Along with it being National Women’s Health Week, it also happens to be National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month.
Osteoporosis commonly occurs when estrogen levels start fluctuating as a result of menopause. When it comes to preventing and treating osteoporosis, conventional physicians typically focus on what I call the “big four”: calcium, vitamin D, conventional hormone replacement therapy (despite its many risks and side effects), and prescription drugs such as Fosamax, Actonel, and Evista. While I agree that calcium and vitamin D are important, I prefer a much more natural overall approach to maintaining bone health.
First, if you choose to balance your estrogen levels using hormone therapy, I highly recommend choosing bioidentical hormones replacement therapy. Second, I don’t recommend the use of prescription drugs like Fosamax because of the risk of gastrointestinal side effects and chemical burning of the esophagus (which is why the package inserts instruct patients to sit upright and refrain from eating for half an hour after taking the drug). Another scary side effect is osteonecrosis–infection and death of bone tissue in the jaw.
Instead, to keep your bones strong, I recommend exercising most days of the week (be sure to include strength training); drinking at least eight glasses of water daily; following an alkaline diet to reduce overacidity in your body (which can affect your bones); and taking the following bone-building supplements:
- Calcium: Post-menopausal women need around 1,2001,500 mg per day. Women with bone loss need around 1,5002,000 mg per day. I recommend calcium carbonate, which is alkaline. Your body can absorb only about 500 mg of calcium at a time, so take it in divided doses.
- Magnesium oxide: 500750 mg per day
- Zinc: 1525 mg per day
- Silica: 2050 mg per day
- Boron: 36 mg per day
- Vitamin K: 40 mcg per day
- Vitamin D: 400800 IU per day
- Mineral-buffered Vitamin C: 1,0003,000 mg (in divided doses) per day