Osteoporosis – Greek for Porous Bones Osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by low bone mass and the deterioration of bone tissue. This leads to increased bone fragility and risk of fracture (broken bones), particularly of the hip, spine, wrist and shoulder. Osteoporosis or bone loss occurs without symptoms. For most of us Osteoporosis is a term more likely associated with older women. Most men probably don’t even realize that osteoporosis, the subject of much research and high-profile campaigns targeting women, is also a problem suffered by one in five men. Both men and women begin to lose bone mass in their 30s, and although women generally lose this mass at a faster rate than men, especially in the menopausal years, men are also at significant risk of osteoporosis as they age. So what can men do to prevent bone loss? First you have to understand the factors that can cause bone loss such as the consumption of mass quantities of alcohol, smoking, lack of physical activity, inadequate calcium or vitamin D, androgen deprivation therapy (as used in treatment of prostate cancer), chemotherapy, chronic use of glucocorticoid medication (a steroid hormone generally used to reduce inflammation that can lead to bone loss in as little as three to six months of regular use), malabsorption syndromes (disorders that interfere with nutrient absorption, such as celiac disease or cystic fibrosis), chronic inflammatory diseases, low body weight (less than 60 kg) or substantial weight loss (more than 10 percent of body weight) and family history of hip fracture. Knowing about these factors can help you to determine your risk level in order to modify diet and lifestyle to help lower your risk. Foods to eat to help strengthen our bones! Dried fruits, nuts and avocados which contain boron; Dairy, sesame seeds, almonds, green leafy vegetables, canned fish with bones and tofu contain calcium; Pumpkin, sesame seeds and soybeans which contain Magnesium; Whole grains, dried fruit and seafood contain Silicon; Fatty fish such as salmon, fortified milk and milk alternatives contain Vitamin D and finally Kale, spinach, collard greens, chard, Brussels sprouts (for K1), eggs, cheese and fermented foods (for K2) contain Vitamin K1 and K2 Foods to stay away from! Foods high in salt are not only bad for the heart, but high sodium intake can also cause calcium loss, which is bad for your bones, as well as, high caffeine intake (three cups a day of coffee or any other beverage containing high levels of caffeine) which can also cause calcium loss from the body. 1
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