A number of factors combine to maintain healthy bones

Another gorgeous weekend in Vancouver and a fantastic atmosphere is continuing here as we are half-way through the 2010 Winter Olympics.  The fun is being had by all and you can see flags everywhere from downtown right out to the clinic in Burnaby!  I LOVE IT!!!

The topic of bone health has been cropping up in the clinic a lot as of late.  Most people think that drinking milk and getting adequate calcium is the key to maintaining bone health and preventing osteoporosis.  The truth is that while this has been marketed to the public very effectively, the truth is the bone density is affected more by other factors.

In terms of nutrients, Vitamin D is important.  Particularly in the Greater Vancouver area and the lower mainland, there are significant periods of the winter where there can be very little sunlight.  As a result, your body’s natural production of Vitamin D suffers.  There are many trace minerals that play important roles here too.

Because bones respond to stress, weight-bearing exercise is important to stimulating bone growth.  These types of exercise should be a focus for people at risk for osteoporosis.

Finally, and probably most importantly, the diet plays a vital role in maintaining good bone health.  The benefit comes from alkalinizing the body to prevent calcium and other minerals from being leeched out of your skeleton.  Your bones serve as a reservoir of minerals and they can be depleted if you consume too much pop, coffee, and red meat.  Perhaps your best defense against low bone density doesn’t have to come in the form of a pill, but more like a tasty plate of veggies!

http://www.bjdcanada.org

Prolotherapy is an approach to improve joint health