Osteoporosis does not imply a lack of calcium per se, but is caused by a loss of calcium; for this reason, treatment should not be based on increasing calcium intake but on limiting calcium loss.
Likewise, from the dietary point of view, we insist on avoiding acidification of the body (produced by meats, sweets, sugar in general, sugary soft drinks…) and on physical exercise, as well as maintaining adequate and sufficient levels of vitamin D.
We cannot talk about osteoporosis without mentioning the results of the study that Colin Campbell, Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, reflected in his book The China Study. The study, based on 6,5000 individuals, concluded that animal milk demineralizes adults.
During the research, women who did not drink cow’s milk (their only food being rice, vegetables, soy and its derivatives) did not have osteoporosis; however, if they stopped this diet and introduced cow’s milk, calcium levels dropped and they began to suffer from this pathology.
How to prevent osteoporosis through our diet
- Increase alternative sources of calcium, such as sesame, kale, broccoli, sardines, spinach or egg yolk.
- Decrease the intake of phosphates (dairy products, meat and soft drinks with cola), fats, oxalic acid and phytic acid (cereals and legumes).
Years after menopause, and depending on the bone structure of women in adolescence, bone mass tends to decrease annually, since the body’s capacity to produce bone tissue begins to diminish.
It should be noted that the modern diet produces acids with dairy products, meat and wheat, and the kidney cannot overcome the excess acid generated, so it accumulates in the blood and connective tissue. For this reason the diet to be followed is extremely important.
It is recommended to deacidify as follows:
- Increase foods rich in minerals: vegetables, chestnuts, almonds, avocado. Cover calcium intake, without forcing dairy products (broccoli, salmon, almonds, sardines, etc.) and vitamin D (salmon, herring, sole, oysters, eggshell).
- Reduce consumption of coffee, alcohol, soft drinks and tobacco.
Fallacies associated with osteoporosis:
- Menopausal women are more likely to develop osteoporosis. There are many cultures in which postmenopausal women are healthy, active and healthy and do not suffer from osteoporosis. Therefore, if this were true it would be noticed throughout the world in all women with fractures.
- To maintain strong bones we need to acquire calcium from the diet, especially in dairy products.
Pomegranates, natural hormone replacement therapy in menopause
The pomegranate, a symbol of fertility in ancient cultures, bears a striking resemblance to the female ovary that goes beyond their physical similarities. This fruit also provides the same estrogens as the female ovary (estradiol, estrone and estriol), therefore, for a menopausal woman it can mean relief from depressive moods, lower risk of osteoporosis, breast cancer and heart disease.
Dietary supplementation in menopause
- Vitamin K2; moves calcium into bone structures and away from arterial blood vessel walls. Acts as a cofactor in osteocalcin activation: vitamin k carboxylates glutamic acid residues in osteocalcin to Gla (gamma-carboxyglutamic acid). Activated osteocalcin binds calcium and aids in the incorporation of calcium into the hydroxyapatite component of the bone matrix (NutriMk7; cienporciennatural).
- Zinc; important mineral for the maintenance of bones, as it intervenes in the acid-base balance of the blood and participates in the metabolism of phosphorus and calcium.
- Vitamin D: helps in the normal absorption and utilization of calcium and in the maintenance of healthy and strong bones and teeth.
- Manganese: serves to fix calcium.