I recently had a big shock when I was diagnosed with osteopenia. Osteopenia is to osteoporosis as pre-diabetes is to diabetes ie the situation is already serious and something needs to be done! My scoliosis (S-shaped side to side curve of the spine) has taken a big turn for the worse, with frequent pain, especially when standing and walking. Is my weakened spine crumbling / collapsing? I do wonder.
Of course I researched diet. Adequate calcium intake is defined as 1200mg for women over 70. However, too much dietary calcium may end up blocking arteries! The best sources of calcium by far are dairy and fish bones (as in tinned sardines and salmon). To get 1200mg of calcium from plant sources would require consuming quite unrealistic amounts of eg spinach. To make that worse, spinach is suspected of impairing absorption of calcium. For those of us who have given up milk, only cheese is left, and for those of us who need to eat low calorie as well as low carb IMO the only solution is calcium tablets. Since I am very under-weight, eating lots of cheese (especially hard British cheese such as Cheddar, the highest in calcium) is calorie-wise not a problem, though upping my cheese intake will likely not help my LDL.
For calcium absorption, vitamin D is needed. Collagen (gelatin) is also said to be very important for strong bones. I have bought a tub of high quality powdered collagen (at huge expense) and am consuming 1 heaped T daily.
I read that we can't absorb more than 500mg calcium at one time, so I am keeping a spreadsheet and programming 2 meals with 500mg and a snack in between with 200mg. I have some good quality calcium tablets for a backup any time I don't meet my target by diet.
Are 1200mg of calcium really necessary for a woman over 70? I have no idea.
I do urge anyone, especially if you are eating low carb and avoiding milk, at least to check out your calcium intake.
I'd love to hear from anyone with osteopenia or osteoporosis.
@Dr Snoddy, thanks very much for the encouragement. Your success is admirable. I hope to follow your example. I don't at all like the sound of the drugs on offer, so it will be diet and exercise for me. Thank heaven for Cheddar cheese.So a nutritional drug-free approach has worked for me so far. I also put the diabetes into remission in the same time frame.
If you decide that you do need more calcium I would suggest getting one of the forms that is more bioavailable like calcium citrate.
To clarify, I have never heard of a low carb diet's leading to bone weakness. However, if one is avoiding milk and restricting yoghurt in one's low carb diet (as I do) AND restricting cheese intake in order to keep calories down, AND one is a woman over 70, it may be hard to get recommended levels of calcium in one's diet. Whether those recommendations are correct is another matter entirely.I do urge anyone, especially if you are eating low carb and avoiding milk, at least to check out your calcium intake.
To clarify, I have never heard of a low carb diet's leading to bone weakness. However, if one is avoiding milk and restricting yoghurt in one's low carb diet (as I do) AND restricting cheese intake in order to keep calories down, AND one is a woman over 70, it may be hard to get recommended levels of calcium in one's diet. Whether those recommendations are correct is another matter entirely.
@AndBreathe, I have not had my vitamin D levels tested recently, but I am taking the highest daily dose that is considered safe, and because I have digestive problems which may well impair absorption I use a spray. I have recently begun taking K2 separately - the MK7 form. Thanks for asking.Alexandra, how are your vitamin D levels? It is important they remain at a good point, which in my view is right a the top of the "normal" range, or a little higher. If you are taking Vitamin D, it should be D3, with K2 for increased bio-availability.
Which medical team are caring for you relating to your bone health?
@Dr Snoddy, yes its very interesting that in New Zealand 500mg calcium is considered sufficient, whereas here, "The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that women aged 50 or younger and men 70 or younger should get 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium per day. Men and women older than that should get 1,200 mg daily."You may find this interesting. It is the official guidance for the treatment of osteoporosis in New Zealand.
@Dr Snoddy, yes, I recently learned about this from a video by Dr Ken Berry. I would certainly not adopt him as my guru, but he has influenced me to start taking collagen every day precisely in order to improve my bone strength. I have not yet adopted his strategy of eating egg shells in order to ingest a high (and free) dose of calcium!Also, just remembered that a DEXA scan measures bone density which does not necessarily equate to bone strength.
@Dr Snoddy I used to eat tofu every day, until I read 2 large population studies of Japanese couples eating tofu every day or even several times daily. They had a raised tendency to developing Alzheimer's. It has been suggested that tofu is OK for the young, but not for older people (like me). I don't know the truth, but IMO its not worth the risk. I believe the fermented form of soy, Natto, is thought to be OK. Last time I tried it, I found it disgusting, but perhaps I should try again.One of the best dietary sources of calcium is actually tofu
@AndBreathe, I have not had my vitamin D levels tested recently, but I am taking the highest daily dose that is considered safe, and because I have digestive problems which may well impair absorption I use a spray. I have recently begun taking K2 separately - the MK7 form. Thanks for asking.
As for being cared for by a medical team, that would be my GP, but as I don't like the sound of Fossamax, I will have to try and address this by diet and exercise.
@Dr Snoddy, yes, I recently learned about this from a video by Dr Ken Berry. I would certainly not adopt him as my guru, but he has influenced me to start taking collagen every day precisely in order to improve my bone strength. I have not yet adopted his strategy of eating egg shells in order to ingest a high (and free) dose of calcium!
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?