GOINDIS NATUROPATHY TRUST(INDIA)
Charity Registration No.845/4 dated 03.09.2003
OSTEOPOROSIS – PREVENTION
WITH NATURO-FOOD THERAPY
SANTOKH SINGH PARMAR
FOUNDER TRUSTEES:
Satyendra Singh Goindi, MSc, LLB, ND
Gurkirpal Kaur Goindi, BA, BEd, DPE, ND
Santokh Singh Parmar, B Arch, Dip TP, Dip LA, MRTPI, AITP, AIIA
Devinder Singh Saroya, PCS
Gurmukh Singh Girn, MSc, MCRP, AITP
OSTEOPOROSIS — PREVENTION WITH NATURO-FOOD THERAPY
WHAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS ?
1. Osteoporosis, a metabolic degenerative skeletal disease affecting the whole body, simply means “ porous bones” which increase the risk of breaks and fractures, worsens your posture and shaves inches off your height because of collapsing spinal bones.
2. Bones are alive just like other parts of the body and are continuously reshaped, remodeled and overhauled by getting rid of old bone cells and replacing them with new cells. Bones are hollow inside and are filled with spongy red or yellow bone marrow. If too much old bone is lost, and too little new bone is formed (due primarily to deficiency of calcium and the protein building matrix of bones too), bone density loss can occur making the skeleton porous and weak.
3. Our bones grow at their fastest between the ages 10 -15 years during childhood and adolescence and stop growing around age 21. Bones are at their strongest in the late 20s. As middle age approaches the bones — while remaining strong — very gradually begin to lose their density. This loss or thinning of bones in both men and women continues as we get older.
4. The process speeds up in women in the ten years after the menopause. This is because the ovaries stop producing the female sex hormone oestrogen and oestrogen is one of the substances that helps keep bones strong. Men suffer less from osteoporosis, because their bones are stronger in the first place and they do not suffer as much because they go through the male menopause much later than women. Therefore, women who have less bone mass to begin with, are at a much higher risk than men of getting affected by osteoporosis. Women account for about 80% of all osteoporosis cases.
Osteoporosis Symptoms
5. Like high blood pressure and diabetes, osteoporosis too strikes silently. Amongst most people affected by osteoporosis, bone loss is gradual and generally occurs without discernible symptoms or warning signs until the condition is advanced and is diagnosed after a bone break or fracture. Sometimes, you could fracture a bone and not even know it. Most fractures cause pain, but some don’t. For examples, bones of the spine can fracture without causing pain. Even when the fracture does cause pain, it can be mistaken for, say, arthritis. Which is why, if you have back ache, it is important to find out whether it is from osteoporosis, so that it can be treated appropriately. It is these spine fractures that cause you to become shorter and develop a curved back, a deformity known as “ kyphosis” or “dowager’s hump”.
6. Some of the common symptoms of osteoporosis are: bone pain and tenderness; back and neck pain and discomfort; abdominal pain; rib pain and fatigue; cramps in legs at night; tooth loss and brittle finger nails; feeling tired and exhausted after some work.
What are the Consequences of Osteoporosis ?
7. People with osteoporosis are more likely to break a bone even after a relatively minor injury. Fractures are more likely to the hip, spine or wrist than other parts of the body. Spinal problems occur if the bones (vertebrae) in the spine become weak and they crush together. If several vertebrae are crushed, then the spine will start to curve, This may cause back pain and loss of height. And because there is now less space under the ribs , some people may find difficulty in breathing.
Causes of Osteoporosis
8. A combination of genetic, dietary, hormonal, age-related and lifestyle factors, all contribute to osteoporosis. Bad digestion and unhealthy diet are major causative factors for this silent debilitating disease. When people are depressed, their adrenal glands go into over-drive and produce too much cortical which can cause your bones to thin and lose density. Additionally depressed people may not be eating right and getting any exercise. Briefly, the main causes of osteoporosis are :- poor diet lacking calcium; lack of exercise; sedentary lifestyle; oestrogen deficiency; family history; heavy smoking; heavy drinking; previous fractures; drug abuse like consuming steroids over a long period; rheumatoid arthritis; renal disease; low body weight.
Detection of Osteoporosis
9. The best way to check your bone health is by Bone Mineral Density (BMD) test which measures bone density in various parts of the body, mainly hip, spine and wrist joints. X-rays of the spine, hips and wrists, blood tests and DEXA tests can detect severity of osteoporosis.
Preventing Osteoporosis with Naturo-Food Therapy
10. Thankfully osteoporosis is largely preventable by appropriate nutrition, exercise and a healthy lifestyle from a young age. A diet rich in calcium and vitamin D and moderate in proteins is essential for healthy bones. Naturo-Food Therapy stems from the unique gift of Nature – that the human body can cure itself provided we allow Nature to take its own course without hindering it by unhealthy eating and by unwise use of drugs and medicines which invariably have harmful side-effects. The most simple and basic tenet of Naturo -Food Therapy is to replace gradually the diseased blood with new healthy blood by consuming health-giving and nutritious plant-based vegetarian diets of seasonal and regional fruits and raw/steamed vegetables (organic if possible) sprouted wholegrains/seeds, herbs and nuts. The nutrient/antioxidant/fibre-rich natural diets mop up harmful free radicals and strengthen the body’s immune system, which (i) boosts the body’s ability to overcome virtually all kinds of diseases, (ii) increases the body’s resistance to infections and (iii) slows down the ageing process.
11. Dietary Calcium — Mainly from milk and its products (at least 1200-1500 mg daily for adults) is necessary to maintain the level of this mineral in bones. Calcium is also needed for the heart, muscles and nerves to function properly. Strong muscles are especially important to balance, helping to prevent falls and aid everyday functioning as we age. Whenever the body circulation needs calcium, the bones, in the absence of dietary calcium, are the resource and this leads to osteoporosis.
12. The emphasis on calcium to build strong bones sometimes obscures the importance of another essential ingredients for bone health and osteoporosis prevention — Vit D. Vitamin D promotes the absorption of dietary calcium. When the old bone tissue is disposed through the kidneys, Vit D also helps to reabsorb it. Fresh sunlight early in the morning is richer in ultra violet rays that is most effective in metabolising Vit D from provitamin contained in the skin fat. Sunlight is the main normal and natural source of Vit D. Other sources of Vit D are oily fish and fortified foods like fortified breakfast cereals, egg yolk, milk products, sweet potatoes, alfalfa, oats, soya products, almonds, vegetable oils.
13. Along with calcium and vitamin D, you need potassium and magnesium , two minerals that prevent the leaching of calcium from the bones. Potassium is present in all fruits (especially bananas) and vegetables, while leafy greens, wholegrain and wholepulses are good sources of magnesium. Other minerals and vitamins that aid prevention of osteoporosis are Sulphur, Boron, Silicon, Vit A, Vit Bcomplex, Vit C and Vit K.
Beneficial Foods to Prevent Osteoporosis
14. The following foods are known to build strong bones and can help prevent osteoporosis occurring in the first place and arrest its progression:-
Dairy Products – Low fat milk and yoghurt; cottage and cheddar cheese; sour milk products; eggs.
Fruits — Pineapple; oranges; berries of all kinds (blueberries, cherries, strawberries etc.); lemons; apricots; bananas; papayas; dates; figs.
Vegetables — Green leafy vegetables; broccoli; cabbage; beetroot; carrots; potatoes with skin; red/green peppers; turnip greens; iceberg lettuce; garlic; onions; black pepper.
Whole Grains and their Sprouts – Barley; millets; brown rice; oats; corn; wheat in moderation only.
Whole Legumes/Pulses and their Sprouts (in moderation only) — Soya beans; tofu; chick peas; Bengal gram (kala chana); green gram (moong).
Nuts and Seeds — Almonds; peanuts; sesame seeds; sunflower seeds;
Seafood — Oily fish; shrimps; tinned sardines; cod liver oil.
Dietary Precautions to avoid Osteoporosis
15. In addition to consuming the right kind of foods as described before, it will also be helpful in the prevention of osteoporosis to take account of the following precautions/guidelines:-
i Consuming too much protein can leach calcium from your bones. Digestion of proteins releases acids into the blood stream which the body neutralises by drawing calcium from the bones. Animal protein seems to cause more of this calcium leaching than vegetable protein does.
ii Consume less salt and caffeine (in tea, coffee and cocoa), as they increase the amount of calcium your body gets rid of through urine.
iii Excessive consumption of preformed vitamin A in animal foods can promote fractures. Vitamin A derived from beta-carotene does not seem to increase the fracture risk.
iv Avoid overeating and heavy meals. Chew food well to a creamy state before swallowing.
EXERCISE AND OSTEOPOROSIS
16. Exercise plays an important role in prevention as well as management of osteoporosis. If you can maintain relatively high level of physical activity throughout your lifetime, you may be able to slow the rate of age-related bone loss and if not prevent, at least delay your risk of osteoporosis. Regular exercise, in addition to preventing bone loss, can help maintain posture, enhance balance and flexibility, and improve overall fitness. In order to prevent osteoporosis, it is imperative to integrate the strengthening exercise regimen with the intake of adequate amounts of calcium rich foods.
Weight Bearing Exercises
17. Many experts think that weight bearing exercises, which put tension and stress to muscle and bone and force you to work against gravity, prevent bones from deteriorating. These can be as simple as step training i.e. eight minutes stepping up and down from a six inch high stepper. Brisk walking is the ideal weight-bearing exercise, which carries minimum risk of injury. Apart from walking, jogging, hiking, stair climbing, racquet sports and dancing help in the building of strong bones.
Resistance Training Exercises
18. These should involve major muscle groups affecting the bones of the upper and lower body and include the following:-
i Sitting Knee Extension — This exercise strengthens thigh muscles i.e. quadriceps. Sit on the chair with your back straight. Tie ½ to 1 kg weight around ankle. Slowly straighten the knee while lifting your weighted heel a few inches from the floor. Repeat 8 to 10 times and same with the other knee. Do this for three sets.
ii Upper Back Lift — This exercise strengthens upper back muscles. Lie face down on the floor with arms at sides with a rolled towel under the forehead. Inhale and raise head and chest a few inches from the floor for five seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
iii Shoulder Strengthening — This exercise strengthens upper back muscles of the arms i.e. triceps. Stand with one leg in front of the other. Hold the chair with one hand. Hold ½ to 1 kg weight in the other hand. Move this hand backward as far as possible and return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise 8 to 10 times.
iv Wall Exercise — This exercise stretches the shoulders and tones up upper back. Stand facing the wall, arms at the sides 6” from the wall. Place hands on the side. Inhale and raise the right hand upward and stretch down the left arm. Exhale and lower the right arm to the starting position and raise the left arm. Repeat this exercise 8 times.
v Exercise for Lower Back — Lie on your back with knees bent. Tighten your abdomen muscles and push your pelvis down to the floor. Hold for five seconds and return back. Repeat this exercise 5 times.
vi Wrist and Forearm — Rest the forearm on the table top with your hand over the end of the table. Hold the weight with palm facing upwards. Move the wrist up and down 8-10 times for two sets. Now hold the weight with the palm facing downwards and move the wrist up/down 8-10 times for two sets.
vii Fingers — Wrap a rubber band around fingers and thumb. Spread the fingers and the thumb apart. Hold till you get tired and return to the starting position.
viii Foot-Towel Curls — Place a small wet towel on the floor and curl it towards you with toes. Repeat this exercise 5 times.
Exercise Precautions
19. The following simple precautions should help in performing resistance-training exercises:-
i Warm up before starting and cool down after each exercise session.
ii Weight training exercises should be performed every third day. This gives the body a chance to recover from muscle fatigue.
iii As one builds strength it is important to increase resistance or weight rather than repetition.
iv Morning stiffness after exercise is normal. In case pain persists in the joints or muscles, it is better to reduce the weight and repetitions by 25 to 50 per cent.
v In case of pain, apply ice for 10 to 15 minutes to the affected area.
vi Stretch band is an excellent tool for strength training for the elderly since the risks of injury are minimized.
Balance Boosters
20. Avoiding fractures also means avoiding falls. Poor balance often relates to weakness and the goal should be to become strong with the following easy balance exercises:-
i Sit to Stand — Sit on a chair. Focus your eyes on a target 10-20 feet away while changing from a sitting to standing position. Repeat the exercise with your eyes closed. Be aware of your body position as you move. When you stand, do not take any support from your hands, keep your feet forward, knees apart, and your back straight.
ii Calf Raise — Stand near a heavy chair (or desk or counter) and hold on lightly for support. Keep your feet parallel and shoulder width apart. Rise up on your toes to a point of resistance. Hold for 10 seconds and slowly return to the starting position. Repeat twice. Gradually increase the height of the raise; don’t try to go too high at first.
iii Single Leg Stand — Hold onto a sturdy chair or table edge with one hand. Lift one foot slightly. Take your hand away from the support a small distance and try to maintain your balance for five seconds. Repeat with the other leg. Each day try to increase the number of repetitions.
iv Apart form these, you should try heel-to-toe walking, walking on tiptoes, standing on one leg, which are also simple to do.
DIET GUIDELINES FOR A HEALTHY & DISEASE-FREE LIFE
There is no “best” or “ideal” diet and no “good or “bad” foods so long as you stick to natural sources. Moderation, variety and balance are the keys to healthy eating. Also, food is more than the nutrition it provides – it is also a part of the way we enjoy and celebrate life. The following diet guidelines have been prepared accordingly:-
- 1. Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle – Change the way you live each day. Fortify your immune system with regular exercise and healthy eating with natural foods. Find time to enjoy and nurture yourself with some fun, laughter, relaxation and adequate sleep.
- 2. You are What You Eat – Maintain ideal healthy weight. Don’t live to eat but eat to live a disease-free life as ordained by NATURE.
- 3. Look after Your Digestive System – Eat less in moderation and more often i.e. have 7-8 small nutritious meals and snacks (say every 2-2½ hours) instead of 2-3 large heavy meals a day. Don’t ever overeat and chew the food to a creamy state with digestive saliva containing enzymes before swallowing.
- 4. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables – Include a liberal quantity of fresh seasonal and regional fruits, raw or steamed vegetables and salads in your daily diet to fulfill 50-60% of your daily energy requirements.
- 5. Eat More Sprouts & Fibre – Eat wholegrain cereals and pulses, preferably sprouted, for optimum fibre and nutrition as minerals and vitamins are attached to the bran and they increase manifold on sprouting.
- 6. Eat Nuts and Seeds – Consume a handful of nuts like almonds, wallnuts and seeds like pumpkin and sesame regularly 5-6 times a week.
- 7. Eat Carminative and Digestive Herbs and Spices – Include ginger, garlic, onions, cumin seeds (jeera), fennel (saunf), aesphotida (hing), black pepper, caraway seeds (ajwain), turmeric (haldi), cardamom (elaichi), basil (tulsi), mint (pudina), curry leaves (curhi patta) in your diet and cooking.
- 8. Cook Vegetables Conservatively – Do not cook vegetables in lots of oil. Freshly cut and prepared vegetables should be steamed, lightly sauted or slowly stewed or stir-fried or baked but not deep-fried and overcooked at all to preserve minerals, vitamins and enzymes.
- 9. Never skip Breakfast – Eat a fruit instead of tea or coffee within 15-20 minutes of waking followed by a nutritious breakfast later.
- 10. Eat Light Dinner – Have your last meal or snack 2-2½ hours before hitting the bed.
- 11. Don’t get dehydrated – Drink at least 2-2½ liters (more if you exercise, are overweight and in hot weather) of water at regular intervals. If just too boring, add lemon wedges or mint leaves for flavour in the jug of water.
- 12. Avoid Drinking Water with Meals – Drink water about an hour before or after meals to avoid diluting the digestive juices.
- 13. Don’t follow Fad Diets – These diets don’t include all the food groups and nutrients and these never work in the longterm. Mantra is to simply eat healthy.
- 14. Avoid the Three White Poisons – Excessive intake of Sugar, Salt and Starch (Maida) and their products should be avoided as far as possible.
- 15. Totally eliminate Junk Food from Your Diet – Avoid fat-rich, refined, processed and fried junk foods and beverages like colas and fizzy drinks laden with harmful chemical additives and preservatives.
- 16.Detox Yourself – Go on a detoxification diet only of fruits and vegetables and their juices to get rid of toxins after every two weeks.
Santokh Singh Parmar
Naturo-Food Therapist & Lifestyle Consultant
Mobile: +91(0) 9815922330
Websites: www.naturofoodtherapy.org & www.foodtherapy.org
MAY 2009
Note: The above information and advice and indicative remedies are not a substitute for the advice, your doctor or naturo-food therapist may give you based on his/her knowledge of yourself.