normal, everyday activities of a woman are seen as being oppressive in modern societies - why should a woman clean the house and do the dishes and wash the clothes and vacuum the floors and.... while the man is just sitting on the couch channel surfing?
But the realities of the female form are such that the female body needs these activities to keep it healthy and strong - being active combats the fundamental fragility of the female body. Remaining active is especially important after menopause when a woman no longer faces the monthly challenges of her cycle or the pressures and strain of childbirth, which all help to keep her body active, strong, and healthy.
Reducing body pollution is also an important aspect of prevention. Artificial hormones like birth control pills and growth hormones ingested from meat play a role in body disharmony and dysfunction. Reducing the body's exposure to artificial chemicals and hormones will help strengthen the entire body and help protect the bones.
Mental changes are also necessary - one must be vigilant in respecting the physical realities of the human body. One must be able to make a difference between what one knows and what one believes and must be able to live their life accordingly. Not knowing the difference between belief and knowledge guarantees brain dysfunction, which results in physical dysfunction.
