At Bavaro Chiropractic, we are well educated in nutritional counseling and dispensing of appropriate supplements. The Doctor evaluates your case and what your individual nutritional needs may be. We have a diverse variety of supplements available for purchase at our facility.

This month, for your better health, we would like to discuss Osteoporosis, a commonly occurring condition found in women, especially those women who are in their post menopausal years.

We associate osteoporosis with older people whose backs are bent - from those with a mild “dowager’s hump” to those who can no longer stand up straight. The fact is that 20 million American women have osteoporosis. And 80 percent of them don’t even know it!

Osteoporosis is a chronic progressive condition that steals bone from the body, often leading to fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine. Many older people suffer disability and even death from osteoporosis related fractures. While one in two women will suffer from an osteoporosis-related fracture in her lifetime, one in eight men will, too!

Apparently, many people confuse osteoporosis with arthritis, and wait for swollen joints and pain before going in for testing. Even though osteoporosis is painless (until you suffer a bone fracture), it is extremely important to find out how healthy your bones are - and to make lifestyle, dietary, and sometimes other changes.

One of the best lifestyle changes you can make is in the area of exercise. Weight-bearing activity for 20 minutes three times a week is helpful. Try walking, jogging, playing racquet sports, lifting weights, or doing aerobics. A healthful diet makes a big difference. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits. Enjoy nuts and seeds. Experiment with broccoli, kale, collard greens, cabbage, and turnip greens. Try tofu, salmon, sardines, grains and low fat dairy products, such as milk and yogurt (a glass of low fat milk and a cup of yogurt adds 600mg of calcium to the diet a day) Drink eight 10-ounce glasses of water a day(herb teas, juices, or other liquids are not a substitute for water) Avoid caffeine, carbonated cola’s, alcohol, baked goods, and junk food. Watch your animal protein intake.

Don’t smoke!

Include more calcium in your diet. Most Americans get only about 600 mg of calcium a day but a recent report from the National Academy of Sciences suggests adults 51 and older need 1200 mg/day. The National Institutes of Health’s recommendations are 1000 mg/day for post-menopausal women taking estrogen, 1500mg/day for postmenopausal women not taking estrogen and 1,500 mg/day for men and women 65 and older. If you’re in the market for a supplement, be sure you take one that is highly absorbable, such as microcrystalline hydroxyapatite concentrate (MCHC), or one of the malates, furnarates, succinates, glutarates, or citrates, but don’t overdo it. Taking more than double the recommended amount of calcium may put some people at risk for developing kidney stones. You may also want to supplement other nutrients, such as vitamin D, C, magnesium, zinc, and silica after talking with your doctor of chiropractic.

At Bavaro Chiropractic Center, we have high quality calcium supplements and we can help you by discussing your risk for osteoporosis. The National Osteoporosis Foundation says that although weight-bearing exercise is generally recommended, people with osteoporosis should consult their health care practitioners before beginning a new exercise program. The foundation cautions against sudden or excessive strain on the bones during exercise. People with osteoporosis need to be careful when lifting heavy objects-including grandchildren. Take steps to avoid falling.

Talk to your doctor of chiropractic to see what else you can do to maintain and improve the health of your bones. Your doctor of chiropractic is a highly trained professional on helping you maintain good health. Studies show chiropractic patients are hospitalized less than the general population. And chiropractic health care ranks number one in patient satisfaction. To learn more about osteoporosis online check out the National Osteoporosis Foundation web page at:
www.nof.org

Risk Factors for Osteoporosis:

1. Being female - especially thin, Caucasian or Asian
   
2. Having family history of osteoporosis
   
3. Being older
   
4. Being physically inactive
   
5. Taking corticosteroids, thyroid medications, anticonvulsants,
   anticoagulants, Dilantin, diuretics, antacids with aluminum, and drugs that
   alter digestion, such as Ranitidine
   
6. Smoking
   
7. Heavy consumption of carbonated beverages, coffee
   
8. Heavy consumption of alcohol
   
9. Low intake of calcium and vitamin D
   
10. Chronic diseases of the kidney, lung, stomach, and intestines
    
11. Hormonal changes because of menopause or hysterectomy
    
12. Lactose intolerance, low stomach acid