Why bone density decreases in women after 40 ?

“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.”  ~Thomas Edison

What is osteoporosis ?

Osteoporosis is a medical condition which lead to abnormally porous bone that is compressible like a sponge and it lead to frequent bone fractures.The fractures can be in the form of cracking or direct collapsing.Normal bone is composed of proteins, calcium and collagen, they are all required for providing bone its strength, When the woman reaches near to the menopausal stage, their estrogen hormone level decreases sharply which lead to low bone density( osteoporosis).

What are osteoporosis symptoms and signs?

Osteoporosis can be present without any symptoms for decades . Therefore, patients may not be aware of their osteoporosis until they suffer a painful fracture. The symptom associated with osteoporotic fractures usually is pain; the location of the pain depends on the location of the fracture. The symptoms of osteoporosis in men are similar to the symptoms of osteoporosis in women.

Fractures of the spine (vertebra) can cause severe "band-like" pain that radiates from the back to the sides of the body. Over the years, repeated spinal fractures can lead to chronic lower back pain as well as loss of height and/or curving of the spine due to collapse of the vertebrae. The collapse gives individuals a hunched-back appearance of the upper back, often called a "dowager hump" because it commonly is seen in elderly women.

A fracture that occurs during the course of normal activity is called a minimal trauma fracture. For example, some patients with osteoporosis develop stress fractures of the feet while walking or stepping off a curb.

Hip fractures typically occur as a result of a fall. With osteoporosis, hip fractures can occur as a result of trivial slip-and-fall accidents. Hip fractures also may heal slowly or poorly after surgical repair because of poor healing of the bone.

Calcium/Vitamin D are they essential?

Calcium and vitamin D are needed to building strong, dense bones when you’re young and to keeping them strong and healthy as you age. The information included here will help you learn all about calcium and vitamin D – the two most important nutrients for bone health.

How much calcium do you need?

Age 50 & younger 1,000 mg* daily

Age 51 & older 1,200 mg* daily

Vitamin D is required for the active absorption of calcium by the intestine.

Normal bone is composed of proteins, calcium and collagen , they are all required for providing bone its strength , When the woman reaches near to the menopausal stage, their estrogen hormone level decreases sharply which lead to low bone density( osteoporosis).

As women age, their metabolisms start to slow down, and they are generally less active, according to the American Council on Exercise. Therefore, 40-year-old women may find it more and more difficult to maintain healthy body. Fortunately, a proper diet and regular exercise helps keep women in their 40 s to have good bone density.

          Food we should eat to overcome osteoporosis:

              1. Flax seeds (Alsi seeds)

     Flax seeds are considered one of the best sources of estrogen and they occupy the top position in the list of foods containing phytoestrogen. Also called linseeds, these are said to contain three times more phytoestrogens than soybeans.

• Serving Size – 1 tablespoon
• Isoflavones – 22.5 mg
• Phytoestrogens (per 100 grams) – 379,380 mcg.

               2. Soy products

            Soy is one of the highest estrogen foods. It contains phytoestrogens called isoflavones that       affect the estrogen metabolism in the body. Edamame are the pods produced by a soy plant that affect estrogen metabolism.

1. Serving Size – 1 cup
2. Isoflavones – 24 mg
3. Pytoestrogens (per 100 grams) – 103,920 mcg.

       3. sesame seeds (Til seeds)

   
   

      These are quite high in lignans, hormones that help balance estrogen levels in a woman’s       body. They are also high in dietary fiber and several vitamins and minerals.

   
   

   
   

         1. Serving Size – 1 ounce

         2. Lignans – 11.2 mg

         3.Phytoestrogens (per 100 grams) – 8008.1 mcg.