I talked about the causes of osteoporosis in the last article. Today, the discussion is test that need to be done to make a better treatment plan.
Testing the bone
Isn’t the bone density scan enough? Actually, no. In the last article, I eluded to the fact that bone quality is most likely the most important aspect to look at. Why is bone quality so important? So, how do we check the quality of bones?
Bone quality status is a predictor of probability of having a fracture. What test is needed? Trabecular Bone Scan score, Lateral Tubercle score and Lateral Vertebral score are commonly the main markers. However, this doesn’t give one a total picture.
Bone Markers/Formation has to be checked. What blood test are needed? C Telopeptides (CTX) measures bone resorption and N-terminal propeptide measures type 1 procollagen (P1NP). P1NP is the marker of bone formation. These are tested through blood.
Other blood test include hormonal markers such as thyroid/parathyroid, sex hormones include estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and pituitary gland.
A baseline on these test has to be done before any pharmaceutic intervention is started. Bone turn over markers are necessary before treatment is started. Some of the medications build bone density, but are not good at building bone quality. If the bone meets the density requirements and does not build good bone quality, your fracture risk remains high.
It’s important to talk with your health care provider about getting baseline test results before any treatment is started. If this is not done, one can be on a treatment protocol for two years only to discover at the end of two years that the medication prescribed didn’t work.
When is Pharmaceutical Intervention needed?
Oftentimes, physicians want to start treatment when the bone density scan shows osteopenia. (Did you know that the term osteopenia is a word radiologist came up with. They made up this word because the bone density scan was on the borderline of osteoporosis, but the scan was inconclusive.)
Recently, experts on osteoporosis are making recommendations not to go by the bone density score only. Listening to these experts talk I learned that medications are not always recommended with -2 and -3. Why? Because the bone quality test show good bone quality which means that the risk of bone fracture is not that high. I was surprised and pleased to hear these experts recommending to be slow on starting osteoporosis medications. All of them recommended a natural approach.
Natural Health Protocols
Diet is the number 1 recommendation from the experts on osteoporosis. GO FIGURE! Therefore, go grocery shopping instead of to the pharmacy! If you will recall, I have written extensively about shopping around the edges of the grocery store. Skip the prepackaged frozen meals.
I spoke on what to avoid in foods in the first article in this series. But, I will summarize the worst foods.
- Dairy – the more dairy products ingested the higher the fractures in osteoporosis.
- Red meat – increases acid forming in the body
- Protein – higher levels of protein equal lower bone density and calcium loss is higher
- Soda pop – causes phosphoric acid which leads to lower bone density
- Caffeine – can decrease calcium absorption in the gut
- Alcohol – increase fracture from osteoporosis (Look up the guidelines on what constitutes alcoholism. You will be surprise. Alcohol consumption in diagnosing alcoholism is lower than one would think.)
- Cigarettes – well everyone knows this one
Eliminate these items listed above and you have taken a major step in improving your health.
What should you do to support your bones and health?
- Make sure you have a good vitamin D level.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables to provide an alkaline environment in the body.
- Reduce the chronic inflammation in the body. Reduce the negative stress in your life. Maintain a healthy body weight. Have good quality sleep.
- Increase your gut health by eating foods that promote prebiotic gut health. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut contain high levels of prebiotic bacteria. The prebiotic bacteria support the probiotic bacteria in the gut.
- Eat more fiber in your diet. Increase your consumption of green leafy vegetables.
- Increase exercise! Just move! You don’t have to go to the gym, just get up off the couch and move. There are exercises that build bone strength and density.
- Stop the calcium supplements! They don’t work!
One last point, most people are not gluten sensitive, they are wheat sensitive. There are over 700 different antigens in wheat that cause the problems.
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity should be called non-celiac wheat sensitivity. Note that gluten free products are higher in sugar. That’s not a healthy alternative.
Ok, I just stated to stop the calcium supplements. What’s the alternative? Many foods have ample amounts of calcium and this calcium is easily absorbed. You can get a plant based supplement that is readily absorbed.
Summary
I do practice what I preach. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis. My approach has been the natural approach. I just had a bone density scan done. Comparing this recent scan to the one done two years shows that my bone density has increased. I have used this protocol and will continue to follow this route.
Let me be crystal clear, I’m not totally opposed to drug treatment. But, I do agree with the experts who are proponents of going the natural route first.
Talk with your health care provider and make sure bone markers are done before you start any medications. Make sure you have all the facts before making any decision on how you chose to proceed.
