What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a nutritional deficiency caused by lack of calcium,iron and vitamin D. It is a condition whereby the body makes more bones or less bones that are weak.

It is a lifestyle disorder and

Osteoporosis patient with a vertebrae fracture

Most lifestyle conditions or diseases are caused by malnutrition, which refers to the inappropriate manipulation of a person’s diet that does not provide enough nutrients or the right proportional balance of nutrients for optimal health. Over the years the USA has been on the verge of nutritional diseases because of the manipulation and evolution of lifestyle and changes in diets.

In most cases, malnutrition is caused by Inadequate food supply, food insecurity and poor sanitation which result in diseases such as hypertension, osteoporosis, underweight, kwashiorkor, marasmus and anaemia.

According to research and statistics,one of the leading nutritional disorders in the USA is osteoporosis and is approximated to have affected 53.6 million people or 54% of USA older adults in 2010. The general number varied by sex and ethnicity, with women and non-Hispanic Whites being of the largest counts.

The patterns of osteoporosis by age also varied between men and women. A large number of individuals with osteoporosis accentuates the importance of addressing bone health in the older population to curtail clinical cases of fragile fractures.

To prevent such complications, there is a need for a solution that will primarily execute the above disorder.

Most people who suffer from this disease, are likely to be adults at the age of 50 onwards with over 10 million people in the USA suffering from it.

Symptoms of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a silent ailment because you can’t feel or tell if you have weak bones or lost some bones.

The Symptoms include bone fractures during daily activities such as falling from standing height, sometimes It could be a vertebral fracture in the spine as a result of shortening or curving of your spine and causing you to hunch over.

There are two types of osteoporosis: primary and secondary.


Primary osteoporosis


This type of bone loss happens as you age and your bones worsen. Hormones play a role, too. Post-menopausal women often experience significant bone loss.

This is because the female body doesn’t produce much estrogen after menopause.
As far as women are concerned, Men also are at risk for osteoporosis as well. The blood protein called globulin decreases testosterone and estrogen levels which may render bone loss.


Secondary osteoporosis

Some diseases and medications can result in an imbalance in bone minerals and sex hormones. Diseases such as inflammatory such as rheumatoid arthritis can be treated with glucocorticoids, a steroid hormone linked to drug-induced osteoporosis
Some research has shown that have a bone mass density declines within three to six months of starting glucocorticoid therapy.


Causes of osteoporosis.


Osteoporosis is a bone reduction disorder due to a drop in estrogen levels in the body. Estrogen is a hormone that helps build and maintain your bones. And The vastly common cause of estrogen loss in women is menopause.
Other factors include:


Gender: Women are more likely to develop osteoporosis. They, have smaller bones and lower peak bone mass than men. A man’s risk stimulates and increases after the age of 70. Bone loss occurs faster as you age, as your body doesn’t replace bone tissue quickly.


Race: Mostly the White Asian women and white men are at the highest risk.


Genetics: Research studies suggest that the risk for bone loss and fractures may be higher if one of your parents suffers from osteoporosis.


Lifestyle Choice and diets: If your diet doesn’t constitute enough calcium or vitamin D, you have a higher risk of bone loss. So as smoking and drinking also contribute to bone loss.


Medical Conditions: if you are likely to suffer from hormonal diseases, Endocrine, gastrointestinal issues, certain HIV/AIDS, cancer or anorexia, they can increase your osteoporosis risk.

Diagnosis of osteoporosis

The most common and best way to measure your bone tissue is through a BMD (Bone Mass Density) test. A special machine that detects the number of minerals in a certain area of bone.


The BMD tests are done on different bones in your body, ranging from Hips, Spine, Forearm, elbow, wrist, Heel and Finger.


The test is painless, and the results can help your doctor make recommendations to protect your bone health and prevent bone loss.

Below is a range of products that inspire a solution to this disorder, they include;


 Yoga


 Walking, hiking and dancing


 Acupuncture, a therapy used in traditional Chinese Medicine, is often combined with herbal therapies.


 Tai chi, an ancient Chinese practice involved is a series of body postures and movements that flow smoothly from one to another. It reduces joint pains and stiffness, muscle strength and coordination


 Melatonin, a hormone that’s is made by the pineal glands in the body. They are touted as natural sleep aids as well as inflammatory agents. They are found In tablets, capsules and liquids But they can cause drowsiness if endorsed with antidepressants, blood pressure medications, and beta-blockers. So you should consider talking to your doctor.

 Horsetail, a plant with possible medicinal properties. It contains silicon which is believed to help with bone loss by stimulating bone regeneration. Horsetail can be taken as a tea, tincture, or herbal compress. It can react negatively with alcohol, nicotine patches, and diuretics, and it’s advised to stay properly hydrated when you’re using it.

References:

Health, N. R. C. (US) C. on D. and. (1989). Dietary Intake and Nutritional Status: Trends and Assessment. In http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK218765/

Nall, R. (2017, January 25). Your 7-Day Osteoporosis Diet Plan. Healthline; Healthline Media. https://www.healthline.com/health/managing-osteoporosis/7-day-osteoporosis-diet-plan

National Osteoporosis Foundation. (2016). Osteoporosis Diet & Nutrition: Foods for Bone Health. National Osteoporosis Foundation. https://www.nof.org/patients/treatment/nutrition/

Conrad, M. (2019, July 15). Menopause. MedicineNet; MedicineNet. https://www.medicinenet.com/menopause/article.htm
Wright, N. C., Looker, A. C., Saag, K. G., Curtis, J. R., Delzell, E. S., Randall, S., & Dawson-Hughes, B. (2014). The Recent Prevalence of Osteoporosis and Low Bone Mass in the United States Based on Bone Mineral Density at the Femoral Neck or Lumbar Spine. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 29(11), 2520–2526. https://doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.2269
Recipes for an Osteoporosis Prevention Diet | Everyday Health. (n.d.). EverydayHealth.com. https://www.everydayhealth.com/osteoporosis-pictures/top-foods-that-help-protect-your-bones-1123.aspx

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